Betas are stressful!

[hunni12]

I have just noticed since my time in the 1st tri, many people(including myself) have had doctors stress them out over beta numbers. It is becoming more an issue for many mothers than it is helpful.

Am i the only who thinks this?

 

[rosegarden620]

No, I couldn't agree with you more. It seems like such a daunting task, calculating doubling hours and what not.... Ive been there. This is my 4th pregnancy (5 if you include my blighted ovum) and for the first time I have a "whatever happens, happens" mentality. The truth is simple, so early on, its in Gods hands and what ever is meant to happen will happen. Its a shame, but sadly, I get it fully.

 

[hunni12]

I agree rose. To me ....the outcome cannot be changed so why even stress the mother?

 

[cupcake.]

While i see that for some women it means more reassurance, especially when they have had chemical pregnancies before, i too think it seems to be an even bigger source of stress for a lot of women.

I'm from germany and it is very very uncommon to draw betas. I think it's probably only couples treated at infertility clinics and women with recurrent losses who do get them.

I never got my betas tested and i didn't want to ask for that either. Same reason i didn't use the clearblue weeks estimator actually i didn't want that as another source of stress.

But well i do get how for a lot of women, when they get perfectly rising betas back, it's very reassuring for them.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

They no longer do blood tests at my surgery.

 

[iwantabub]

They dont do them standard here u less there are issues.. after my mmc last time i asked for them with ds... this time i didnt even make an appt with my gp when i got my.bfp coz theres no point.. if numbers are rising falling whatever you just stress out either way... my first appt is with my midwife at 11 weeks... im sick as a dog so im thinking all is fine and thats good enough for me ... last time i stressed at numbers and scans and all sorts and its just not worth the stress imo

 

[maryanne1987]

I totally agree with you. I refused them this time as I didnt want the worry. I've had losses where betas have doubled perfectly and healthy pregnancies where my levels were so low my babies weren't considered viable. Sometimes I just think betas and scans before 7 weeks are more of a worry than reassurance.

 

[pandi77]

I think they are useful in situations where the pregnancy needs monitoring. In some cases it can save the mother's life like it did mine with my ectopic. the use of beta analysis has brought the maternal mortality from ectopic pregnancies down 80-90% from what is was prior to this technology which was basically a death sentence. Even with our new diagnostic tools ectopic pregnancies are still the number one cause of maternal deaths in the first trimester. Often times a baby cannot be located on a scan for so long that the betas have become too high by that point to use a non invasive treatment such as methotrexate and so using beta analysis is crucial in making a decision with pregnancies of unknown location.

I do understand that with the normal uneventful pregnancy that betas being done are usually just for piece of mind but I think with any issues that could indicate a problem it's an invaluable tool. I can't tell you how many times over the years I have read on these boards about woman with bleeding and/or pain who were told by their doctors "there's nothing we can do this early and if it's a loss it will happen on it's own" and then sent home only to have a tube rupture and end up in the ER Beta analysis is part of good medical management of any high risk pregnancy which is a classification given out if there is any bleeding (20-30%) of all pregnancies. I understand why you feel the way you do but there are two sides to every coin like so many things so perhaps this changes your perspective on betas for some women. H&h 9 months!

 

[lilesMom]

Betas hve so far always told me ahead of time how my preg will go.
Only times I've had proper doubling times
Was with ds and now.
All my mcs levels were wrong.
With my first blighted ovum they were too high.
With the others slow rising.
For me they stopped me from having false hope and getting myself all excited
To hve an even bigger shock when bub eventually failed.
They r extremely stressful
But for me being in total ignorance is more so.
I see ur point but its not true for all
Like pp said also can catch ectopics
Which is invaluable

 

[lakotachris]

I absolutely agree and occasionally they can predict an outcome but honestly that's not often the case. I've known and seen women with doubling high betas have miscarriages and in the cases of blighted ovums MOST Of those women are shell shocked because they had thought all was well because of the doubling high betas.

With my first four it wasn't even common to take betas. I didn't stress at all. I see so many women stressed out from their betas if they are low or not doubling correctly and yes some lose the pregnancy but many end up with a baby and spend weeks stressed or upset or even in depression because they think they will lose their baby. In my case, I won't get them again. I would rather have had a natural miscarriage without the impending doom and stress following the betas. Ironically, my betas went from very low in the beginning to wonderful and high the week I miscarried.

 

[Kiwiberry]

Is this a UK thing? During both of my pregnancies this one and my first baby they never once told me my Beta levels.

 

[smileyfaces]

It is not routine in the UK. I had them with my first baby as I had a bleed and they told me I'd miscarried and so they wanted to check my numbers went down (they were wrong, everything was fine).

I don't know why they do them routinely in other countries unless there is a real medical need for them like threatened miscarriage or suspected ectopic etc

 

[Kiwiberry]

All the posts that I see about women talking about their betas results and everything I always thought that they just asked for them. I had no idea that some doctors actually focus on it.

 

[babyjan]

Is this a UK thing? During both of my pregnancies this one and my first baby they never once told me my Beta levels.

Definitely not!

I've only had my blood taken when I was miscarrying. It seems more like an American thing from what I gathered on here

 

[Isme]

I never had them taken in my first two pregnancies. I didn't even know they were a "thing" until I came to this board while TTC. I most likely wouldn't have had them done in this pregnancy if it weren't for the fact that my midwife has no experience in dealing with very early pregnancy, and she got concerned about viability (and potential ectopic pregnancy) for no reason. The betas told her that the pregnancy was viable and, though they did make me a little nervous, I was glad for the reassurance.

I think the early scan I had was the most stressful part of this pregnancy, and I would never do THAT again -- but I found the betas to be pretty helpful. I do think they probably shouldn't be routine for all women, and I wish my midwife had never questioned things in the first place, but it was good to have that little bit of extra information with the situation being what it was for me.

 

[Kiwiberry]

Is this a UK thing? During both of my pregnancies this one and my first baby they never once told me my Beta levels.

Definitely not!

I've only had my blood taken when I was miscarrying. It seems more like an American thing from what I gathered on here

Well it's definitely not an American thing at least not something that's common because I have never even heard of it being pushed on people. They don't even tell you your levels you have to specifically ask for it. That's why I asked if it was a UK thing because I've never heard of it happening here before in the US. So you don't have to get so offended by what I said.

 

[babyjan]

Is this a UK thing? During both of my pregnancies this one and my first baby they never once told me my Beta levels.

Definitely not!

I've only had my blood taken when I was miscarrying. It seems more like an American thing from what I gathered on here

Well it's definitely not an American thing at least not something that's common because I have never even heard of it being pushed on people. They don't even tell you your levels you have to specifically ask for it. That's why I asked if it was a UK thing because I've never heard of it happening here before in the US. So you don't have to get so offended by what I said.

Lol! I wasn't offended at all I just meant it's definitely not a UK thing and even if it was there's nothing to be offended by :/

I just noticed a lot of the U.S ladies mentioning betas..... Tbh I learnt about the whole beta thing on bnb

 

[Kiwiberry]

I know this might seem harsh but maybe it's that some of the ladies do it to themselves and the doctors aren't actually pushing it on them? Either that or they are higher risk of some sort and need to be monitored closely. I think we can all agree that's definitely not 7something common in either of our countries. Beta tests are done with blood so I highly doubt a lot of Medical Practice is forcing it on people. That would just be a waste of money in their eyes.

Babyjan wasn't all directed at you just in general based on what OP said.

 

[babyjan]

I know this might seem harsh but maybe it's that some of the ladies do it to themselves and the doctors aren't actually pushing it on them? Either that or they are higher risk of some sort and need to be monitored closely. I think we can all agree that's definitely not 7something common in either of our countries. Beta tests are done with blood so I highly doubt a lot of Medical Practice is forcing it on people. That would just be a waste of money in their eyes.

Babyjan wasn't all directed at you just in general based on what OP said.

Yep I agree x

 

[maryanne1987]

In the UK betas are only normally taken if you have suffered reccuring miscarriges (3+) or have had a previous eptopic. Some gp's will agree to reassurance bloods but it's not common practice and varies widely depending what part of the UK your from. I have friends who were recently refused a level check after 2 mmc's. I can't speak for US ladies as im not sure how it works over there but here the arent routine. Although I refused them this pregnancy ive been in the position after multiple losses, desperate for reassurance that the pregnancy would progress. Unfornatley I learnt the hard way that nothing can predict the outcome of a pregnancy. And although now I won't have early betas and I think they cause more worry than reassurence I can remember that desperation to want to know.