69 | What is a Chemical Pregnancy?
My Story & What You Need to Know
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If you're here trying to figure out what just happened, you were pregnant, you had a positive test, and now suddenly you're not, first of all, I am so, so sorry.
I’m really glad you found this post. I hope it brings you a little clarity and comfort in what can feel like a very confusing experience.
Today, we’re going to talk about:
What a chemical pregnancy is
How to know if you’ve had one
My personal experience
What to do next
And what this might mean for future pregnancies
What Is a Chemical Pregnancy?
A chemical pregnancy is a very early miscarriage, usually occurring before five or six weeks. It’s called a “chemical” pregnancy because it’s confirmed by hormone levels but not by ultrasound. Because it happens so early, many women don’t even realize it happened. You might just think your period came a little late.
But I want to say this clearly: If you had a positive pregnancy test, you were pregnant. I personally believe that life begins at fertilization. In most cases, what happens in a chemical pregnancy is that the egg is fertilized but doesn’t properly implant in the uterus, and the baby is lost. Even though it’s early, even though it’s confusing, that baby was real.
My Experience With a Chemical Pregnancy
My first pregnancy ever was a chemical pregnancy.
At the time, I didn’t feel comfortable talking to anyone about it. So I did exactly what you’re doing now, I turned to Google. I found comfort reading stories from other women, and I pray this post will bring you comfort too.
The First Time
This was a unique season because my husband and I had just had a change of heart about having kids. I wasn’t ready to tell anyone yet.
I waited a full week after my missed period to test. I had all the symptoms (cramping, bloating, sore boobs, even a nosebleed), and a missed period even though my cycle is usually very regular.
When I finally tested, I got a faint positive. But because it was my first time, I didn’t fully understand that a faint line still meant I was pregnant. I wasn’t sure how to interpret it. The next day, I took a digital test.
It said: not pregnant. That same day, I got my period.
I hadn’t told my husband yet. I had wanted to surprise him in a cute way. Instead, I ended up telling him later that day, saying, “I think I was pregnant… and now I’m not.” We were both confused. We felt a sense of loss, but didn’t know how to process it. There was nothing tangible to see, just this feeling of, what just happened?
The sense of heaviness stayed through the next month. I was sad and worried I might never become a mom. But the following month, I got pregnant with my oldest daughter.
The Second Time
I experienced my second chemical pregnancy about a year later. I was about five months postpartum, and we were open to having another baby right away. This time, I tested early, around 9 days post ovulation.
We knew I was pregnant for about a week, and then we lost that baby. This one felt harder because we had time to get excited. We had already started imagining what life would look like with a 14-month age gap. But again, the very next month, I got pregnant, this time with my son.
Processing the Loss
These losses are something I’ve struggled to process.
Because it was so early, it felt easy to downplay it. Easy to say, “It wasn’t that big of a deal.” I didn’t talk about it much or bring it up when other women shared about their losses. Usually, I don’t even know how to fill out medical forms. Was my most recent pregnancy my fourth or my sixth?
I don’t want you to take on my reluctance to grieve, but if you’ve been struggling to know how to process this, you’re not alone.
How Do You Know If You’ve Had a Chemical Pregnancy?
If you're wondering if you had a chemical pregnancy, you might never know for sure. If you didn’t take a test before your period returned, you won’t be able to get a positive test. But if you experienced pregnancy symptoms and a delayed period, it’s very possible you experienced a chemical pregnancy.
But here are some common signs:
You get a positive pregnancy test, then a negative one shortly after
You have pregnancy symptoms for a short time
Your period comes late and may be slightly heavier than usual
You experience cramping similar to a period
If you had a positive test and began your period slightly after, its likely you had a chemical pregnancy.
What Caused It?
I know how tempting it is to wonder “What did I do wrong?” But the answer is, probably nothing.
A chemical pregnancy is usually caused by the embryo not developing properly or not implanting. It is not your fault. Even if you were afraid when you found out you were pregnant, you didn’t cause this.
What Should You Do Next?
In most cases, you don’t need to do anything medically.
You can contact your doctor if you have questions or concerns, but often your body will handle everything naturally. If this is a recurring problem for you, please go see a doctor. You and your husband will likely both want to get some testing done, so a medical professional will be able to help.
When it comes to processing this emotionally, there is no right or wrong way to greive. You may consider
Talking it through with your husband
Sharing with a trusted friend
Praying and bringing it before God
Finding a way to honor your baby (if that feels right to you)
There’s no “right” way to grieve this.
What About Future Pregnancies?
I can’t tell you exactly what your story will be.
But I can give you hope from mine: After both of my chemical pregnancies, I got pregnant the very next month and carried those babies to term.
A chemical pregnancy does not automatically mean something is wrong. In many cases, it shows that fertilization can happen, which is actually a positive sign!
If You’re Walking Through This Right Now
I just want to say again: I’m so sorry.
This is confusing. It can feel lonely. It can feel hard to even know how to categorize what you’re feeling.
But your experience matters. Your baby mattered.
If you want to share your story or ask questions, I would truly love to hear from you. You can email me at hello@micaela.ca. I would be honored to pray for you.
And if you want more encouragement around motherhood and finding peace in it, I’d love for you to stick around.
If this post (or episode) blessed you, subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen, and please share it with a friend who needs it. Thanks for being here!
