Chemical pregnancy at 5+6?

[JanQi]

I got my first ever BFP at 3+6 on a Clear Blue digital. For the next week or so I tested every other day on ICs and watched the lines getting darker, they were definite solid lines. I've had really sore boobs and been much more tired than usual. I've also had mild cramps and twinges in line with implantation.

On Saturday I tested and the line seemed a bit fainter, but I put it down to the hook effect. Yesterday I started bleeding and having cramps at 5+6. I wasn't able to get a referral to the EPU and my GP told me to go to A&E as there is a specialist gynaecology unit there. They scanned me and told me there was nothing there at all (not even a sac etc) and I'd had a chemical pregnancy. They also gave me a pregnancy test which was negative.

The bleeding is heavy and has lots of clots so I'm certain I'm not pregnant anymore but I'm confused that they said it was a chemical. I feel like I've invented everything and none of it was real. Were the symptoms all in my head? This morning my boobs still hurt, my BBT is still high and I'm getting faint lines on an IC. Shouldn't that all have gone away? I thought a chemical pregnancy was over within a couple of days after the BFP, not two full weeks of symptoms and lines getting darker.

I'm really sorry for a) what you've gone through and b) the feelings of confusion.

Chemical pregnancy is simply the term used when nothing can be seen on ultrasound. Meaning that a pregnancy can only be detected by the (chemical) presence of hcg. It's an early miscarriage. It generally is the term used for a miscarriage before 6 weeks. It doesn't mean you were any less pregnant, as every single pregnancy starts out as being only detected by the presence of certain chemicals (hormones) in blood or urine.

I understand how you feel, you have all the symptoms and positive test and then the next day it’s all gone, it’s a horrible, empty and confusing feeling.

This happened to me back in April and the bleeding lasted around a week, it took just over a week for the tests to go back to negative and for my bbt to go back down. I ovulated within 2 weeks of this and luckily got pregnant again and now have my 20 week scan next week.

Wishing you all the best x x

Thanks @physicskate, that's a really helpful way of explaining things and it makes more sense to me now.

I'm sorry you went through it too @Firsttimemama2021. I've heard lots of positive stories like yours about falling pregnant immediately after and it's giving me hope. All the best with the rest of your pregnancy!