First Trimester of Pregnancy Forum - Miscarriage and HCG levels

Pregnancy Forum > First Trimester of Pregnancy Forum > Miscarriage and HCG levels

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Q: Miscarriage and HCG levels

asked by: DoctorQuestion on October 29th, 2006

I'm just looking for another opinion, I'm about four weeks pregnant, which I didn't know until I started bleeding, clotting, light cramps, went to the emergency room, had ultrasound, and they found a yolk sac with a fetal pole. I am lightly bleeding, some little clots, no tissue. Is there a chance that is was twins and I lost one and one is okay? The doctor said the bleeding might not be related to pregnancy but just a clot in my body. They're not sure whether the yolk sac is viable. Have you seen this before and what are the possible outcomes. We just don't know how to feel at this point.

Replies(1)

Dr. Nikola Gjuzelov , MD

replied on November 27th, 2006

First Trimester of Pregnancy Answer A1751

I am sorry to report that doctors can do nothing to prevent a possible miscarriage. At 4 weeks, it is impossible to say if the embryo holds twins, or not. The level of human chorion-gonadotropin (HCG) in your blood should be monitored. In normal pregnancies, the level of HCG doubles every 48 hours. If the embryo is dead, HCG levels don’t rise, but fall and in then the pregnancy test becomes negative. A heartbeat should be confirmed via ultrasound around the 7th-8th week of pregnancy.

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