Positive HPT nearly 5 weeks after miscarriage

[mrsmindcontrol]

After advice please.....I had a miscarriage on Monday 20th May. I had a scan on that day & it showed that the lining of my womb was thin enough to class as a complete miscarriage.
I was 7.5 weeks but suspect baby had died weeks previously due to a previous scan showing small sized foetus for dates.
4, nearly 5 weeks on I am still getting + HPT. I am panicking I'm pregnant again (the original pregnancy was very much unplanned & against the odds).
Do i need to see a Doctor or should I wait another week or so to see if tests turn negative?

I got positive pregnancy tests for about 6 weeks following a miscarriage however if you are concerned the dr can do blood tests to check that your levels are dropping. Have you had unprotected sex since the miscarriage?

I haven't had unprotected sex, we've been using condoms as waiting to be sterilised & can't use hormonal contraception. However, last pregnancy happened despite condoms AND the MAP
Given you had + results for 6 weeks, I may leave it another week before I contact the dr.

I don't wish to alarm you, however would suggest going to the doc immediately. There are 5 possibilities - from my experience of extensive medical tests after I had a similar HPT issue and subsequent (tentative) diagnosis for bloods going down slowing after a MC, some require follow up or at least monitoring.Thankfully they are the rare ones!
1- some people's bodies take a while to recover (but check up will ensure this is just the case) ... most likely, thanfully!
2- tiny amount of retained products - if you're not in pain etc' it's no infected and may well just come out but it can keep HCG 30+ (which registers on a HPT) even if just a few tiny 'roots' of the placenta are left, hardly visible. In most cases if they thought this they would just monitor, but watch out for signs of infection, maybe a shot of antibiotics. 10% of MCs have an element of this, so it's also likely - it means your next AF may be heavier and clottier.
3- you're pregnant! :)
4- 1/4000 risk - a heterotopic (that's a tiny ectopic twin), which like all ectopics could be dangerous if left unchecked. They can scan for this and do 48 hr bloods to rule it out. Only a 1/4000 chance so don't panic! And if it is, it is unlikely you'll need surgery - most die on their own or with an injection.
5- 1/1000 risk - a partial molar pregnancy. This requires blood tests every 2 weeks for 6 months and in a small proportion of cases, mild chemo. This is what I have. It's very rare - if you MC in hospital they check the materials for it, but as you MCed naturally I guess they would use a scan again, and a serum blood test.

As I've said those two last ones are MEGA RARE but it's worth getting it checked by a GP or EPU for peace of mind. My doc was useless - as were the general clinic juniors at my local hospital - but the moment I was referred to the EPU they were SO thorough and sorted me out.

...Hoping it's number 3! :)

...oops sorry, apologies re-read can see you didn't want the pg. In which case ignore last comment SOORY!

Wow squiz, sorry to hear what you've been through. Are you ok?
I've called the GP now & waiting for a call back, I'm just so worried I'm pregnant again that I hadn't thought it might be something more sinister.
Thank you for your advice x

Oh no, I hope I haven't worried you. It is by far most likely to be a tiny bit of retained placenta which will bleed out like a clotty period (TMI) and then all be over with.

My case is 1/1000 miscarriages in rarity, so don't worry!!

Oh god, update....spoke to GP who spoke to the EPU who then rang me back. Essentially, I spoke to the nurse who scanned me on 20 May. She said that the scan definitely showed that the miscarriage was totally complete so the + test is definitely showing a + for a new pregnancy. She said that the residual HcG from a 7 week pregnancy would have cleared within 2 weeks post miscarriage which means there is no other explanation other than I am pregnant again.
I am dumbfounded. We used condoms religiously, I just don't understand.
Is there any chance, do you think that I'm NOT pregnant?

Personally I would ask for a couple of hcg blood tests 2 days apart to see if levels are rising or falling.

I tested positive for weeks after my mc.

Ask for blood tests. This nurse seems not to be following the protocol for a PUL (pregnancy of unknown location) at all. Ask to speak to the gynie registrar - explain what the nurse has said and that you would like a second opinion. Request a check for PREGNANCY OF UNKNOWN LOCATION, HETEROTOPIC and PARTIAL MOLAR. I had the same clueless approach as I was treated initially by inexperienced staff: it was only when I very firmly explained that due to it being my 3rd MC and unexplained pain my DH and I had not had relations for 4 weeks since the op that they HAD to believe me. The dept consultant was furious with those staff about it.

It is also VERY possible- MORE likely than anything else- for small traces, easily missed by a scan, to stick around. They are not dangerous unless they get infected. And 10% of natural MCs have them.

Fab advice squizita

Thank you squiz. I called GP back
& by some miracle managed to get an appointment for first thing Monday morning. Fingers crossed