Question about Chemical Pregnancy & Pregnancy Tests

[Preggos]

I just have a few questions about chemical pregnancies and also their relation to positive pregnancy tests.

I have read that chemical pregnancies often happen after receiving faint positive lines on pregnancy tests...does this mean then that not seeing a building in color of the pregnancy test line or a darkening, and then receiving a BFN indicates a chemical pregnancy could be occurring?

In addition, does seeing the BFP line get darker and darker usually indicate that a chemical pregnancy is less likely to occur?

Also, most things I have read about chemical pregnancies state they have a high chance of occurring during your first pregnancy...does this mean they occur less often during second pregnancies?

I am just asking for information purposes...I am currently 5W pregnant, with no symptoms or anything, just trying to clear up my own confusion.

 

[Rickles]

I have read that chemical pregnancies often happen after receiving faint positive lines on pregnancy tests...does this mean then that not seeing a building in color of the pregnancy test line or a darkening, and then receiving a BFN indicates a chemical pregnancy could be occurring?

Yes - but the test could also be a dud or a different brand with different sensitivity. My GP said one test was enough for her and to assume all was well unless I started bleeding... Also see my answer below to Q2.

In addition, does seeing the BFP line get darker and darker usually indicate that a chemical pregnancy is less likely to occur?

Yes because it would suggest HCG is doubling - but doesn't rule out miscarriage and is so dependent on other factors (FMU / how much water you have drunk etc.) it would be one of many potential indicators.

Also, most things I have read about chemical pregnancies state they have a high chance of occurring during your first pregnancy...does this mean they occur less often during second pregnancies?

I'm not sure they've done/ can do much clinical research into this - as lots would occur on the day AF was due and many women wouldn't have tested. I think it's true that sometimes your body needs a "warm up". I got pregnant 12 days after a chemical and I know lots of women on here who found they got pregnant very quickly afterwards.

The truth is we only know about chemicals because HPT have got so sensitive. In the past your doc would only expect to see you once you'd missed 2 AFs... Where I am they don't consider a chemical a miscarriage just a late AF. I am not being insensitive - it is a loss, I know, I've been there. But I had a MMC late last year and when I cited the chemical as a previous loss I was told it wouldn't count towards the "3" that the NHS would need to investigate any potential issues.

 

[Preggos]

Thanks for the response

Weeks 4-6 are the worst for worry

 

[misspriss]

When I had my chemical, I got a faint positive, and quit testing, 4-5 days later, I took another test (expecting a blazing positive! and a digi progression) and I got not pregnant on a digi and a very faint line on a FRER. I started bleeding that night.

It was not my first pregnancy.

And it's not just weeks 4-6, if you find out before week 4 it's even worse. Week 3.5-4 is the worst! What if AF just "shows"? Especially if you've had a recent chemical.

 

[Preggos]

Thanks MissPriss for your comment, sorry about your CP before.

When you say "faint" line, was it very faint?

Here is a picture of 4 recents BFP of mine, taken over 3 days.

#4 was taken this morning...would you say these are strong BFP's?

 

[misspriss]

YES, very strong.

 

[misspriss]

Here is a link to my 11dpo test that ended in a chemical.

Ironically, it is the same or even a bit darker than my BFP this pregnancy, so I don't feel I'm out of the water quite yet. I'm 11 dpo also today.

 

[Preggos]

Here is a link to my 11dpo test that ended in a chemical.

Ironically, it is the same or even a bit darker than my BFP this pregnancy, so I don't feel I'm out of the water quite yet. I'm 11 dpo also today.

Thanks for looking that up for me. Really appreciate it.

Thanks for the reassuring thoughts...I really hope this one sticks.

And good luck to you on your current pregnancy

 

[kittiyara]

Preggos - those are strong positives. Especially for an internet strip. I always get such light lines with them. I saw that you had another post about no symptoms. This is my third pregnancy, I have an almost two year old son and I'm 9 weeks along today. I had a miscarriage in between and several chemical pregnancies. Ive never had symptoms with any! Hope that helps. I think you being 5 weeks along is a good sign. My chemical pregnancies were all within week 4. Hope this helps. Good Luck!

 

[Preggos]

Thank you for more reassurance

Once I cross to week 6 I will feel much better I am sure and my strong BFP's are reassuring me a bit and keep me grounded. I got a "Pregnant, 2-3 weeks" on a Clearblue digi on Saturday as well.

This is certainly the drawback of finding out early, but when you are trying to conceive it is almost impossible not to test on the day of your expected period and even before sometimes.

Good luck on your current pregnancy....you must be close to your dating scan. I had mine at 9 weeks during my last pregnancy.

 

[mayacat]

I'm pretty sure this pregnancy is actually my second. I had a ton of symptoms the month before we tried again successfully but AF came on time (4 weeks on the nose) with a negative test the night before. The symptoms gradually went away from the time AF started to a couple days after it finished. I'm kind of glad I didn't test earlier because I may have got a faint positive and gotten my hopes up for no reason (not that the burping and constant peeing didn't...)

For this one, my test was light-medium darkness at 4.5 weeks and at 5.5 weeks it was darker than the control line, lol. Testing every day won't necessarily give you a good idea of what's going on. People do it, but the darkness of the line is affected by a few other things, like when the last time you peed was and how much you've had to drink in the hours before the test. If you want to take a couple tests to compare, use the exact same type of test, (buy a two-pack if you can) and test at least 4-5 days later (the tests say a week). hcg doubles every 2-3 days early on, so the longer you wait, the more satisfyingly dark that line could be

Hopefully all is well Good luck!

 

[Catiren]

gosh i get worried about that too... i had a strong line a few days before my period was due on a wondfo. the line was as dark as the control but not quite there. i kept testing but never tested with fmu, and sometimes id test an hour after drinking water and the line would not be as dark as i expected.

they say pregnancy strips or any hpt is a bad idea to track your hcg levels by because all hcg isnt measured through urine stream. its much more accurate through a blood test so i try not to worry but its hard because im fragile in the first trimester!

 

[misspriss]

Yeah, it's not a great idea to keep testing. You can do a pretty good progression by controlling a lot of the variables - same brand test, same time (FMU, for example), and take 2 or 3 days between isntead of 1 so you can more clearly see the change. Here is today's I did:

That's 10/11/12/14 dpo. I will not be testing anymore! This helped though, I had a chemical in June so I was worried!

 

[kittiyara]

14 looks awesome!! Yay!!

 

[oboeverity]

My chemical started with a faint line... I tested on the Sunday, saw the GP on the Tuesday, who tested again, and said 'a line's a line', and by the Wednesday I was cramping horrendously, and bleeding by the Thursday xx

 

[Mrs Mc]

Ive just got my BFP today after a chemical last month.

I tested 4 days before I was due on and My hpt were so light and never got darker. (tested another 4 times!) I was only officially 1 day late for my AF.

This month I refused to test early and wanted to be past my chemical pregnancy end date too. I tested this morning, got a blazing positive and am 4w 3d.

Fingers crossed this one is sticky xxxx

 

[Perplexed]

they look like bright positives congrats

it's normal not to have symptoms early on. it's so hard not to worry but I'm sure in a week or 2 you'll have some symptoms.

 

[skyesmom]

to answer to the OP:

faint lines on HPTs don't necessarily mean a chemical pregnancy, and also the lack of progression doesn't mean it's more likely to occur - urine tests depend on the concentration of the hormones in your urine, which vary on how much you drink, how fast your body builds it up in the urine, how long have you peed, the intensity of color on the test itself (even the same brand has lot to lot differences), etc...

as for it being more likely to occur with the first pregnancy, yes the statistic say so... but it can occur also after having living children, you just never know :/

from my own experience, i knew i was pregnant way before my tests turned positive, no chance i could have mistaken any of those for a late AF.
i can somehow tell when there is another life inside of me rather than just me symptom spotting, even when my OH was suspicious, and even while TTCing like mad.

so i strongly disagree with the poster who said that we would have never known of chemicals without these sensitive tests. i've had false negatives with both my pregnancies before i got my BFPs, but as said before, could never mistake a mc with an AF. hard core cramps, pain, clots, the feeling of cervix opening again and all the changes in my body prior to that... impossible not to notice.

Also, where i come from, a chemical is also considered a loss and counts for those magical three pregnancy losses one has to endure in order to get tested. :S

 

[wannabemomy37]

My experience is much different to most, I think.
I have only had a faint (hardly there) BFP in one of my 4 chemicals.
The other times I "just knew" yet couldn't get a BFP/didn't test and then later got a horrendous AF - definitely different from just a typical heavy AF. I literally had to lay down with my legs up to stop the bleeding and heating pads and Tylenol for the painful cramps it was basically like being in labor (I'd imagine) and not something I'd wish upon anybody.
The symptoms only lasted until about a week after the bleeding and then I realized it was officially over, even though the first time I didn't even know it was happening at all.
The only thing that made me know 100% that it was once a pregnancy was that I've seen fleshy discharge come out each of the 4 times.
The 2nd time I actually think I was more like 7weeks and passed a larger "clot" that without-a-doubt resembled a "5 week fetus" if you google it, with the little eye buds and spinal cord.

A 'chemical' can only occur during the implantation process, which would be before week 5 at the latest. Anything after 5 weeks is considered an 'early miscarriage'.
My chemicals were not confirmed or anything, so unfortunately there is no record of me becoming pregnant, ever, which sucks as I have been TTC for a year with my ex and about a year with my current OH now but to no avail. I need sticky babies!!

PS - A lot of doctors around here don't even really know what a chemical pregnancy is!?!? Planned Parenthood made me SO upset with not knowing what I was talking about - WTF they are totally in the wrong profession if they are unaware of an early loss pregnancy

 

[Preggos]

Thanks for all the responses.

I am at week 9 now, so my risk of CP is zero...now I just need to jump over the BO hurdle at my first scan and I will start to feel much better.