QuestionI got the ok to try immediately after my d&e (1/4/08, I was almost 9 wks, baby died at 8wks) from my doc, as I am a healthy 29yr old with a helathy 2yr old. First pregnancy was a breeze, no complications at all until birth that is when I had to have a c-section. My question is do my hcg levels have to be >5 to ovulate and once they drop, if I were to ovulate, is it normally within a couple days or couple weeks? I still had a very faint +hpt on 1/20/08. Thanks for your help.
AnswerDear Jennifer,
Most often after a miscarriage or D&C your bleeding will taper off to spotting within 7-10 days, and maybe random spotting will continue for another week. Your hCG will drop steadily, usually hitting zero during the end of the spotting, or about 10 days after the miscarriage or D&C. Some women find they have mild pregnancy symptoms, or little ovulation cramps. Many, many women think they could be pregnant, because strange things are happening and their period is "late" (although almost every post-miscarriage period is late.) These symptoms are due to the body's attempts to regulate its hormones again. It may kick into gear right away, and you will get a new period in 4-5 weeks, or it may struggle a bit, and the period will not come for up to 8 weeks. The timing is so dependent upon those hormones and how quickly that hCG level comes back down. As long as your body still thinks you may be pregnant, it will not see a need to return to normal menstrual cycles/ovulation.
You should continue to have your hCG levels monitored to make sure they are dropping steadily and coming back down to zero or < 5 mIU/ml. It is also important to note that you must not bleed at all for about three weeks in order for you to know you have experienced the first real period, otherwise you have not gone through the hormone chain properly. When you do get your first period after the miscarriage, don't expect it to be normal - it rarely is. It may be heavier than normal for you or lighter, shorter in duration or longer, have lots of cramping or very little. Regardless, as long as you have not had bleeding for three weeks so that the hormones have had a chance to properly go through the chain of events necessary to stimulate menstruation - it is a period.
Obviously, your doctor knows you and your specific case the best, however I will just say that the general recommendation is that women should wait through at least 2-3 normal menstrual cycles before getting pregnant again in order to allow the body time to heal and for those hormones to reach ideal levels and stabilize again.
I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well and Happy MLK Day!
Brenda
