NP here, So sorry to hear that, and I hope it works out okay after all.

U/s is tomorrow. Unfortunately, I started spotting again at 7w (i.e., 6 days ago) and have since had quite a bit of cramping (including several very bad hours' worth). So, though the spotting hasn't progressed to red blood yet (mostly tan/brown mucus w/ some pink off-and-on; apologies for the TMI), I'm pretty sure based on the experiences of others that I'm in the process of miscarrying.

OP. Any update? 22:54 here

I understand your worry. With my now 2 year old twins I had a high initial beta but fretted and fretted that the second one didn't reflect appropriate doubling times. But, like you, read that once over a certain value the rate of doubling slows. Twins were born early (likely nothing to do with initial hormone levels) but are here and great.

All caveats added about having to wait and see but I know your emotional pain and wanted to say I'd been there but with a happy result.

Thanks so much for all of the replies.

17:33: Thanks, I looked at betabase.info and, while my 80 hour doubling time puts me very much on the slow side of the curve (and suggests the oft internet quoted "normal" doubling time of 72-96 hours for 1,200-6,000 is *totally* false, which I already suspected), it is at least still in the meat of the curve rather than in the tail (i.e., slowest 10% or so rather than slowest 1%). It's hard to know though, because the site says pregnancies are deemed successful if a heartbeat is detected and given the study that specifically says a heartbeat at 8w is insufficient to confirm viability for slow rising HCG, I'm not sure how much reassurance to take from those figures.

22:54: My measurements themselves are still in the normal range. The 3380 seems to be slightly on the high side for 5w, so even with the slow doubling rate, the 7752 for 5w4d puts me at or just above average. (That's part of why I'm pretty sure they must have been doubling normally initially; I know my dates can't be off more than 3 days and, even if the draws were actually at 5w3d and 6w, the numbers would only be a bit under average and totally in the normal range.)

12:21: I have my previously scheduled pregnancy confirming ultrasound with my new OB at 8w (8 days from now), so I'm fine with that. Assuming everything is OK then, the waiting from 8w to 12w will be torture if I can't convince her to bring me in in between.

22:46: Thanks (and congrats!).

Betas are just a guide--nothing definitive by any means.


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IVF #6: My beta had an 83 hour doubling time between 16dpo and 18dpo, when hcg is usually doubling more quickly. I cried for 2 days until that 3rd beta to see which way it was headed. She is sleeping on her Boppy next to me now.

You will just have to wait and see. Try to be hopeful, as you did see a heartbeat and it doesn't sound like you were tracking your cycles.

Can you get another ultrasound in a week or two? I think the fact that you have seen an embryo in utero and a heartbeat is very positive, but if you are really worried, I would definitely follow up with another ultrasound in the next couple weeks. Also, if you have a history of issues AND you had spotting, your OB should have been able to get you in ASAP. I'm high risk for ectopic and I generally have to fight my way into the office for early betas and ultrasounds. It's frustrating, but so important.

Were you in normal ranges for that week? When there is slow rising HCg eventually the numbers do not reach the numbers they should. I.e. If rates are not doubling early on at some point it becomes mathematically impossible to reach the peer hcg levels. Look up the chart for your week and your numbers and it should give you an idea. There is nothing anyone here can tell you because each experience is different (even those of us who had slow rising HCG). All you can do is wait. Sorry and prayers for you.

Have you looked at betabase.info? I'm not sure they track the numbers that far, but it's worth a look.

ok to put in perspective - my RE does not do any more HCG draws after the first two. I'm 5w4d today and saw the fetal pole and sac on an ultrasound - they would not do bloodwork because "it doesn't matter at this point".
I think you can relax - the most important HCG numbers are the ones 10-20 DPO, and if they are doubling. Good luck and congrats!

16:03: I understand that nothing I find out will change anything. Still, I want to know how concerned I should be.

As I said, when you look on the internet, you see tons of sites that say 72-96 hours is the normal doubling time at 1,200-6,000 HCG and 96 hours+ is normal after 6,000; however, my doctor was super worried with a doubling time in that range and that seems to be a common experience of others I've talked to/read about. I have no idea where the internet info about doubling times at different ranges comes from, so I'm mostly trying to find out if there were others with similar doubling times and whether or not their doctors were worried.

I don't say this to be unkind. And I soooooo understand why your mind is racing a thousand miles a minute and why this data seems important to you. But the only accurate response to your question is really ... you just have to wait and see. You should have an answer in another week(s). Your embryo will continue to develop normally or it won't. You can find literally any and every answer to any question on the internet and for every positive outcome story there is a negative one. The only thing that matters is what your baby will do and, for that, you just have to wait and see.

I'm sorry. I know the wait is agonizing. As pp said, finding a heartbeat is a positive factor, but it certainly doesn't mean you are out of the woods. My most recent miscarriage happened a week after HB was detected.

Hugs to you, OP. I'm sending positive thoughts. Try to distract yourself with something else while you wait; I know it seems impossible, but trying to minimize stress is important.

I'm no expert, but if there is a viable fetus at 6 weeks with a heartbeat I'd think you are okay for the moment! I thought HCG doubling times were secondary in importance to seeing an actual embryo/fetus with heartbeat.

Since you saw a heartbeat that is a positive. Take what your GP says with a grain of salt. His speciality is not OB and probably doesn't do a lot of beta draws.

I also posted this in the Expectant Moms forum, but I thought folks here might have more experience with betas. (I conceived naturally this time, but my first child took 2 years and was the result of IUI+injectables.)

Because of pre-e related issues at the end of my last pregnancy, I was told to go get basic blood labs run (for a baseline) as soon as I got pregnant again. I couldn't get in to see my (new) OB until 8 weeks, so I went to my GP for the labs at 5 weeks (by my best guess based on ovulation; could theoretically be from 4w6d to 5w3d) and the GP also included an HCG level in those to confirm pregnancy. Later that day, I started light pink spotting. Immediately made an appointment to see GP again (for 4 days later, the earliest I could get in). By the time the appointment rolled around, I was a bit less freaked because spotting had stopped ~12 hours from when it began. GP said she wasn't worried, probably late implantation bleeding. Said the previous labs showed HCG at 3380 (totally normal) and drew another lab. A few days later, that second draw came in at 7752, which makes for a doubling time of approx. 80 hours or 3.3 days. GP said that was very bad news. Sent me for an ultrasound to rule out ectopic and told me to go to an ER if one-sided pain in the interim. A very nervous 24 hours later, an ultrasound showed a 6w1d baby (right on based on my best guess, at most 3 days behind) with a HB of 105.

Based on my GP's reaction, I assumed the doubling time of 80 hours was REALLY abnormal. But, there's a lot of stuff on the internet saying doubling times of 72-96 hours are normal at HCG levels from 1,200-6,000; however, no one (on the internet or that I've spoken to in real life) ever seems to have been told that by their Dr. Lots of sources also say that HCG doubling times slow around 6-7 weeks, which is more consistent with what people seem to have been told, but that's a week out from where I was. Unfortunately (or fortunately), because I wasn't working with an RE and didn't have issues earlier, I have no idea what my doubling times were like sub-1,200, although they must have been normal-ish at least at some point based on the 3380 figure at 5 weeks.

I've seen some positive stories with numbers close to mine, but also quite a few negative ones (even after seeing HBs early). Also, I have found one study that suggests roughly 50% viability in cases with "slow rising HCG" (defined as doubling above 3.2, which mine was just over) "early in the first trimester" (but I can't find anything indicating how early this is -- i.e., only pre-1,200 or including post-then) if an accurately measuring baby w/ a HB is seen at 8w (the other 50% in that position had no HB at 12w). (Obviously the scan went as well as it could have, but that study has been insanely worried that my chances are still 50/50... and that's only if the u/s is fine in 2 more weeks.)

Basically, I'm wondering if anyone has been in this position and/or if your Drs. seemed very worried if you were.