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Early Pregnancy, especially after
ART
You may not be sure yet, you might be
in the middle of the
two week wait or you may have just gotten your first
faint pink line. Maybe it's your first beta and you're
not sure what to make of it, not sure what the next
step is...
If you're in the middle of the
2
week wait, you might want to read one (or
both) of these:
If you've just gotten your first faint pink
line, you might be confused if:
- You previously got hormonal injections containing
hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) and are not sure
the hCG from the injection is already out of your
system
- You are feeling symptoms that you are getting your
period
- You're not quite sure if a faint pink line means
positive or not
If you were given one or more injections containing
hCG (e.g., Profasi, Novarel, or Pregnyl) you
can get a false positive on a pregnancy test if you
wait less than 14 days. It is possible to test in order
to determine when the hCG is out of your system. A positive
result obtained after two consecutive negative results,
using early morning urine, will usually indicate that
new hCG is being produced.
Symptoms of the impending arrival of the famous
'Aunt Flow' (AF, as it is called in infertility
circles, or - in everyday terms - your period) don't
necessarily mean that that's in fact what's going on.
Bloating and light cramping are very common in early
pregnancy. If you've just gotten a faint pink line,
stop panicking :-) whether you feel cramping, nausea
or nothing at all, it's likely that everything is just
fine.
Does a faint pink line mean positive?
Actually - unless you have hCG in your body from another
source - yes. It doesn't say anything about the chances
of a live birth, whether you're having multiples, how
far along you are, etc., but it does mean that hCG is
being produced.
hCG, unfortunately, will also be produced in a chemical
pregnancy. A chemical pregnancy is when there
no longer a live embryo - there was one to begin with,
but it stopped developing before it would have been
visible on ultrasound. Usually such pregnancies are
picked up early either by non-doubling beta tests (beta
= beta hCG, the 'pregnancy hormone') or by an early
ultrasound that does not show a gestational sac. This
ultrasound can be performed as early as 2 weeks after
your missed period. Frequently, even before the first
ultrasound, a woman with a chemical pregnancy will experience
bleeding.
If you've just had your first beta
and are wondering what to make of the results, it depends
on how many days you are past ovulation or past embryo
transfer.
A result of 30 at 11dpo (days past ovulation) can be
fine, whereas the same result at 16dp3dt (days past
3 day transfer) is probably too low and therefore not
encouraging.
In either case, the more important factor is whether
the beta doubles after 2-3 days. This gets complicated
when more than one embryo was transferred, in which
case, even a non-doubling beta can still yield a perfectly
normal pregnancy, since one beta can be on the rise,
while another (of an embryo that originally implanted
and stopped developing) is falling.
If you did not go through any fertility treatements
and took a quantitative beta test to confirm your pregnancy,
a result within normal range will not necessarily be
followed up by a subsequent test.
It's an exciting and confusing time. It's common to
worry that the pregnancy won't work out, to be afraid
to 'jinx it' somehow, to be troubled by previous miscarriages
and even to be confused as to whether the pregnancy
is something you really want -- even if you've been
trying for a long time.
What do I do next?
Call to make an appointment with your ObGyn. An early
pregnancy needs to be confirmed by your doctor and it's
important for you to get good care as soon as possible.
Should I start telling people I'm pregnant?
A good choice is probably to tell your
partner first and then discuss what you want to do.
Some couples start telling people the day of the positive
test, others choose not to share the news until after
the first ultrasound. Some wait until the end of the
first trimester, until they're showing, or until after
they get the results of their amniocentesis.
Are there any reasons not to tell?
By telling people, you're not 'jinxing'
the pregnancy or making it any more likely for something
to go wrong. On the other hand, you may feel that you
are building up expectations and that if something does
go wrong that you are letting people down. For this
reason, some choose to keep it low key at first, telling
only people who they feel particularly close to.
What else should I know?
Pregnancy involves incredible changes
to your body, your relationship with your spouse and
your lifestyle. It brings on a whole new set of things
to worry about - am I gaining enough weight? can everyone
see I'm showing? did that drink I had before I found
out harm the baby? am I going to get really moody? can
we afford a baby? can I take that cold medicine? am
I going to lose my job? how can I get my father to stop
smoking when I'm in the room? will I start vomiting
on the subway during my commute? will I be able to finish
the things I need to do? - just to name a few...
During most of the first half of the pregnancy,
it's common to be concerned with whether the fetus is
still alive. Each ultrasound brings with it the fear
of what might appear (or not appear) on the screen.
It's only once you start feeling the baby kick (often
only after 18, 19 or even 22 weeks) that you have a
little reassurance that everything's OK.
Disclaimer:
The information on this page is provided for informational
purposes only and is not intened to be medical advice.
If you have any questions, make sure to consult with
your physician.
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