Like most things in the world, pregnancies can face complications. You may find yourself asking: Am I actually pregnant, or is this something else? We want you to know that if anything goes awry, you’re not alone.
Chemical Pregnancy
Chemical pregnancies account for 50- 75% of all miscarriages- that includes natural conception and IVF (1). These take place very early on in the pregnancy when the implantation of the fertilized egg never fully happens. Some women don’t even know they conceived because they mistake this early miscarriage for a late period.
Unfortunately, pregnancy tests still detect levels of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) from the cells that would have become the placenta. As a result, urine or blood tests can come back positive even if you aren’t pregnant.
Don’t panic- this doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get pregnant or stay pregnant, eventually.
If you seem to have recurrent chemical pregnancies, your health care provider should double check if you are experiencing any health problems that may be responsible.
Molar Pregnancy
Molar pregnancies account for 1 out of 1,000 pregnancies in the US, making them pretty rare. They can be broken down into two separate categories (2):
Complete Molar Pregnancy
This occurs when sperm fertilizes an empty egg. Only placental parts will form as a result.
Partial Molar Pregnancy
The mass contains an embryo with serious birth defects, as well as abnormal cells. Unfortunately, the abnormal mass will overtake the fetus (2).
Molar pregnancies are usually identified by very high amounts of hCG (that's the pregnancy hormone). Sonograms will show a placenta that appears like a cluster of lumps, and there will no fetal heartbeat or movement detected.
Keep in mind that a molar pregnancy is not a developing child, but the loss can still be difficult. These pregnancies are often removed by opening the cervix and suctioning out the contents of the uterus.
Pregnancy should be avoided for one year following a molar pregnancy (2).
Note: The CDC recommends taking a prenatal up to 3 months before trying to conceive. BINTO’s line of prenatal vitamins all contains Folate which is critical in preventing birth defects. If you’re concerned about your egg quality, we use the antioxidant CoQ10 to support women’s fertility and quality of their eggs.
Resources:
1.https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/chemical-pregnancy#1
2.http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-complications/molar-pregnancy/