When you undergo a treatment, after the embryo transfer, in the indicated moment the pregnancy test needs to be performed. If the result is positive, the doctor will tell you when you have to do a scan for confirming the pregnancy. It is possible that you are really pregnant, or that the scan confirms that you are not. But how can I have a positive test if I am not pregnant? This is when we talk about biochemical pregnancy, also called biochemical miscarriage or micro- miscarriage.
How would we define a biochemical pregnancy?
Biochemical pregnancy is a micro-misscarriage, in other words it’s an earlier interruption of the development of the embryo. In these cases, the embryo has implanted in the endometrium, but it has not had the possibility to develop itself and it is lost. Beta-hcG level, which in previous posts we have talked about, increases exponentially during implantation and it is responsible for the positive result of the pregnancy test. A few days later, when the embryo is lost, we have a negative result.
What causes can lead to a micro-misscarriage?
At present, its causes are not so clear. Some of the possible explanations can be:
Unhealthy parent’s lifestyles: consuming alcohol, smoking, too much stress…
Hormonal problems.
Embryos with genetic alterations after fertilization.
Genetic alteration in the oocyte or sperm of the parents.
Anatomic abnormalities in the mother's uterus.
Infections.
Do biochemical pregnancies only occur in assisted reproductive treatments?
No, although we are talking about assisted reproduction, they can occur both in a spontaneous pregnancy and in IVF treatments. The rate of the misscarriages is not higher in a situation than the other, but it is important to emphasize that in a spontaneous pregnancy it usually goes unnoticed or it is interpreted as a delay in the period.
And now what?
After a biochemical miscarriage you do not need to take any specific medication. The first period after the miscarriage may be somehow different, but then menstrual cycles will continue to develop normally.
Will it be more difficult to achieve pregnancy after a micro-miscarriage?
No! In fact, we can extract information such that fertilization and implantation have been successfully achieved even though the pregnancy has not evolved. In these phases, many patients have often problems, so this extracted information guides us in if the pregnancy is not achieved in subsequent attempts. However, if it is not the first biochemical miscarriage, it is advisable to put yourself in the hands of an assisted reproduction specialist.
How long do I have to wait to try the pregnancy again?
Biochemical miscarriage does not force you to postpone a pregnancy, although the frustration of not achieving the goal can make you faint. In general, you can try again as early as desired, as long as it is indicated by your doctor.
