Chemical? This will be my 4th loss in 12 months :-(

[User06489]

Hi all, I know this looks like a chemical 😔 really hoped this one might stick but it just never got going? Any stories of hope?

I think keep testing until it’s negative to know for a fact. So sorry for your losses.

I’m not a fan of the phrase ‘chemical pregnancy’ as I feel it minimises what this actually is - an early miscarriage (I get why you’ve used it I just notice that some people don’t realise it is in fact a miscarriage so it’s just for clarity of language).

People will try to tell you that we wouldn’t know if we weren’t testing so early, or that it wasn’t a real pregnancy (it was indeed a real pregnancy) or that repeated chemical pregnancies are normal (They aren’t). The fact you have had 4 in 12 months suggests an underlying cause, and there are a number of things that can cause very early miscarriages, including some clotting disorders. For example I have APS which can cause miscarriages in several ways, one being tiny clots in the womb lining which prevent the egg implanting properly, which stops the egg developing. Things like vitamin deficiencies can have similar effects, and there are so many other possible causes that need investigating. If you haven’t already done so, speak to you GP and ask them to refer you to the recurrent miscarriage clinic for tests.

Yes I don't agree with not testing early since I need to know how many miscarriages I am having. I am on the waiting list to be seen by my local hospital EPU team (no dedicated miscarriage clinic) but have followed up with my GP today to ask them to run some bloods while I wait.

I’m the same - I need to test early because there is medication needed from a positive test. Early testing is important.

In case you aren’t aware, you don’t have to go to your local hospital. If you live close enough to travel to one with a dedicated clinic you can ask to be referred there too. You can go to any hospital you want to. I would also ask your GP to prescribe you progesterone. It might help, it might not, but studies suggest it might help support a pregnancy for women who have had 2 or more miscarriages. Not all GPs will, but if you get a sympathetic one then I believe there is guidance around this (based on my previous midwife)