Rebuilding after a biochemical pregnancy

Also known as a chemical pregnancy. These are fairly common, affecting as many as half of all pregnancies and resulting in a miscarriage prior to 5 weeks. It is difficult to know exactly how many women have had this misfortune due to the fact that if the woman was not actively trying to conceive, she may not have even known she was pregnant. When her period does arrive, it often arrives about a week late and tends to be heavier and more clotty. She is also dealing with the loss of a life, that although short, was growing inside of her.

When a woman who has been trying for months or years to conceive gets this news, it is just as devastating as learning of any miscarriage. Feelings that something is wrong with her or that she is broken fill her thoughts. Her days may be filled with apathy or a reluctance to try again out of fear that she will never be able to carry a baby to term.

The silver lining to this dark cloud is the fact that she was ABLE to conceive, this alone says a lot about her fertility. Many things had to go right for that to happen! In my fertility acupuncture clinic, I work with women on detecting and correcting the subtleties that are involved in biochemical pregnancies. For instance, a lack of progesterone, known as luteal phase defect is very common and even when conventional medicine prescribes progesterone, the underlying reason her body isn't generating enough progesterone hasn't been addressed. In addition, there might be an inadequate endometrial lining, a subclinical infection or immune factors preventing the embryo from implanting.

I work with my patient's to increase their endometrial linings with acupuncture and blood invigorating herbal formulas to bring circulation to the reproductive organs. I address the reasons why her body isn't making adequate progesterone and over time, her body responds. If there is a suspected infection, a visit to her doctor would be recommended in addition to herbal antibiotics and supplements. If there are immune issues, I'd work to calm the immune system down enough to allow the embryo to implant.

Rest assured that the underlying imbalances that led to a biochemical pregnancy can be corrected so that you can feel more confident on your journey to building the family you are dreaming of.