Hi,  i am a little confused about these two.  My first pregnancy i misscarried at 11wks no HB. i know that was a miscarriage.  the next year i got a early positive preg. before my period was due, at 3days late i had AF.  Doctor said i had a chemical pregnancy.  On april 4 of this year i got an positive pregnancy test(175hcg) 3 days later my level was 430hcg, then 2 days later my levels dropped to 390hcg, doctor said i was probably going to miscarry, i did.  I saw my RE and he said this was chemical (5wks), but then i went to see OB and he said this was a misscarriage so i am confused, what was it a MC or chemical?  I am 37 and healthy weight and fit.  My RE said all my test are good and no reason for MC and to keep trying.  Just confused have i had one MC and 2 chemical or 2MC and one chemical?  sorry just need answers.  thank you so much for your time

Trisha,

A biochemical pregnancy is when there is evidence of pregnancy based on blood levels (hCG levels) but the pregnancy stops developing so early that it doesn’t get far enough to visualize on ultrasound (at which point it would be called a clinical pregnancy).  hCG levels usually need to be over 1500 or 2000 in order to see the gestational sac on ultrasound (usually about 5 to 5.5 weeks gestation) so if the pregnancy is lost prior to that it is considered a biochemical pregnancy.

Therefore, the pregnancy you describe would be considered a biochemical pregnancy. Most of these are thought to be a result of abnormal embryos (chromosomal or genetic) which could not develop further. So technically you have had one miscarriage of a clinical pregnancy and 2 biochemical pregnancies.  Biochemical pregnancies are not considered when diagnosing recurrent miscarriage because they are usually a result of abnormal embryos and not a result of other things that cause repetitive miscarriages.  Some doctors will still recommend an evaluation for recurrent pregnancy loss despite this, however.

I hope this helps.

Dr. Barry Witt

Hi, i am a little confused about these two.  My first pregnancy i misscarried at 11wks no HB. i know that was a miscarriage.  the next year i got a early positive preg. before my period was due, at 3days late i had AF.  Doctor said i had a chemical pregnancy.  On april 4 of this year i got an positive pregnancy test(175hcg) 3 days later my level was 430hcg, then 2 days later my levels dropped to 390hcg, doctor said i was probably going to miscarry, i did.  I saw my RE and he said this was chemical (5wks), but then i went to see OB and he said this was a misscarriage so i am confused, what was it a MC or chemical?  I am 37 and healthy weight and fit.  My RE said all my test are good and no reason for MC and to keep trying.  Just confused have i had one MC and 2 chemical or 2MC and one chemical?  sorry just need answers.  thank you so much for your time
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