Understanding Miscarriage Symptoms & hCG Levels: A Personal Story

Question
I am 37.  I have no children.  The date of my last period was Aug. 21.  I had a beta Hcg done on the 21st, it was around 2800.  I had some significant bleeding in the last 6 days.  Dr. did an ultrasound on Sept. 26 and he said it looked like a yolk sac, but it was irregular shape (more oblong than round).  He said if I had a miscarriage at this point it would be like a heavy period with a large blood clot.  I started to have heavt bleeding that night and some large blood clots passed.  I had another hcg done on the 26th and it was around 8300.  I had another done on the 28th and it was 10,800.  I cannot get in touch with my OB and I am wondering what those numbers may mean.  Please let me know if you have any thoughts on this.  Thanks

Answer
Since the HCG values are rising (even if they are not doubling), it is a good sign that you have a viable pregnancy. If your last period started on August 21, you are now only 5 weeks 4 days gestational age. A sonogram between 5-6 weeks gestation only shows an empty gestational sac but no fetus or fetal heartbeat. However, after 6-7 weeks gestation, a sonogram should show a fetus and a fetal heartbeat. I would repeat the sonogram in a week or two and you should see the fetus. So far, it sounds like a normal intrauterine pregnancy.