So says the digital. The tests were clearly positive this morning. So I called my mw. She was puzzled by my situation. She said what I already knew - that we would simply have to do a quantitative blood draw series to see where the levels are and whether or not they rise as they should.
The pregnancy hormone, HCG increases very rapidly in early pregnancy; doubling in quantity every 48-72 hours in 85% of normal pregnancies. Sometimes a 'slow-riser' will catch up, often it means the pregnancy isn't viable. Super high numbers can indicate multiples, while super low numbers can indicate a possible ectopic pregnancy. It will also tell you roughly when you can expect to see something via ultrasound.
So there is a range of beta numbers that can be found by day of ovulation, and you hope to be within normal ranges. But even that doesn't tell you much - whether or not it doubles on time is what you need to know.
So we did the first draw. I'm hoping for over 100. Average is 230-400. But then I'll have to have a second draw and that's the moment of truth.
The bleeding is down a light flow, or spotting, really. That is good news for me. As is a positive on a less sensitive digital. Yay! I'm really feeling hopeful now, but there is a long way ahead. First step is getting the numbers back. Then we wait. We hope they rise normally and that this is not an ectopic pregnancy. That's sort of my fear right now.
My midwife suggested that we were looking for something between 5,000 and 10,000. I have to assume she isn't clued in to just how early it is, though I tried to tell her. According to everything I've read online, that is way, way, way too high to expect. So I'm not going to freak out when it comes back much lower. As I said - I'm looking for over 100.
Should come back tomorrow afternoon.
It's a weird thing to have had a period and still be pregnant. I wouldn't believe it if it were not happening to me.
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