Chemical Pregnancy: Find out what could indicate a false positive

Have you heard about ‘chemical pregnancy’? This term is very common among women who are trying to conceive. It represents the detection of the HCG hormone in a woman’s blood or urine, but without clinical evidence to ensure pregnancy. To understand more about the subject, get to know the opinion of a professional and solve some doubts.

What is chemical pregnancy

According to gynecologist and obstetrician Gianna Coelho (CRM 35816), chemical pregnancy occurs when the pregnancy test is positive due to the detection of the hormone HCG. “This hormone starts to be produced and can be detected by pregnancy tests, however the embryo may not implant properly in the uterus and, therefore, the pregnancy does not develop”, she explains.

That is, it may be a false positive, as the fetus may not develop after a few days. That’s why it’s very important to carry out the test at the correct period and seek proof of pregnancy through the ultrasound exam.

How does chemical pregnancy work?

To understand a little more about the subject, it is very important to stay on top of how this phenomenon happens and what the symptoms are. So, check out the professional’s explanations:

How chemical pregnancy develops in a woman’s body

According to Coelho, chemical pregnancy occurs when the sperm fertilizes the egg, arriving in the uterine cavity. When trying to implant itself in the endometrium, which is the inner layer of the uterus, the hormone HCG begins to be produced. If the embryo fails to implant in the uterus, the production of HCG stops and the pregnancy does not develop.

chemical pregnancy symptoms

The gynecologist explains that chemical pregnancy has no expressive symptoms. “The patient may or may not have a discreet menstrual delay”, she points out. The only indication is the test change from positive to negative in a few days.

Now that you understand a little more about how chemical pregnancy works, check out the next topic, in which the specialist answers the main questions on the subject.

Questions about chemical pregnancy

In order not to leave the article with doubts, check out the answers of Dr. Gianna Coelho regarding the main questions related to this topic:

Women’s Tips – Can chemical pregnancy evolve?

Gianna Coelho – The dosage of HCG in the blood tends to double every 48 hours in a normal pregnancy. If this value does not change or decrease within this period, we may be facing a chemical pregnancy. In these cases, the important thing is to exclude other diagnoses, such as having a positive pregnancy test and not having anything in the uterus when performing the ultrasound exam. In addition, it is essential to exclude the possibility of ectopic pregnancy, which can occur in the tubes, ovaries and even the pelvis. But once a positive test is detected, this pregnancy can evolve if there is no other factor that prevents this development.

How long after chemical pregnancy does menstruation begin?

If this embryo fails to implant properly, menstruation may follow soon afterward, often a week late. There are women who do not even make the diagnosis of this pregnancy.

Can chemical pregnancy prevent future pregnancy?

The fact of having suffered a chemical pregnancy does not compromise the woman’s reproductive future, just as attempts at a new pregnancy can already be started in the next cycle.

Can chemical pregnancy occur in in vitro fertilization?

In patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), fertilization of the egg by the sperm has already taken place in the laboratory, and the implantation of the embryo in the patient’s uterus depends on the body’s natural mechanisms. In many women, the HCG measurement is performed on a pre-established day with a positive result, but the pregnancy does not develop.

To understand more about the subject, it is extremely important to learn what happens in pregnancy week by week, in this way you understand what are the main body modifications of a woman’s body.