Understanding Fear of Recurrent Miscarriage: What to Expect

Question
I am 23 and have no children.  I had my first pregnancy in october, the lmp for that one was 09/23/04 and miscarried betweewn 11/09-11/11/2004.  I had my first normal cycle on 12/07/04 and then on 1/04/05 I did a hpt and it came out positive!  I decided to got to my dr immediately because I am scared of a 2nd miscarriage.  Right at 4wks I went in for an ultrasound that of course showed nothing, but the dr gave me prometrium.  I started to have a brownish discharge only after I went to the bathroom when I wiped.  Sometimes the discharge turns a dark red and I can see like small flecks (blood clot?) in my urine.  I went to the dr again on 01/10 and he said my ultrasound was perfect.  He said they could see a sac forming, but then he told me my hcg was not rising normally.  Since then I still have that brownish discharge.  It goes away mostly overnight then comes back a little in the morning.  Sometimes really light brown and barely there, but sometimes darker but not as heavy as a period because it does not come out on its own.  I also have this steady pain that comes and goes on my right ovary.  The dr and sonographer told me it was due to 2 really small cysts and one bigger one.  Should I be concerned.  I don't want to lose this pregnancy, but I would like to know if it has already happened and I don't see my doctor again until 01/17.  Please help me,  thank you, nancy

Answer
If your last period started on December 7, you should now be 5 weeks 2 days gestational age. A sonogram at this point would only show an empty gestational sac. By next week, after 6 weeks gestational age, a sonogram will show a fetus and a fetal heartbeat if there is adequate growth of the fetus. I would suggest that you repeat the sonogram in a week and then you will know what is going on.  Most of the time, HCG will double every 48 hours, but this is not written in stone and is not that accurate. The spotting (brown and red) may mean nothing. It is common to have an ovarian cyst (corpus luteum cyst) during early pregnancy that can cause some pain in the ovary. The cyst usually disappears by 12 weeks gestational age. Be patient and wait for your next sonogram. Good Luck.