Miscarriage unlikely if 3+ on Clear Blue?

[wannabemum1989]

Hey ladies. I'm nearly 5 weeks pregnant and pretty nervous about it all (it's my first) - scared of getting my hopes up and paranoid about miscarrying.

I got a 2-3 weeks pregnant on Clear Blue earlier this week. If that increases to 3+ in a few days' time, would you say it's more unlikely that you'd experience a miscarriage if the pregnancy has progressed that far and the hormones are that strong?

I know this sounds totally paranoid but my lack of symptoms is making me extra nervous (all I really have is some mild cramping on and off). Thanks for your thoughts! X

I've read lots of bad things about these tests to be honest. I've used them before but I didn't did this pregnancy at all. If you read the leaflet it tells you the ranges for each reading and they're pretty huge! I totally get why you're using them for some reassurance though, it's such a worrisome time 😫best of luck, keep positive 🥰xx

The hardest thing about pregnancy is that for the most part the outcome is completely out your control, the anxiety of early pregnancy is utterly shit but you have to tell yourself that it’s completely out of your control. Unfortunately getting a 3+ doesn’t change those odds at all and you’ll drive yourself mad with it. My first and only pregnancy test was a clear blue 3+, I never tested again and I just tried to put it out my mind, I had some bleeding on a couple of occasions and read some threads on here and literally 50% said they bled and miscarried, 50% said they bled and it was fine so I just decided to wait it out and whatever would be was out of my control. Put the tests down and try and switch off if you can!

Thanks both, I appreciate your comments - will do my best to relax about it all! 😊 X

I wouldn’t personally go off that for reassurance, I’d just assume if you aren’t bleeding all must be well. I miscarried just short of 7 weeks in May, when I started bleeding I took a test to see if the line was faint but it was the darkest I’ve ever seen a test, I still miscarried and was still getting dark positives over a week later. Tests are good for detecting pregnancy but I wouldn’t rely on them to monitor how things are doing. You can always book a scan for 8 weeks or so if you are worried, you know by that point if there’s no heartbeat it isn’t good news, no being in limbo. I got pregnant again straight away and obviously felt paranoid, I just went by lack of bleeding that things must be ok and then booked an early scan at 8 weeks to put my mind at ease.

For me these tests have accurately predicted an impending miscarriage in 5 of my miscarriages - by not moving on to 2-3/3+ when I "should"

I would note when I first got 1-2 weeks on the test (hcg 10) and then double every 2 days to work out when I should get 2-3 (hcg 153) and 3+ (hcg 2753)

The only time they were "wrong" was with my ectopics but mine were pretty rare in that both had heartbeats and hcg was rising/doubling perfectly

Probably not the story you want to hear but my pregnancy in December, the clearblue tests got to 3+, my baby died at 9 and half weeks and I miscarried at a day before 12 weeks, while a rise in HCG is a very good sign, there is still a chance things can go wrong- but it is a very very small chance! Take each day as it comes!

@NoGinNotComingIn I’d just assume if you aren’t bleeding all must be well. wouldn't recommend that advice. I have had 4 MCs. I bled very lightly for one and for two of them I didn't bleed at all, I only found out at the scans baby had died.

@wannabemum1989 I'm afraid there is no way to tell how a pregnancy will go. Even having scans doesn't guarantee anything. Seeing a heartbeat doesn't mean a thing unfortunately.

I hope all is well for this one and you have a successful next few months! I know the anxiety all too well and, if a scan will reassure you for that one day, then I'd say go for it - I had several for this one

Those tests do have a wide variance for what is normal so arent always considered accurate. However, having said that getting a 5+ when you should is an indicator that at that point in time things are probably going OK. However that doesn't mean they will continue to, in my last pregnancy I got my 5+ but the baby didn't make it much part 6.

Scans are slightly different however, if you get a good scan then your odds of miscarriage do drop. The miscarriage association has a stat that a heartbeat at 8 weeks you have a 98% chance of a successful pregnancy. So its likely at that point that all will be well... however that doesn't mean that unfortunately sometimes you might be part of the 2% where the pregnancy doesn't work out.

I've had early scans this time round and taking heart of the 98% statistic but also aware I could be on the wrong side of that! My miscarriage didn't happen until 11 weeks last time, even though baby died at 6. Early scans told me things werent looking good and confirmed a miscarriage at 10 weeks. Had I not had a scan i would have just thought I'd miscarried at 11 weeks, i often wonder for how many women that is the case for.

Please try not to focus too much on the weeks indicator. Unfortunately, it doesn't change any outcome. In my previous pregnancy I progressed from 1-2, 2-3 and 3+ weeks and had a mmc at 8 weeks.

I've learnt that nothing is ever a certainty with pregnancy and you just have to trust your body makes the right choices at the right time, whether the outcome is one you want or not.

@Chanel05

Please try not to focus too much on the weeks indicator. Unfortunately, it doesn't change any outcome. In my previous pregnancy I progressed from 1-2, 2-3 and 3+ weeks and had a mmc at 8 weeks.

Me too last Autumn exactly the same. Was absolutely devastated.

The same as @ivfbeenbusy they’ve raised suspicions with me on what ended up being miscarriages due to no changing as they should.

My first successful pregnancy it hit 3+ by 5 weeks 4 days.

My 2nd pregnancy it stuck at 2-3 past 6 weeks which is why I went to the EPU and it was discovered my hcg wasn’t doubling although a heartbeat was seen. Ended as a mmc at 9 weeks.

2nd pregnancy it also wouldn’t go past 1-2 and when I had my blood test my hcg was only 25 at 5 weeks, miscarried a few days later.

4th pregnancy rose quickly from 1-2 to 2-3 and then stuck there for a week so I panicked again, before changing to 3+ the day I got my blood test results back which were 3500, that was a successful pregnancy.

I’ll just add I wouldn’t worry about lack of symptoms, my successful pregnancies had no symptoms whatsoever until after 6 weeks except mild period like cramps

The longer your pregnancy continues the less miscarriage risk there is datayze.com/miscarriage-chart?mode=table

I've had 3 miscarriages, with 2 of them I got 3+ on clearblue tests, with the other I never made it past 2-3 weeks even though I should have been further along.

I do think mumsnet has a lot of stories of miscarriage because people (like me) come here for support.

Good luck, I hope it all goes well for you ✨

Sorry to hear that @Margo34 how are you doing?

My HCG levels continued to rise even after I miscarried. I had a missed or silent miscarriage so I had no idea. It wasn’t until I was 9 weeks when I got a bit of cramps and bleeding did I find out . When they checked my HGC levels they were high and right on track for 9 weeks pregnant.

I know that’s not what you want to hear 😔 but stay strong and try not to worry ( easier said than done). If you can , I recommend an early private pregnancy scan for reassurance. I found that really helped with my anxiety !

I lived by this during my pregnancy:

datayze.com/miscarriage-chart

It shows the likelihood of miscarriage by week of pregnancy. I found it strangely reassuring.

Sorry, just seen that a PP already linked to this.

I got 3+ a few times and i still had a miscarriage. All my tests had a perfect progression lines including clearblue digital which increased as it should.

Yes to private scan at 8 wks. I was told that if ok your miscarriage rate drops to 4%

My pregnancy didn’t progress beyond a 1-2 with these tests and I’m now 35 weeks. Make of that what you will!

If I am ever pregnant again, I wouldn’t use these tests again.

Thanks all for your thoughts, that's really helpful - clearly there's no way of being certain everything will be fine so I'll just try to relax as much as possible! Wishing you all well xx

Op what happened in the end ?

Hi @clomariejay - sorry I didn't reply at the time (didn't seem to get your notification). I had a successful pregnancy and now have an almost 2 year old! So a happy ending that time 😊

Good to hear that @wannabemum1989 !! I gave birth to my dd 6 days after my last post here. She's now over 2.5 and I have a 4 month old ds now too!

Hey hope this post is still open, I’m so confused i had a 3+ on Sunday morning, did another later in the day and it was 1-2 just done another first of the morning and it was 2-3 I don’t know what to think :-( iv got a few pains but nothing I’m not used to with early pregnancy x