Faint BFP after m/c

[jess1996]

I had a missed m/c just over 4 weeks ago. I had a scan a week later which showed no retained products. The bleeding quickly stopped and I felt fine. I did my own HPT test (Boots brand using morning wee) two weeks ago to see if the HCG had gone, but it was still slightly positive. Last Friday I developed terrible abdominal pains and brown discharge. I went to A&E where they did a pregnancy test which was negative (evening wee). They decided it was an infection and gave me antibiotics. However all week I have had an achy abdomen and last night I had some slight bright red bleeding, which I thought was AF. However it stopped almost as soon as it had started. So this morning I tested again with a Boots HPT. It's faintly positive (although less than the test I did 2 weeks ago). Is this still residual hcg which was not picked up by the hospital test? Are NHS tests less sensitive than Boots tests? How long can hcg last after a m/c? Is there any chance this is a new pregnancy? I feel like I am losing my mind

Hi Jess. I'm really sorry to hear about your m/c. I have no knowledge that will help you I'm afraid but wanted to bump this for you and wish you lot's of luck. Hopefully someone will be along soon with some helpful advice

Hi Jess

I'm sorry to hear about what you've been through. I am still going though bleeding cos of mc beginning last fri

Did the hospital do any blood tests at all? I've had two so far to confirm hormones levels were dopping ( before heavy bleeding started) and will have anothe next week hoping it will have gone back to nomal. I did a pg test yesterday which was still very strongly positive...when I told the EPU they said that's normal for 3 weeks or so...hence them doing blood tests...

HTH, perhaps you could ask your GP for a blood test to put you mind at rest?

Also wanted to add that theres a thead stated on hee the other day by a lady who's found heself pg straight away after a mc abd she wasn't the only one either...so it is possible this is a new pgy! ( Just don't want to screw your head up with false hope etc )

Hi Jess,
Sorry for your distress.
I am unfortunately a kind of an (patient-)expert in this field. I beleive there are a number of options: you are pregnant again (could that be?), b) you could have had an incomplete miscarriage, c) you have an infection.
I do not much about a and c but b. I had an incomplete ERPC, no menstruation for 8 weeks, sharp abdominal pain and positive pregnancies tests (home pregnancy tests tend to be much more sensitive (10 MIU/ml) than the ones they use in hospital (25 MIU/ml) you are right about that (obviosuly depends on the hospital in general)). The 'retained material' was in my case not visible on an external scan but only on an internal scan, because it was at the fundus (top) of the uterus. It is a place that is very delicate and it is quite common (5%) to have retained material there at least after ERPCs (don't know about natural mc). Did you have an internal scan? If so, ask somebody to look at the scan again -- in my case they almost didn't detect it, but in the end it was a piece 3cmx3cmx3cm, i.e. not particularly tiny.... There can be residual homes for over 6 weeks even after a complete misscarriage, so this is another possibility.
Finally you could be pregnant again in which case the lines should get considerabley stronger in thre days or so. Good luck, I will watch this thread to see if you need more info.

Thanks for all your replies. I have been bleeding all day now. So I don't think it's a new pregnancy. I'm hoping this is just AF. It is a strange pain though, more of a dull ache, but I really feel it when I stand up or sit down. The pregnancy test I did this morning was really faint compared to the one I did two weeks ago, so I'm assuming the HCG levels are still falling. It was a twin pregnancy I lost, so maybe the HCG levels started off a bit higher. I've made an appointment to see my GP next Tuesday, so I'm hoping I'll either feel better by then. Or if not then at least I might get referred back to the hospital.

I'm sorry to hear about your m/c Glimmer and mumto3girls. I only had an external scan so I really hope it isn't an incomplete m/c. The only thing which has kept me going for the past few weeks has been the thought that at least everything is sorted and I can try again. Unfortunately it looks like they're not sorted after all .

Does anyone know if HCG levels have to fall to zero in order for ovulation to occur?

Hi Jess. Oh, it's a good sign that you are bleeding (IYKWIM). At least you know now where you stand. I guess you could also have lost another one within the first two weeks, but it doesn't sound likely to me. Now that you are bleeding everything should clear out and you can start TTC as soon as you are up to it.
HGC has to be normally below 2 MIU/Ml (milli-international units per milli-liter) to be considered 'negative'. I am not sure how low it has to be before you ovulate again, but I would guess that if is is low enoughto get AF, then it should be low enough for ovulations as well. Good luck to you -- I hope I didn't freak you out....

Jess1996 ? you must be going out of your mind you poor thing I would have thought the HCG would have been gone by now. I think it has a half life of 36 hours. As mumto3girls has said, I was told that I could still test positive up to 3 weeks after the MC, I was 10 weeks. In fact, I got a negative just over 3 weeks afterwards but I did wait that long on purpose. I?ve not had any blood tests at all. Your HCG levels will have been much higher than mine though with twins. I read the other day that you can ovulate when your HCG levels drop below 40-50miu/ml. Hope it is AF and that you can start from a known place soon, I too am waiting for AF, cd33 now!

Glimmer ? do you think it?s off that they only did an external scan on me to diagnose a complete miscarriage and no blood tests? I feel ok I have to say but the practice does seem to vary so much from hospital to hospital doesn?t it. They did say my lining was back to 4mm but I didn?t and still don?t really know what that means.