Poll: who had their levels of hcg monitored post loss and who didn't

smiles1123 · April 2010

My ob never said anything about coming in after for blood draws to check betas, She just said wait one or two cycles and then try again. I go to a very good very reputable practice and I do not understand why this was not done for me and why it is so important for so many women on this board to have to repeatedly go in until they reach 0. Can someone who has had to keep going back please explain to me why this is important. Why is it important to track it to 0 and why do people have to keep going. Is it important not to conceive again until you reach 0? I am concerned that I will not know when I reach 0. I am still getting the ever so slightest positive on a hpt at 5 weeks after the d&c (I was 3 months pregnant when my loss was discovered)

Thanks so much and so sorry for everyone's loss.

619babygirl · April 2010

It takes a while for the hcg levels to go down and it really depends on your doctor as to weather they keep checking the levels. I've never heard of your levels having to be 0 to start trying again. I would say if your doctor gives you the ok and you want to, start trying again! Good luck

azpharmgirl · April 2010

maybe hcg levels aren't needed if you get a d/c? in case of d/c they know they removed everything. i had my hcg levels drawn b/c i did not get d/c. they want to make sure everything came out naturally. this is pure speculation.

myst33 · April 2010

I just got back from my follow up appt. They did not check my levels either. I am guessing that we'll be at zero when af comes.

jennterrell · April 2010

i was 14 weeks when i had a natural miscarriage. My OB/midwife just said to wait until the bleeding has stopped or 3 weeks, and take a hpt. I am to call and give them the results, I'm assuming if it is still positive they will want to see me ASAP and possibly do a d&c or at least further testing. No other follow ups or bloodwork or anything was ever mentioned. We're supposed to wait 2-3 cycles after a negative hpt before we try to conceive again.

SassyMamainVA · April 2010

I'm so sorry for your loss. They did not check my levels after I had a D&C for my first miscarriage. They did check my levels after my natural miscarriage. If levels don't go down it may mean your body did not expel all the tissue, making you susceptible to infection. I also think ovulation will only occur once your levels reach zero, but I'm not sure about that. Since you miscarried at 12 weeks, your hcg level was probably quite high and it may take a while to get down to zero. If you're concerned, I'm sure you could call your doctor and ask to get b/w done. You would probably want to let them know if it's possible that you're pregnant again.

mnlee · April 2010

From my experience, you should have your levels checked until they return to <5. You won't have AF until they get below 5.

My levels took way to long to go down and the doctor's suspected that there was some placental tissue that didn't *flush* out during my miscarriage and my D&C. As a result of this prolonged hcg levels, I had to receive a chemotherapy drug called methotrexate to kill any residual tissue. This was not fun. And since I had to receive 3 months of treatments, I was forbid to TTC for one year.

So when you ask is it necessary for your doctor to follow you levels I say yes...only so you won't have to experience what I've been thru.

Good luck!!!

*Chicken* · April 2010

I have seen some ladies on here just take a pregnant test until they get a negative. My first m/c (I was just under 5 weeks) my levels went down to zero within two weeks. With this m/c (I was almost 6w, got pg with the help of gonal-f) its almost been a month and I'm still dealing with betas. If you didn't have medical intervention to get pg I wouldn't worry too much about it because you are early enough that there won't be a problem.

Izabella22 · April 2010

I had a natural m/c, my doctor will continue to check my levels until I'm at zero to make sure that all the tissue is gone. If there was remaining tissue hcg is the easiest way to detect whether more action is necessary and make sure I'm not at risk for infection. You could always ask your doctor if you're concerned.

OrangeCrush9 · April 2010

I'm sorry for your loss. I have had 2 natural m/c. I had my hcg levels checked after my first loss, but it is not being checked after the second. My understanding after the first was that it was to make sure all the tissue was gone becuase if any tissue was left, my body would continue to produce hcg. I also suspect he was not entirely convinced I was pregnant the first time since I m/c before my first appointment at 10 weeks, and my ultrasound showed a totally clear uterus. My doctor is not checking my hcg this time because he is confident I have passed everything (I actually passed the sac at the doctor's office, and then he did an internal exam to confirm). So basically, I think it just depends on the situation - I would not worry that your doctor did not monitor it. But I hope you get a BFN soon!

bgarson · April 2010

My OB said she would not have checked my levels. My RE has been checking them. They are checking them for me so they know when they can begin fertility treatments. You will not get AF until your levels are at 0.

spincat9 · April 2010

Thanks for asking this question- I have been wondering the same exact thing since I joined this board (and was wondering how good my dr. really was!) I m/c at 11 weeks and had a d&c - my dr. never did any followup tests and I didn't take any hpt's after. I just waited my 2 cycles as directed. Thanks for all of the answers posted here - it makes sense that if you have a d&c it would be different than if you don't.

noah-bear · April 2010

Last time I think it was nearly 4 weeks after the m/c (natural). This time it dropped a lot quicker. They still want to monitor down to 5, but I'm hoping it wont be longer than 2.5 weeks.

Someone on TTCAL said that hcG in blood can go away a lot quicker than in urine. I'd have to go back and check the post, but it might be worth looking into.

*K · April 2010

My doctor said it was important to monitor to make sure all of the tissue was gone to avoid infections. She also said no TTC until the numbers were down to 0 but I'm not sure of that exact reason for that.

Lorange-8 · April 2010

I went thru L & D at 19 weeks into my pregnancy and I haven't had anything monitored. Is that normal? Everyone keeps saying their levels are going down but he's never tested mine since my loss.

magdalina.h · April 2010

My levels were never monitored because I delivered via c/s at 28 1/2 weeks. If I had shown sign of infection they would have monitored them.

BlakeG · April 2010

I never had any levels tested, I just had an internal u/s at my follow up to confirm everthingy passed. I also got AF 3 weeks after my m/c so I just assumed everything was at zero and I never took a HPT to confirm the negative.

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