Difference Between Ectopic Pregnancy and Chemical Pregnancy

Although chemical pregnancy and ectopic pregnancy are thought to be the same, they are actually completely different concepts. In chemical pregnancy, the body naturally enters the miscarriage process. The HCG level in the blood drops rapidly, and when it falls below a certain level, miscarriage occurs. Chemical pregnancy does not require external intervention. However, in ectopic pregnancy, intervention by a physician is necessary because a normally developing embryo begins to grow outside the uterus.

What is Chemical Pregnancy?
In its most general form, chemical or silent pregnancy is when an egg is fertilized without a normal pregnancy and the pregnancy continues without the embryo developing. Chemical pregnancy can only be detected through certain tests performed in laboratory settings. Usually, excessive elevation of the HCG hormone during pregnancy raises suspicion of chemical pregnancy. Depending on which week of pregnancy it is, having HCG levels higher than they should be raises suspicion that it is not a healthy pregnancy. In chemical pregnancy, the fertilized egg does not implant in the proper place in the mother’s uterus. Therefore, miscarriage occurs after some time. The reason it is called silent pregnancy among the public is that this event is often not noticed by the expectant mother.

How is Chemical Pregnancy Diagnosed?

As is known, with the occurrence of pregnancy, the hormone called HCG in the expectant mother begins to increase at a certain rate. This increase also occurs in chemical pregnancy. However, much higher amounts of HCG hormone than should be present are detected in both the expectant mother’s blood and urine. During this time, the expected menstrual bleeding is also delayed. When chemical pregnancy is present, the HCG level in blood usually reaches 1,000 to 1,500 ml. Of course, as in every pregnancy situation, ultrasound examination is also performed in chemical pregnancy. However, since the baby’s sac can be seen in imaging, ultrasound examination can be misleading in diagnosing chemical pregnancy. For a chemical pregnancy diagnosis to be made, the HCG hormone level in the expectant mother’s blood and urine must be examined in a laboratory setting. This data is decisive in diagnosis.

How is Chemical Pregnancy Treated?

Chemical pregnancy, also called silent pregnancy, actually does not require any treatment. Because when chemical pregnancy is present, the embryo miscarries naturally without the need for curettage or different treatment. If the HCG hormone drops to zero level with a normal course, no intervention by the physician is needed. Miscarriage occurs naturally. Therefore, in chemical pregnancy, only the HCG hormone level is monitored and observed.

Is it Necessary to Terminate Pregnancy in Chemical Pregnancy?
Healthy embryo development cannot be mentioned in chemical pregnancy. Therefore, the body naturally terminates the pregnancy by miscarrying in this type of pregnancy. During the pregnancy termination process, only monitoring is done by the physician. The decrease in HCG levels is observed through regular blood and urine sample controls. Miscarriage occurs without the need for any intervention.

Pregnancy After Chemical Pregnancy
The biggest concern of women who experience chemical pregnancy is their next pregnancy process. This pregnancy is not a condition that prevents getting pregnant again. It is only necessary not to get pregnant within the period recommended by the physician. A healthy pregnancy can be experienced again in the following period. It is known that silent pregnancy occurs very frequently. Since women often do not notice it, lower occurrence rates are mentioned in records. However, many women experience chemical pregnancy in their lives. With the bleeding that occurs during the menstrual period, the fertilized embryo is expelled. Therefore, they do not think to consult a physician. This bleeding, namely miscarriage bleeding, is considered menstrual period bleeding. As a result, chemical pregnancy is never a condition that prevents having a healthy pregnancy in the next period.

When Can You Get Pregnant After Chemical Pregnancy?
Usually, 2 weeks after the bleeding ends and miscarriage occurs, women ovulate again and can get pregnant with sexual intercourse at the right time. However, doctors recommend that women who experience chemical pregnancy wait 1 to 2 months. Because severe bleeding occurs during this period and various problems can be experienced due to blood loss. It would be much more appropriate to wait 1 to 2 months for the body to recover and for blood and hormone levels to normalize, and then have a planned pregnancy.

How Long Does Chemical Pregnancy Last?
After diagnosis, it usually lasts only 3 to 5 days. During this period, bleeding occurs and HCG hormone levels also drop rapidly. When HCG reaches zero, that is, at the end of 3 to 5 days, miscarriage occurs and bleeding also ends. In rare cases, it is also known that chemical pregnancy lasts a week or 10 days. There is no need to worry because this bleeding is kept under control by the physician.

Why Does Chemical Pregnancy Occur?
The egg in the woman’s ovarian region is fertilized by sperm. This fertilized egg is implanted into the uterus. The placenta forms and this formation brings with it an increase in HCG levels. The HCG level that rises enough to show itself in blood or urine tests and allow pregnancy diagnosis causes the physician to decide on ultrasound imaging. In the ultrasound examination performed, the sac called the pregnancy sac, which contains tissues related to the baby, cannot be visualized. Therefore, the baby’s heartbeat cannot be heard either. Chemical pregnancy usually occurs due to chromosomal reasons. The following reasons can also bring about chemical pregnancy:

• Insufficient uterine lining
• Hormone levels being lower than they should be
• Infections (chlamydia, syphilis, toxoplasma, etc.)
• Luteal phase defect
• Myoma
• Uterine abnormalities
• Shape deformities in the uterus
• Thyroid and similar systemic diseases
• Fetal implantation outside the uterus
• Chromosome abnormalities in the fetus

What are the Symptoms of Chemical Pregnancy?

• Severe bleeding
• Cramps similar to cramps that occur during menstrual periods
• Clotted discharge in the vagina
• Thick blood clots coming with bleeding
• Feeling of contraction in the vagina

Even if only one of these symptoms occurs, it is necessary to go to a doctor’s examination immediately.

Can Chemical Pregnancy Occur in IVF?
Chemical pregnancy can also occur in pregnancies achieved through IVF method. The fertilized egg is placed into the woman’s uterus in IVF treatment. However, this situation does not prevent the start of a natural bleeding process and decreases in HCG levels. Therefore, chemical pregnancy is among the conditions that are quite common in pregnancies achieved through IVF method. At the same time, chemical pregnancy can also be seen in treatments performed to get pregnant before the IVF stage, such as insemination treatment or egg rupture treatment.