Miscarriages do happen. They are depressing, and some of us who follow the religion may tend to ask God what is it that they did wrong to deserve such a misfortune. It is not easy for an expectant woman to believe that the pregnancy is gone forever.
Even after the doctor has confirmed the miscarriage, there is still an inner voice that keeps on saying, “Do a home pregnancy test to confirm on your own.” There is no bigger loss than a miscarriage. So you lose nothing if you do a home pregnancy test after a miscarriage. Some of the women I have interacted with, in person and online, confirm a positive pregnancy test after miscarriage. How is this possible? Let’s find out…
The home pregnancy tests rely on the pregnancy hormone hCG in the urine to detect pregnancy. In most cases, the hCG hormone is present when a woman is pregnant. Therefore, it is cool to conclude that a woman with hCG present in the urine is pregnant.
It’s worth noting that hCG hormone does not disappear immediately after a miscarriage. The level of hCG takes time, between 9-35 days, to reduce back to zero. The maximum time can be four months depending on the person. The rate at which it falls depends on how long the pregnancy had lasted and how high the hCG levels were before the miscarriage. The median time that the hCG hormone takes to disappear is 19 days. Therefore, taking a home pregnancy test after a miscarriage can still show that you are pregnant even when you are 100% sure that you are not pregnant.
It is advisable you visit a doctor if there is still a positive pregnancy test after several weeks of miscarriage. This will allow the doctor to track your hCG levels using blood tests. If the hCG levels do not disappear after a considerable period, chances are that there is pregnancy tissue in the uterus. Do not worry if it’s there. The doctor will remove it through dilation and curettage (D&C) and everything will be fine again.
The positive pregnancy test after miscarriage may also mean that you are pregnant again. Some women continue being sexually active even after a miscarriage. Conception occurs after the hCG hormones levels are down to zero. I once read a story about a woman testifying that she was pregnant again two weeks after the miscarriage. In such a case, it is wise to visit a doctor and get blood tests done to confirm whether you are pregnant again or not.
All is not lost in case of miscarriage. The news is saddening, and the loss is huge. The best way is to move on and have people to offer you emotional support. Do not give up or hate yourself. Just talk to your partner and continue being sexually active. Try again and again and who knows you may have a positive pregnancy test after miscarriage. It is a bitter sweet experience.
