Dr. Steven R. Goldstein MD What are “Chemical” Pregnancies?
The advent of the home pregnancy test has revolutionized early pregnancy and our understanding of its failure. Patients can now diagnose a pregnancy event by the time they have their missed menstrual period with very sensitive home, over-the-counter pregnancy tests. Research indicates that as many as 22% of conceptual events (in other words, when an egg meets a sperm) will develop minimally and then bleed at or around the time of the expected menses. These have been dubbed “chemical” pregnancies and may be as high as 22% of all conceptions. Dr Steven R. Goldstein, a top Gynecologist in NYC, says many patients feel they have suffered a miscarriage. Data, however, shows that the occurrence of such an event, although clearly sad, and parents can and should “mourn” the loss of their pregnancy— still need to realize that the prognosis for a healthy pregnancy is 35% in the next month and has high as 83% in the next six months! In other words, such a chemical pregnancy failure is a very good prognostic sign. It means that the woman is ovulating, her partner produces sperm, at least one tube is open, and she is capable of capacitating her partner’s sperm. The prognosis for a couple who have such a chemical pregnancy is infinitely better than her sister, friend or coworker who would like to be pregnant but simply gets her period month after month after month.