A chemical pregnancy is a very early miscarriage that occurs before the fifth week of pregnancy. It is diagnosed when a pregnancy is confirmed by a blood test or a home pregnancy test, but it can't be seen on an ultrasound scan, usually up until about 5 weeks of pregnancy
. The term "chemical pregnancy" comes from the chemicals in the body, or hormones, that produce a positive result on a pregnancy test
. Symptoms of a chemical pregnancy can include a positive pregnancy test that turns negative, mild spotting, mild abdominal cramping, vaginal bleeding, and low hCG levels
. Most chemical pregnancies do not require treatment, and those who have had multiple chemical pregnancies or miscarriages should consult a fertility specialist to figure out what's going on
. It is important to note that chemical pregnancies are very normal, and between 10-20% of all pregnancies end in some type of miscarriage
