About Chemical Pregnancy Miscarriage

What is a Chemical Pregnancy?

A chemical pregnancy is a very early miscarriage. It usually happens before 5 weeks of pregnancy, when a pregnancy test can be positive but the pregnancy is too early to be seen on an ultrasound. It is called a “chemical pregnancy” because the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), rises enough to show a positive pregnancy test and then falls as the pregnancy stops developing.

Most chemical pregnancies happen because the embryo does not develop normally, often due to chromosome changes that occur by chance when the egg and sperm come together. This is usually not caused by anything you did or did not do. Less commonly, risk may be related to certain health conditions, such as thyroid disease, diabetes, blood-clotting disorders, infections, or problems with the uterus. The chance of early pregnancy loss also increases with age.

There is usually no treatment needed for a chemical pregnancy because it often resolves on its own, like a period that may be heavier or later than usual. There are no proven ways to prevent most chemical pregnancies. Having one chemical pregnancy does not mean you cannot have a healthy pregnancy in the future. Many people go on to have healthy pregnancies afterward. If you have repeated chemical pregnancies or repeated miscarriages, your doctor may recommend tests to look for possible causes and discuss whether any treatment could help.

Call your doctor if you have bleeding after a positive pregnancy test, heavy bleeding, severe pain, one-sided pelvic pain, dizziness, fainting, shoulder pain, fever, or symptoms that worry you. Your doctor can give advice based on your symptoms, test results, and medical history.