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Followup To
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Followup To
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Dr Rappaport
I am 27 with a 1 yr old son. I had a miscarriage almost two months ago and the cause could be low progesterone. I lost the baby at approximately 6 weeks 4 days according to the ultrasound, but I did not start having the miscarraige until about 3 weeks later.
I am currently about three weeks pregnant and very scared. My current doctor put me on Crinone progesterone suppositories because at two weeks my progesterone level was 12.4. Is that really low? My doctor told me exactly when to get pregnant and wanted to see me a week later to do blood work. The blood work came back negative, but I knew I was pregnant. A week later it was positive. Is that common? Is 12.4 really low for 2 to 3 weeks pregnant? I am mostly scared because I lost my last baby at 6 weeks and didn't know it until almost a month later.
Answer -
A progesterone level of 12 is not very low, but could benefit from the crinone or any progesterone supplementation until you reach 12 weeks gestation, when the placenta takes over the maintenance of the pregnancy. The progesterone cannot hurt and may help prevent miscarriage. The most accurate time to take a pregnancy test is one week after missing your next period. Sometimes, if taken too early, you get a negative result. Good luck.
Thanks so much for your reply, but now I have another concern. My Dr just called and said it looks like I am going to miscarry because my HCG levels are very low. I am 6 - 7 weeks pregnant and my HCG level is 1784 and my progesterone went from 12.4 to 12.7. Does this definately mean I will have a miscarriage? I really wanted this baby. Have you ever seen levels this low redult in a normal pregnancy?
Answer -
Your progesterone levels, while low, are stable. Usually HCG values double every 48 hours during early pregnancy. If your HCG value is 1784, what did it drop to in 48 hours? If it is consistently dropping, that indicates the probability of an impending miscarriage. If it continues to rise, it may indicate a viable pregnancy. I would take two HCG tests, 48 hours apart and see if there is a rise or fall of the values.
I can't thank you enough for always getting back to me. It is a sence of relief. After the ? I asked last week I was so scared when I started spotting and cramping Saturday night. I went to see the doctor this morning and I was very surprised to see a baby with a sac and a heartbeat, but the heartbeat was slow at 104-110. I am exactly 6 weeks 5 days pregnant and more blood work was done today. I haven't gotten the results back, but it looks like my baby is trying to pull through. My ? is...does this sometimes happen. What do you think the chances of my baby living are? Being this early if my baby does stick with me will something be wrong with it? I forgot to tell you in previous emails that I have PCOS.
AnswerI still would suggest that you take two blood pregnancy tests, 48 hours apart. If there is a doulbing of the results in 48 hours, it indicates a viable pregnancy, even if the heartbeat is slow at this time. As long as you are not bleeding with cramps and the HCG values are rising, your chances are good.
