How long did it take you to get a negative test after miscarriage?

[Jingles85]

So I naturally miscarried on the 8th may (3 weeks ago today) and I took a pregnancy test this morning and its still showing positive. Its not as dark as the test line but I definitely wouldn't call it faint.

I was 11 weeks, but was diagnosed with a MMC at 10 weeks (baby stopped growing at 7 weeks). My miscarriage was really full on, bled so heavily and rapidly I went to hospital because I kept passing out! sooooo much blood!!

I called the EPU and they said they want me to test again next week and if still positive call again and they will do bloods.

I find it soooo hard to believe I could have retained products because I have no symptoms of that. Ive only really had brown spotting for the last two weeks. Thats it.

How long did it take you to get a negative test after your miscarriage? Im really hoping its just my hormones being slow to drop rather than anything left behind!!

• Also wanted to say its not possible that im pregnant again. This was an IVF pregnancy and I have no Fallopian tubes so not possible for me to conceive naturally!

@Jingles85 firstly, I am so sorry for your recent loss. I was also diagnosed with a MMC on a 10 week scan and the baby stopped growing at 7.5 weeks.

I continued to have positive tests until 7 weeks post miscarriage. I had a very heavy bleed to begin with (medical management) and passed very large clots. I continued to bleed on and off for a few weeks so was frustrated to keep getting positive tests for so long.

My EPU called me in for a scan at 4 weeks post miscarriage but they couldn't see any retained products. They explained that my HCG was just taking longer than most to drop. The FRER tests are so sensitive and can pickup the smallest amount of hormone.

I had my first period at 7.5 weeks post miscarriage and at that point, the FRER was finally showing a negative result.

I hope this helps and puts your mind at ease during such a difficult time x

@CamillaEsther thanks so much for your reply. That does really give me hope that im experiencing the same. I also passed large clots (and loads of them- it wasn't just super heavy bleeding, there was a whole lot of tissue that came out too!).

As I say, I have brown spotting, but only when I wipe. I dont need to even wear panty liners. Its very slowly getting less and less each day. I was so shocked to see the test pop up as positive. It was a clear blue digital which I know are also sensitive. I cracked it open to see the actual test line and it was about as half as dark at the test line.

Ive popped out and bought a few tests to try in a week or so. See how I get on!

*as half as dark as the control line! opps

@Jingles85 I can totally relate to the passing of large clots at the beginning. I passed about 8 that were the size of the palm of my hand. Then some smaller ones. I really couldn't believe what I was passing and it worried me slightly. You get told to contact the EPU if you're filling a pad every half hour but they don't advise you on the passing of large clots. How much is too much??

Anyway, from what you gave been describing, it sounds very similar to my experience.

At 4 weeks post miscarriage, the line on the FRER was pretty much half as dark as the control. By 5 weeks post miscarriage, it was lighter by half again. At 7 weeks post miscarriage, the line was still there albeit a squinter! At 7 weeks, I had no line at all.

You're using Clearblue which as you say are sensitive. Just stick to the same brand of test and test on a weekly basis - you will then get the reassurance that your HCG levels are dropping. The slow drop is so frustrating but you will get there x

Hi @Jingles85, sorry to hear of your loss. It sounds like we’re at a similar stage - I miscarried naturally at 12 weeks on 9th May (but I had to wait after finding out the baby’s heartbeat had stopped at 9 weeks). My pregnancy tests have been showing positive too (displaying 1-2 weeks on a CB digital now) - it’s so frustrating, I just want it to be done so I can move on and start trying again. I’m going to take one tomorrow - really hoping it’s negative.

@CamillaEsther, Did your bleeding continue on and off right up until you got your period? And you got your period despite preg tests still showing positive? I wasn’t sure if I’d ovulate yet you see and I’m still bleeding very lightly now but continually, waiting for that to stop too!

@Lolo20 sorry to hear your going through this too and im so sorry for your loss- its so crap what us ladies have to endure! On one hand for me its not so much that its preventing me from trying again because I cant anyway, being an IVF patient - All clinics are closed because of Covid. Its more the psychological side really. I hate that im "chemically pregnant" still. just want it all gone so I can move on mentally. I can imagine if you are in a position where you can try naturally it must be super frustrating.

@CamillaEsther I was wrong about my test being as half as dark as the control. I was looking at it the wrong way. The test is DARKER than the control line!!! not good. As I said it was a clearblue Digi- just the one that says pregnant or not pregnant. I opened it to see the test strip. Im guessing if it was one of the ones that say how far gone you are it would say 2-3 weeks which means the HCG is still really high :( sucks so much. I do have a Digi that says how far gone you are so I might try that next week when I test as well just to see. Ive attached a photo. The Digi strip was done first thing in the morning and the cheapy one was done in the afternoon. Still pretty dark though.

What a nightmare! I just dont get it. I did a bit of reading last night and from what I can tell the rate at which your HCG drops has alot to do with how your body metabolises the hormone. I do wonder if severe blood loss effects this because your body doesn't have the same levels of blood going round to aid the metabolisation if that makes any sense! I did lose so much and needed iron tablets afterwards because I was constantly weak and dizzy.

One blog said lots of water and exercise can help things metabolise so Im going to try that this week to see if it helps at all. I know its all theories but anything is worth a shot and even if it doesnt help, those two things are good for my mental health!

Sorry for your loss OP. I MC on the same day as you, also an IVF pregnancy and I was 10 weeks! This is my 3rd loss. I tested a week later and had a faint positive, then 2 weeks after MC it was negative.

I find it soooo hard to believe I could have retained products because I have no symptoms of that. Ive only really had brown spotting for the last two weeks. Thats it.

My 1st loss was at 11weeks. I bled for 8 weeks, spotting, stop starting, but mainly very light. I wasn't told to do a pregnancy test. Bleeding finally stopped, then 2 weeks later my AF started and out came a product of conception! I had no pain, cramps, odour, fever or anything to indicate a retained product other than the on/off spotting and bleeding.

I read a great deal afterward about it, and the body will try to expel all products, even if it takes a few cycles. Not saying you definitely do have a retained product though. I'd heard of others just taking longer for the hCG level to drop.

Was it only 1 embryo they put in during IVF? Did you have a viability scan early on to check there was only 1 embryo?

@Elouera im so sorry lovely! Its a double blow when its an IVF pregnancy isnt it!! Crazy yours happened on the same day too.

It was just the one embryo I had put back in. It was my 6th transfer. The first 4 were all BFN, the 5th last August was my first ever BFP in 10 years of TTC, but at the 7 week scan it was found to be ectopic. The crazy thing is though I don't have any Fallopian tubes (both removed surgically). It had implanted in the stump of one of the tubes! SUPER rare.

With this pregnancy I was scanned at 6 weeks to ensure it was in my womb which is was. So I dont think im dealing with a random ectopic or anything strange like that.

How many did you have transferred this time?

Sorry jingles, that was insensitive of me, I wasn’t thinking about your situation with the IVF as well. I hope it’s not too long until the clinics are open again and you’re able to be seen?

It’s definitely the psychological and mental factor for me too. I just want my body to be back to ‘normal’ and the longer this all drags on the more I’m worrying something is wrong. EPU haven’t been all that supportive either - just because miscarriages are common to them doesn’t make it easier for the women going through it

@Jingles85- This was my 1st try of IVF and they transferred 2 embryos due to my age and previous losses. I was amazed to get pregnant with the 1st try, having read so much about people needing repeated rounds. I'd also seen a heartbeat at 7 weeks, so once I got to 10 weeks, I thought it might be ok this time!

I've heard of others also being advised to wait an extra week when you are still positive 3 weeks on. Did they say if they'd scan you next week if still positive?

@Jingles85 it's a difficult one because some people advise against testing to see the test line get darker or lighter because it can depend on how diluted your urine is and how much dye is in the test. Personally, I did test every week and the line did get lighter. You can use the digi test but it's likely to continue to say pregnant for a few more weeks if your HCG drops slowly.

I used the internet cheapies every 4 days and kept them to compare how dark the line was until I could no longer see a second line. I then moved onto FRER to completely test out the line.

Water and exercise certainly won't do any harm so give that a go.

Maybe get some internet cheapies from Amazon and you can test every few days. Seeing the line fade over the days and weeks was reassuring for me. I used a brand called One Step x

@Lolo20 after the initial miscarriage bleed with large clots, I continued to bleed on and off for 3 weeks. It then stopped for a week and then it started again - just a light flow for another 1.5 weeks.

I finally got my first proper period about 5 days after I tested negative on a FRER. I'm assuming that my body would start a period until my HCG was down to zero.

Out of curiosity, I did OPKs from 3 post miscarriage right up to my period and it never peaked. I'm assuming to you don't ovulate while you have HCG in your system but I don't know for certain. I've also been doing OPKs from CD9 of my new cycle but it didn't peak either. I do have low AMH levels though and as I'm almost 41, I suspect that my ovulation is starting to get a bit hit and miss.

@Jingles85 so sorry to hear of your loss. I MC last Sept at what would have been exactly 12weeks. At just before 11 (Friday after work) I had the tinies of bleeding and got a scan appointment at EPU on the Monday where they saw a tiny baby with slow heartbeat but measuring about 5/6 weeks so I knew it was not good news.

I had to return to EPU the following Monday which I knew by then was for confirmation of MC. I was given a test to take 3 weeks after as if it still showed as positive they would need to check there was nothing left behind. I actually gave in and tested 2 weeks after and it showed a definite negative.

I think just to be on safe side ring EPU tomorrow and let them know you are still testing positive and least they can re scan to see if anything there as would be awful for you to get an infection after everything.

Take care of yourself and hopefully things can be better for you in the future

@Lolo20 dont worry- not insensitive at all! did you test again? hope it was negative for you.

So a little update- I called EPU this morning because 4 days on my tests were still as positive as on Friday. They asked me to come in for a scan and theres a 1.7mm x 1.7mm piece still left in there. They said it was likely to be a bit of the placenta rather than a clot because of my positive tests.

As its small and its just the one piece we have opted to continue the "conservative management" for now and scan again in 2 weeks. The nurse said hopefully my body will either continue to break it down and pass it slowly, (the daily spotting ive had for the past few weeks is apparently my body trying to do this- who knows it was probably bigger a week or two ago!) or it will come out in one go. She said its likely it wont come out in one go though and we will just have to hope that my body keeps breaking it down.

Ideally she said that a period would sort me out but obviously the HCG being high is not going to allow that to happen. I just need to keep an eye on myself for signs of infection (I feel totally fine right now). So, here's to hoping my body does a good job and sorts it for me! Obviously its really frustrating but I feel relieved at least to know whats going on. I had visions of lots being left in there or worse yet, the sac! At least I know now I defo passed the sac on the day I miscarried.

Hi @Jingles85. No, my tests are still positive 4 weeks after the miscarriage and I’m still bleeding lightly. I’m going in for a scan this afternoon - wish me luck

Update - hospital did a blood pregnancy test to check my hcg levels and it was at 19 so they said it’s still just dropping down and will be gone soon. Clearblues must be so sensitive. I asked for a scan and they said it’s so low that they don’t think there’s any point so I just have to wait it out a little longer and the light bleeding will finally stop. Then at 4 weeks after the miscarriage happened/the day I passed the fetus, today I found a grape sized piece of tissue on my pad - perhaps that was the last bit waiting to come out?!

@Lolo20 how are you getting on? Glad to hear your levels were falling.

Today I had my follow up scan. The RPOC is still in there and the same size!! ive been spotting lightly the past two weeks, occasionally passing small clots and even had a heavy red bleed for about an hour on Saturday with bigger clots!! My pregnancy tests are super light now and I had a blood test today for HCG which is at 47. So its coming down... apparently it should halve every 2 days ish so im hoping it will be negative soon? a week maybe?! Who knows.

Chatted to the nurse about what to do about the RPOC. She offered meds but it makes me feel so panicky. Im at risk of a heavy bleed again because of how bad it was when I miscarried so she wanted me to take them in hospital and stay on the ward. I opted for waiting for another two weeks. She wasn't too worried and supported my decision. She just wants me to watch out for signs of infection.

She said IF the RPOC reduces by 3mm (its 1.7cm at the mo! so just over the 1.5mm threshold of where they call it an RPOC) and my HCg is less than 5 next time, they will discharge me anyway because it would mean my body would hopefully be on its way to having a period soon and it would come out that way. Its just this whole risk of infection I have to worry about...

I have PTSD from other procedures and the ectopic last year, and feel like my miscarriage is now added to that list. Even when I bled on Saturday for that hour it made me feel really panicked. Sucks so much. Im normally a tough cookie when it comes to medical stuff, I just think my body and brain have had a gutsfull!

Sorry to hear you're still going through this stage @Jingles85. The day after I passed that grape sized piece of tissue my pregnancy tests went negative. I think the very light bleeding was my body trying to eject it and once that happened there was nothing else remaining to show up on a pregnancy test. Hopefully your body will just get rid of that last RPOC soon, it's so frustrating, isn't it. I'm now onto the next stage - my first period - which is very long and heavy and bringing its own concerns and questions!