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"&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Naturally most women want to be absolutely certain that they&amp;amp;#39;re really having a miscarriage before making decisions about &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/choosing-a-miscarriage-treatment-2371456&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;treatment&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, but on rare occasions doctors misdiagnose &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/viable-pregnancy-viability-2371666&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot;&amp;gt;viable pregnancies&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; as miscarriages.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;With something as important and devastating as a miscarriage diagnosis, it&amp;amp;#39;s normal to want to be 100 percent sure of the diagnosis before moving forward. With any medical problem, a misdiagnosis is a theoretical possibility. Miscarriage is no exception. Technically speaking, medical or laboratory errors could theoretically lead to a misdiagnosis of pregnancy loss at any point in pregnancy -- but this is uncommon.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Most doctors use established guidelines before &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;oxDTcEc_B0qbxrprFFIhvQ&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/how-doctors-diagnose-miscarriage-2371375&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;3&amp;quot;&amp;gt;diagnosing miscarriage&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. And when evaluated by these guidelines, generally laboratory and imaging results are considered reliable and accurate for diagnosing pregnancy loss.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Now and then, however, miscarriage misdiagnosis does occur. When it does, the situation almost always involves a few specific situations.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Date Confusion With First Trimester Ultrasound Results&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In early pregnancy, the &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/gestational-age-p2-2748504&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;4&amp;quot;&amp;gt;embryo&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; grows larger every day and being off even by a few days with the dating can make a difference in the measurements and in whether or not &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/understand-early-pregnancy-ultrasound-results-2371367&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;5&amp;quot;&amp;gt;first-trimester ultrasound&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; will detect a &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;kgK9ubdcO7n7Q4rWE8trug&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/no-fetal-heartbeat-on-early-ultrasound-2371357&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;6&amp;quot;&amp;gt;fetal heartbeat&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. Women who have irregular menstrual cycles or who were uncertain about their dates may have normal pregnancies that could initially be mistaken for &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-a-missed-miscarriage-2371246&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;7&amp;quot;&amp;gt;missed miscarriages&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; when the ultrasound does not show the expected development counting from the last menstrual period.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Most doctors avoid the possibility of miscarriage misdiagnosis by ordering a follow-up ultrasound to check for continued development whenever there&amp;amp;#39;s any uncertainty about dates in an early pregnancy. When a pregnancy is viable, the &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/gestational-sac-2371621&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;8&amp;quot;&amp;gt;gestational sac&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; and embryo will be considerably larger after a week (the usual interval for a followup scan), but a nonviable pregnancy will show either no growth or minimal growth.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Misdiagnosis of pregnancy loss from confusion about dates affecting &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;I2dE8Z9A1-urlR2cfjCneQ&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/understand-early-pregnancy-ultrasound-results-2371367&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;9&amp;quot;&amp;gt;ultrasound results&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; is specific to &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;WL1CPm41WgP4isbuMRuz2Q&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/understand-early-pregnancy-ultrasound-results-2371367&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;10&amp;quot;&amp;gt;early pregnancy&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. Ultrasound is increasingly reliable for diagnosing pregnancy loss as pregnancy progresses. Once the &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;eRcJ2RqSlZbX6gjFpsyPcg&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/ultrasound-showed-no-gestational-sac-2371356&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;11&amp;quot;&amp;gt;gestational sac&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; and baby have reached a significant size, &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;vHDJE4nC-tgAteAGVoKdXg&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/when-does-gestational-sac-become-visible-on-ultrasound-2371238&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;12&amp;quot;&amp;gt;ultrasound findings&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; can definitively diagnose miscarriage.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Misdiagnosis from Slow Rising or Falling hCG Levels&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doctors consider &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/should-i-worry-if-my-early-pregnancy-hcg-level-is-slow-2371284&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;13&amp;quot;&amp;gt;slow rising hCG levels&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; to be a warning sign of possible &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/ectopic-pregnancy-2371494&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;14&amp;quot;&amp;gt;ectopic pregnancy&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, although &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;OAeoGvjjclQlEEVVHSwvcA&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/tubal-pregnancy-and-ectopic-hcg-levels-2371279&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;15&amp;quot;&amp;gt;hCG levels&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; occasionally rise slowly in viable pregnancies. If a diagnosis were made based solely on slow rising hCG levels, there is a possibility that it would be incorrect.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/falling-hcg-levels-does-that-mean-a-miscarriage-2371283&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;16&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Falling hCG levels&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; nearly always mean miscarriage, but very rarely can reflect a condition like &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/heterotopic-pregnancy-2371476&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;17&amp;quot;&amp;gt;heterotopic pregnancy&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. Heterotopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that involves &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;IchwCvs11Xgi3xlwrzTTeA&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/products-of-conception-2371587&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;18&amp;quot;&amp;gt;two conceptions&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; -- one &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;8WEviewLkByE_STwqnlswQ&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/viable-pregnancy-viability-2371666&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;19&amp;quot;&amp;gt;viable pregnancy&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; in the uterus and one &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;S0s7km6KGROjGS9DOLTQeA&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/ectopic-pregnancy-p2-1960118&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;20&amp;quot;&amp;gt;nonviable ectopic pregnancy&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. In couples who conceive without &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/infertility-treatment-17-options-you-should-know-1960182&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;21&amp;quot;&amp;gt;assisted reproduction&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;HMJrqe7CLVjw-P2WmAFcgQ&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/heterotopic-pregnancy-2371476&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;22&amp;quot;&amp;gt;heterotopic pregnancy&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; occurs in less than 1 in 30,000 pregnancies. The rates of heterotopic pregnancy can be as high as 1 in 100 when couples use &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/infertility-treatment-17-options-you-should-know-1960182&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;23&amp;quot;&amp;gt;infertility treatments&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Another possibility for falling &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;Igtc-jtgABy74MvjvlbsOA&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/the-pregnancy-hormone-hcg-1960127&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;24&amp;quot;&amp;gt;hCG levels&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; in a viable pregnancy would be &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/vanishing-twin-syndrome-loss-of-baby-in-multiple-pregnancy-2371497&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;25&amp;quot;&amp;gt;vanishing twin syndrome&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, a &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;3uZP3rF7Fms4k1YxmBE9lQ&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/twin-pregnancy-risks-1960314&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;26&amp;quot;&amp;gt;twin pregnancy&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; in which one baby is miscarried while the other is viable. This condition is also rare when couples have not used assisted reproduction and is a highly infrequent explanation of falling hCG levels.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Remember also that hCG begins to decrease naturally later in pregnancy -- hCG levels do not continue rising throughout pregnancy. Slow rising or falling hCG levels can be a &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;KNfNERx-DU_zqnhdTzISNw&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/normal-hcg-doubling-times-in-early-pregnancy-2371282&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;27&amp;quot;&amp;gt;normal finding&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; toward the end of the first trimester. &amp;lt;a data-inlink=&amp;quot;dNvl6jVhn8mIdfngOvE6Fw&amp;amp;#61;&amp;amp;#61;&amp;quot; href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/should-i-worry-about-high-hcg-levels-2371240&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;28&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Levels of hCG&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; start to rise more slowly by around the eighth week of pregnancy and begin to fall after reaching a peak of around 100,000 IU/L, so falling or slower rising hCG after the first two or three months of pregnancy is not necessarily a sign of miscarriage.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Sources: &amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Kelly, M.P., M.W. Molo, V.M. Maclin, Z. Binor, R.G. Rawlins, and E. Radwanska, &amp;amp;#34;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2070850&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;externalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;29&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Human chorionic gonadotropin rise in normal and vanishing twin pregnancies.&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;amp;#34; &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;Fertility and Sterility&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; Aug 1991. Accessed 1 June 2008.&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Ludwig, M., M. Kaisi, O. Bauer, and K. Diedrich, &amp;amp;#34;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0301211599000792&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;externalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;30&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Heterotopic pregnancy in a spontaneous cycle: do not forget about it!&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;.&amp;amp;#34; &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;European Journal of Obstetrics &amp;amp;amp; Gynecology and Reproductive Biology&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; Nov 1999. Accessed 1 June 2008.&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Morin, Lucie and Michiel C. Van den Hof, &amp;amp;#34;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://www.sogc.org/guidelines/public/161E-CPG-June2005.pdf&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;externalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;31&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Ultrasound Evaluation of First Trimester Pregnancy Complications&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;.&amp;amp;#34; &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;SOGC Clinical Practice&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; June 2005. Accessed 1 June 2008.&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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