Did I have a chemical pregnancy?

Katie Lee is a certified genetic counselor with 7+ years of practice in reproductive medicine. She has worked for one of the most well-known IVF clinics in the United States and a laboratory that offers fertility-related genetic testing. She is currently employed by one of the largest sperm banks in the US. Katie started this YouTube channel to support people going through fertility treatment and miscarriages. On this channel Katie discusses topics in fertility/preconception genetic counseling and her own personal experience with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss.

Check out Katie Lee's website and fertility and miscarriage-related digital downloads here: https://www.katieleecgc.com/shop

You can find her relevant blog posts here: https://www.katieleecgc.com/blog/cate...

Today Katie discussed how you know if you had a chemical pregnancy (also called a biochemical pregnancy).

A chemical pregnancy, also called a biochemical pregnancy, is a early miscarriage that typically occurs in the first 5 weeks of pregnancy. A chemical pregnancy occurs when a pregnancy test (bHCG) is positive initially, but it doesn’t progress into a clinical pregnancy, one that can be visualized on ultrasound.

If an individual has one or more positive pregnancy tests and then gets their period and gets negative pregnancy test results, than they likely experience a chemical pregnancy.

It is thought that about ~20% of all pregnancies result in these early losses. In the general population, most chemical pregnancies go unrecognized. However, if a person is actively monitoring for pregnancy by taking pregnancy tests (β-hCG tests) prior to a missed period or around the time a period is anticipated, they can be detected.

There is nothing we can do to prevent miscarriages, including pregnancy losses. That being said there are some life style factors that can increase your risk for miscarriages. If you think you are experiencing a chemical pregnancy, contact your doctor. You can also speak with your doctor about life style factors that can increase/decrease the risk for future losses.

Even though chemical losses are common, they can still be devastating. Depending on your TTC journey, the loss of a very much wanted baby can hit hard. If you are struggling, I recommend that you speak with your support people including your family friends and medical professionals like your OB/GYN, primary care provider or therapist. If you want to learn more about causes of chemical pregnancies and how common they are check out my other videos.

This content is for educational and informational purposes only. This video is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding medical advice, your condition or treatment.