misdiagnosed miscarriage offering hope
Disclaimer: We are not medical professionals. The information contained within this site is meant to supplement the information given to you by your own physician but is not to be used in place of your physician's medical advice. When in doubt, always seek a second opinion by another medical professional.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should HCG levels double every 48 hours during early pregnancy?
Generally, HCG levels double every two to three days in the beginning stages of pregnancy for approximately 80% of viable pregnancies. This means that roughly one out of five women will see levels doubling at a slower rate and their pregnancies are just fine.

When do HCG levels normally start to decline?
HCG levels will generally taper off and start to decline from about week eight and are no longer considered a good indicator of pregnancy outcome.

What HCG levels are normal before they start to decline?
According to HCG charts, at about eight weeks, levels above 10,000mIU/ML are considered within normal range and may start to decline. A number of 'normal', healthy pregnancies are at the low end of the HCG spectrum.Typical HCG Levels

What do low HCG levels combined with a slow rise in numbers mean?
If you have low HCG levels and your numbers are very slowly rising, you may be facing an impending miscarriage however some pregnancies with low HCG numbers and slow rising do go on to full-term.

At what HCG level should a woman be able to see her baby via ultrasound?
Normally, ultrasound techs expect to see a baby when levels are more than 1500mIU/ML. However, numerous explanations can be found when the baby cannot be seen.

So, why can't my baby be seen if my HCG levels are high enough?
Some women have been unable to see their babies despite the fact that their levels are upwards of 100,000mIU/ML. Some women who are candidates for 'hidden babies' are women who have a tilted uterus or some uterine abnormality such as a bicornuate uterus.

How do I know if I have a tilted uterus?
According to the MayoClinic*, a tilted or tipped uterus "refers to a uterus that's tipped backward (retroverted) instead of normally forward on the cervix. According to Bioscience.org**, roughly 1 in 2 women will have a tilted uterus if they've had endometriosis and for all other women, your chances of a tilted uterus is about 1 in 5. Other sites say nearly 1 in 3 women have a tilted uterus. Your ob/gyn or ultrasound tech should be able to tell you if your uterus is retroverted.

How do I know if I have a uterine abnormality?
Some women with bicornuate uteruses are able to see their heart-shaped uteruses with an ultrasound. Some bicornuate uteruses and other abnormalities are not detectable without actually being able to look first-hand at the uterus (i.e. during a c-section) and, therefore, many women do not even realize they have this abnormality. If your mother took DES, a common synthetic estrogen medication used for almost 40 years until the early 1970's, you are a strong candidate for uterine abnormalities. If your mother took a medication to combat morning sickness during that time, you may very well have some uterine abnormalities and should let your ob/gyn know.