What Is a Chemical Pregnancy and How Can It Be Diagnosed?

A chemical pregnancy happens when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus and starts to produce the hormone hCG, which is what most pregnancy tests detect. However, very soon after this initial implantation, the pregnancy stops developing, and the egg is unable to form a viable embryo. Doctors can diagnose this by checking the hCG levels in the blood or urine. Initially, the test might show a positive result because of the hCG, but if the hormone levels do not continue to rise as expected or even drop, it suggests the pregnancy is not progressing normally. An ultrasound may then be used to check for the presence of a gestational sac or embryo. If the ultrasound does not show any clear signs of development, the early loss is termed a chemical pregnancy. This process helps doctors understand that the pregnancy was very early and that the embryo did not develop properly.