A chemical pregnancy, with the word “chemical” referring to the detection of hCG in the blood or urine, occurs when a pregnancy ends during an early stage, mostly before it can be detected on an ultrasound. Most people may notice a combination of symptoms, such as getting a positive pregnancy test result followed by a negative result, experiencing light bleeding, similar to a menstrual period, and/or having mild cramping.
These symptoms can occur for many different reasons; therefore, if you are experiencing severe pain, feeling unwell, dizzy, or are concerned about your bleeding, please seek medical care.
What Is a Chemical Pregnancy?
A biochemical pregnancy, also called a chemical pregnancy, is one that occurs before five weeks.
Your body will begin to produce human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which can be detected by pregnancy tests.
When the pregnancy stops developing, your levels of hCG decrease.
“Chemical” in biochemical refers to detecting hCG before viewing the embryo via ultrasound.
What Are the Signs of a Chemical Pregnancy?
The above-mentioned signs vary, and some people think they have had their period. People may notice different test results, spotting, cramping, and a decrease in other pregnancy symptoms.
A Positive Pregnancy Test Followed by a Negative Test
A person who has had a positive pregnancy test may receive a negative result a few days later. This could mean they experienced a chemical pregnancy. The home pregnancy test detects hCG at an early stage of pregnancy, however, the level of hCG may drop quickly enough that the home test can no longer detect it.
In addition, a person’s test line may appear faint from day to day. It is difficult to determine if there was a chemical pregnancy based on just a faint test line, because results depend on the test used, the concentration of the urine tested, and other factors. If a person is unsure about what their test result means, they should take another test in a couple of days or consult their healthcare provider, especially if they experience pain or bleeding.
Mild or Moderate Cramping
People who experience mild to moderate cramping often say it feels like menstrual cramps and may occur before or during bleeding.
People who are experiencing severe pain, increasing pain, or pain localized to one area need medical evaluation.
Pregnancy Symptoms That Become Less Noticeable
As a person’s body produces less hCG, the hormone produced during pregnancy, breast soreness, morning sickness, fatigue, and sensitivity to smells may decrease. However, many people, by nature, experience these symptoms coming and going throughout pregnancy, which means that diminishing symptoms do not confirm a chemical pregnancy.
What Does Chemical-Pregnancy Bleeding Look Like?
Chemical pregnancy bleeding can appear similar to a regular menstrual period. The first signs appear around the time you would normally have your period. The bleeding may be very light or heavier than normal for you. Small, jelly-like clumps of blood may occur. In many cases, these are simply blood clots and do not indicate the presence of pregnancy tissue. Because a chemical pregnancy occurs very early, it is unlikely that you will recognize any pregnancy tissue or see visible evidence of the pregnancy.
Blood color varies depending on how long it takes to leave the body. Newer bleeding tends to be brighter red, while older blood tends to be darker red or brown. The color and volume of bleeding alone do not confirm a chemical pregnancy.
Chemical Pregnancy vs. Period and Implantation Bleeding
Since they may look very similar, all these types of bleeding can have different characteristics. This is why both the timing and the result of a pregnancy test, which can confirm whether hCG is still present, are more helpful than relying on the color of the bleeding alone.
Experience | Typical clue | Pregnancy-test result |
Chemical pregnancy | Bleeding around or shortly after the expected period | Often positive first, then negative |
Late period | Bleeding after the expected date | Negative |
Usually very light spotting | May still be too early to test |
Chemical Pregnancy vs. a Late Period
In most cases, the bleeding starts around the time your period is expected or a little later. The bleeding might appear similar to what is normal for you, however, some people experience much heavier bleeding with some small clots.
In terms of color, the bleeding could be light pink, bright red, dark red, or brown. If you are unsure whether it was a chemical pregnancy or simply a late period, your pregnancy-test results are more helpful than the appearance of the bleeding alone.
Not every case of bleeding in early pregnancy means that the pregnancy has ended. Also, bleeding and/or cramping do not always indicate a chemical pregnancy. Both bleeding and cramping can also occur with a normal and continuing pregnancy or an ectopic pregnancy.
Chemical Pregnancy vs. Implantation Bleeding
Chemical pregnancy bleeding can range from light spotting to bleeding similar to or heavier than a normal, regular menstrual flow, sometimes with small clots.
The best way to determine what type of bleeding you are experiencing, because symptoms can vary from person to person, is to repeat your pregnancy test and/or seek professional medical advice to help interpret your bleeding pattern.
How Is a Chemical Pregnancy Confirmed?
When a healthcare provider sees that you had a positive pregnancy test before and then experienced bleeding followed by a negative test, they may suspect that you experienced a chemical pregnancy. A healthcare provider may use blood tests to check how much hCG levels are decreasing over time.
These tests show that hCG levels are decreasing, rising, or remaining stable. Falling levels may support a diagnosis of early pregnancy loss, while levels that rise slowly or remain stable may call for further evaluation, including for an ectopic pregnancy.
A chemical pregnancy cannot be confirmed with an ultrasound because the gestational sac would not yet be developed enough to be seen via ultrasound. For example, if there was a positive test but no evidence of a pregnancy within the uterus, a second evaluation is needed to determine if the pregnancy is too early to be detected by ultrasound, has ended, or is developing outside the uterus, which is known as an ectopic pregnancy.
What Causes a Chemical Pregnancy?
Chemical pregnancies usually happen when chromosomal irregularities prevent the embryo from growing. This happens at a random point during the fertilization.
You did nothing wrong. Traveling, working, exercising, or having sexual intercourse does not cause a miscarriage.
Less commonly, factors such as hormonal imbalances, anatomical differences in the uterus, including fibroids, or certain infections may be linked to early pregnancy loss. Having one chemical pregnancy is not a sign of a fertility issue. In cases where repeated miscarriages occur, a healthcare provider can discuss additional testing options.
Is a Chemical Pregnancy the Same as an Abortion With Pills?
No. When a chemical pregnancy occurs, the pregnancy ends without abortion medication. When using abortion medication (i.e., mifepristone and/or misoprostol) to end a pregnancy, the pregnancy is ended through taking this prescription medicine.
Even though both may involve some of the same symptoms (cramping, heavy bleeding, low hCG levels and a negative pregnancy test), they are separate experiences.
While similar symptoms may occur after taking abortion pills, a regular home pregnancy test may remain positive for several weeks after an abortion because it takes time for hCG levels to decrease. safe2choose suggests waiting approximately 4 to 5 weeks before taking another pregnancy test, unless otherwise recommended by your healthcare provider.
If you have used abortion pills and are unsure whether your bleeding, cramping, or pregnancy test results are expected, Ally can provide confidential, evidence-based information and help you better understand what may happen next. Chat with Ally on safe2choose.org.
Does a Chemical Pregnancy Need Treatment?
In most situations, chemical pregnancies do not need medical treatment. Rest, drink plenty of water, use sanitary pads to monitor the bleeding, and take an over-the-counter pain reliever if it is safe for you.
If your bleeding is very heavy or does not stop, your pregnancy tests continue to show positive results, or you experience severe pain, please consult your healthcare provider.
When Should You Seek Urgent Medical Care?
Seek urgent medical help if you have:
- Severe abdominal or pelvic pain
- Worsening abdominal or pelvic pain
- Severe pain mostly centered on one side
- Shoulder-tip pain
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, or weakness
- Very heavy bleeding, such as soaking two large pads per hour for two consecutive hours
- Feeling unwell during heavy bleeding
- Chills
- A fever
- Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
The above symptoms could indicate serious internal bleeding, an infection, or an ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancies develop outside the uterus and can be serious if they rupture.
Important: Please do not assume that severe pain, or heavy bleeding is always a part of a chemical pregnancy.
Can You Get Pregnant Again After a Chemical Pregnancy?
In most cases, a chemical pregnancy will not affect future attempts to become pregnant. Ovulation may return as soon as two weeks after an early pregnancy loss, therefore, it is possible to conceive before your next menstrual period.
Unless there is a medical reason to wait longer, there is no medical need to delay trying to conceive after an uncomplicated pregnancy loss once the bleeding and pain have stopped. The best time to try to conceive again is completely up to you.
Some people choose to try to become pregnant again soon. Some need additional time. Others do not wish to conceive again. All choices are equal and acceptable. If you do not plan to conceive again now, you may want to use birth control because fertility can return quickly.
Conclusion
Chemical pregnancies can be confusing, because the bleeding may resemble a menstrual period and pregnancy-test results can change within a few days. Although this happens very early and you may question whether you were ever truly pregnant, it is a real pregnancy loss. However you feel about the experience is valid. Many people do not need medical treatment, and a chemical pregnancy generally has little to no effect on their ability to conceive again. Bleeding alone, however, cannot definitively tell you what happened.
If your pregnancy-test results remain unclear or your symptoms persist, consult a healthcare provider. Seek emergency medical care immediately if you experience very heavy bleeding, severe or one-sided abdominal pain, dizziness, fainting, fever, or foul-smelling vaginal discharge.
safe2choose also offers a chat service called Ally. The chat service provides confidential answers to your questions about side effects from abortion pills. Ally can answer your questions and help you understand whether what you are experiencing is expected.
