Ep 316: What Happens After A Positive Pregnancy Test

Fertility Docs Uncensored is hosted by Dr. Carrie Bedient from the Fertility Center of Las Vegas, Dr. Susan Hudson from Texas Fertility Center, and Dr. Abby Eblen from Nashville Fertility Center. In this episode, the Fertility Docs walk listeners through what typically happens after a positive pregnancy test following IVF. The doctors explain how early pregnancy is monitored, beginning with the first pregnancy blood test about two weeks after embryo transfer and continuing with repeat hormone testing every few days to ensure appropriate rises. They discuss what doctors look for on early ultrasounds, why some patients need closer monitoring, and how different outcomes such as viable pregnancies, biochemical pregnancies, ectopic pregnancies, or abnormal intrauterine pregnancies are identified and managed. The episode also covers when patients go back to their OB/GYN once a pregnancy is progressing normally. The doctors answered many common questions patients search for after seeing that first positive test. Questions such as what happens after a positive IVF pregnancy test and how often pregnancy hormone levels are checked come up frequently. They explain how much hCG should rise in early pregnancy and what it means if it does not increase appropriately. The episode addresses when the first ultrasound is done after IVF and what doctors are hoping to see at five to six weeks of pregnancy. They discuss what an ectopic pregnancy is, how it is diagnosed, and why it can be difficult to distinguish early on from an abnormal intrauterine pregnancy. Other common concerns include what a biochemical pregnancy means, how abnormal pregnancies are treated, and when expectant management may be appropriate. Finally, the hosts review how long fertility clinics typically follow patients during early pregnancy and when care is transferred to an obstetrician.