Chemical Pregnancy

A chemical pregnancy is the clinical term used for a very early miscarriage. In many cases, the positive pregnancy test was achieved before the woman’s period was due but a miscarrige occured before a heartbeat was able to be seen on an ultrasound.

With the ultra sensitive pregnancy tests on the market today, it is easier than ever to get a positive result 3 or 4 days before your period is due. It is wonderful for those who NEED to know, but does have it’s down side. Early testing shows chemical pregnancies which would not have been detected had the woman waited for her period to arrive.

Chemical pregnancies are unfortunately very common. 50 to 60% of first pregnancies end in miscarriage very early in pregnancy. Most occur without the woman even knowing that she was pregnant.

What happens when a fertilized egg does not implant, i.e. the process of conception is only part way complete? Such a situation where the fertilized egg does not implant is known as chemical pregnancy. It is possible that if a test of pregnancy is taken after fertilization happened; it will turn out to be positive. However, it will turn out to be negative a few days later. The situation is difficult and leaves the couple devastated – if they thought they were pregnant, the truth of the matter is that they have just had a miscarriage. Chemical pregnancy is not even known to most women in most of the cases and they may be under the impression that their period is just a little late and a bit heavy.

Signs and Symptoms of a Chemical Pregnancy
When a chemical pregnancy happens, women may not experience the symptoms of pregnancy since the fertilized egg has not properly implanted. Some women however, based on their previous pregnancies to some extent, have indicated that they feel pregnant. There may be mild cramping in the abdomen as well as spotting just prior to the time that women think that they have got their period. And, the period may be a tad late.
Causes of a Chemical Pregnancy

The real cause of chemical pregnancies is not known; however, it has been attributed to abnormal chromosomes within the fetus and, in addition, poor quality of the egg or the sperm, abnormal division of cells in the fetus and / or abnormalities of a genetic nature in either the mother or the father may be the cause for abnormality of the chromosomes. Around 50 percent to 60 percent of miscarriages in the first trimester have been attributed to abnormality of chromosomes.

There are other possible causes to chemical pregnancies as well – infections such as Cytomegalovirus, Syphilis, Chlamydia, Genital herpes, Rubella, Toxoplasmosis are some of them. Other factors may include abnormal anatomy of the uterus namely unicornate uterus or separate uterus. Also possible factors are abnormal levels of hormones within the mother as in low levels of progesterone, illnesses of a systemic nature as in untreated thyroid disease etc.

There are any number of reasons why a chemical pregnancy might occur, and sometimes the exact cause is never determined. The most common causes could be:
  1. A genetic defect either passed down by the parent to the fetus or an abnormality the embryo has developed on its own due to cell division.
  2. A thin uterine wall.
  3. Obstructions in the uterus (ie fibroids)
  4. A compromised immune system as a result of infection due to herpes, Chlamydia, syphilis or a thyroid condition.


Treatment of a Chemical Pregnancy
There is no specific treatment for chemical pregnancies and in most cases follow-up tests to ensure that the hCG level of the woman has returned to levels that are non-detectable is important. For all that they have gone through with a chemical pregnancy, women thankfully are not impacted much and most of them go on to have normal pregnancies following a chemical pregnancy. The most difficult part of a chemical pregnancy is the aspect of coping with the news at that time – it is extremely difficult when you think you are pregnant and you realize you are not. Instead of celebrating a pregnancy, you realize you have had a miscarriage.

Physicians can arrange for genetic counseling for those couples who have undergone several early miscarriages and the couple is recommended to wait at least one regular menstrual cycle after a chemical pregnancy to ensure that they are both physically and emotionally ready as well to conceive again.
What happens after a chemical pregnancy?

Grieving:
Putting the woman in a strange situation from the perspective of grieving, there are some women who do not grieve over chemical pregnancies and the lost baby. However, some are completely emotionally devastated and it is more ironic than a miscarriage since others might not recognize that the loss is valid and insist that it is wrong grieving etc.

Follow-Up
Those who are unaware that they are pregnant and have undergone a miscarriage will not likely make an appointment with the provider of health care for following up. Those women who indeed have an idea of the pregnancy should follow it up and ensure that their levels of hCG are down till they give a negative result. There is a possibility that an ectopic pregnancy has occurred and it is necessary to ensure that a full miscarriage has occurred. This needs to be done even if the woman has had a period.
If the reason for the chemical pregnancy is an infection, antibiotics can sometimes be prescribed to clear it up and help avoid repeated chemical pregnancies.


How about ovulation after the chemical pregnancy?
Grieve if you need to in order to get over the emotional hump of the whole issue.  As soon as you realize that you had a chemical pregnancy, follow-up with your doctor to figure out what went on. Perhaps yours was an ectopic pregnancy and the doctor needs to check the hCG levels to ensure that they go down and produce a negative test. Even if you have had a period after the chemical pregnancy, if this happens and the doctor gives you the go ahead to try again, you are free to do so.

If your chemical pregnancy was due to an infection, the doctor is again the person who can help. Perhaps an antibiotic cream needs to be prescribed to clear it up. Check with the doctor, let them assess the situation and come up with a solution.


http://www.chemicalpregnancy.org