Can a miscarriage be detected through a blood test?

Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
Updated on January 08, 2025
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Embryo arrest is primarily diagnosed through ultrasound examination, and blood tests alone cannot fully determine embryo arrest.

Pregnant women still need to rely on comprehensive examinations to make a diagnosis. During pregnancy, the levels of progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) are continuously rising. If there are factors that cause embryo arrest, these values will no longer increase, or there may be a continuous decline observed during tests. Therefore, embryo arrest must rely on ultrasound examination for accurate diagnosis, supplemented by blood tests to measure hormone levels, using a comprehensive judgment to confirm the condition of embryo arrest.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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Is it necessary to send an embryo for examination if embryonic arrest occurs?

After fetal growth restriction occurs, it is still necessary to send the fetus for examination after dealing with any abnormalities that arise. There are many factors that can cause embryonic arrest, such as maternal factors, abnormal immune function, and the environment of the pregnant woman. More importantly, factors related to the embryo, such as chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo, are the main cause of embryonic arrest. Therefore, after embryonic arrest occurs, it is recommended to go to the hospital for a fetal chromosomal examination to lay a good foundation for the next conception.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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Will the gestational sac shrink if the embryo stops developing?

Embryo arrest, also known as missed abortion, refers to a condition in the early stages of pregnancy where the gestational sac does not develop normally due to various factors. Generally, the gestational sac will not begin to shrink until the embryo has been arrested for a considerable period. In the initial stages of embryo arrest, since the duration is relatively short, the trophoblastic cells within the gestational sac can still secrete estrogens, progesterone, and chorionic gonadotropin. These hormones stimulate the possible continued growth of the gestational sac in the short term. However, as the duration of the embryo arrest extends, the proliferation of the trophoblastic cells decreases, leading to a decline in hormone levels in the body. This reduces the stimulation to the gestational sac, causing it to gradually shrink, decrease in size, and possibly leading to a natural miscarriage.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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Can an ultrasound detect an embryonic arrest?

Embryonic arrest refers to a condition in early pregnancy where no fetal heartbeat appears in the gestational sac. The diagnostic criteria mainly include the lack of observable primitive heart tube pulsation via ultrasound after two months of pregnancy, at which point embryonic arrest can be confirmed. The definitive diagnosis of embryonic arrest is primarily through ultrasound. The following situations observed during an ultrasound can lead to a diagnosis of embryonic arrest: 1. If the diameter of the gestational sac exceeds three centimeters without a clear fetal heartbeat or embryo visible inside, it can be diagnosed as embryonic arrest. 2. If an embryo is already present and approximately 10 days after the appearance of the embryo, an ultrasound still does not show a fetal heartbeat, this situation can also be determined as embryonic arrest.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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Why is there no bleeding or abdominal pain when an embryo stops developing?

After the occurrence of embryonic arrest, some pregnant women may not experience any uncomfortable symptoms, nor do they have vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain. Embryonic arrest is detected through ultrasound examination, by observing the shape of the gestational sac and whether there is an embryo and fetal heartbeat present. If there is still no fetal heartbeat after eight weeks of pregnancy, it is determined that fetal development has ceased, or if the size of the embryo does not grow progressively with the gestational weeks, it is also judged as embryonic arrest. At this time, timely treatment should be performed, and one can choose either surgical abortion or medical abortion, rather than waiting and observing.

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Written by Liu Wen Li
Obstetrics
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What happens if there is embryonic arrest without miscarriage?

If an embryo stops developing but is not miscarried, the retained embryonic tissue can disrupt the clotting function in the pregnant woman’s body over time, leading to a condition called a missed miscarriage. Therefore, after a missed miscarriage occurs, it is important to check the duration it has been retained. If it has been a considerable amount of time, clotting function should be examined. If clotting is still within normal ranges, it is crucial to expedite the process allowing the woman to expel the non-viable embryonic tissue as soon as possible, which is beneficial for her health.