3 Corpus Luteum at 5 week scan - Triplets??

I just had my 5 week scan and it was too early to anything but a tiny smidgen of something starting, but my doc said I had 3 corpus luteum!
Does this mean I could be having triplets? From what I've googled the corpus luteum provides for the baby until the placenta takes over. Just thought that if I had 3 corpus luteum then maybe 3 eggs fertilised or else there would only be one corpus luteum. Slightly freaking out as I already have 3 kids and yes I was on fertility drugs, but was told they could only see one follicle on day of trigger so I guess they missed the other 2!! I have unexplained infertility and it took 2.5 years to get this BFP and 8 months of injections.
TIA

The corpus luteum signifies the number of follicles that developed and burst this cycle. Not all follicles release eggs and not all eggs fertilise. There is a slight possibility but it would be likely they'd see more than one "smudge" if that were the case....


Eta: when they give you the trigger you can have more than one follicle (I usually had upwards of 20 immature follicles) - but they use the size of the dominant one/s to decide on trigger time. You likely had one that was large enough to release a mature egg, and a few that were too small (but because they still ruptured and released the immature egg at trigger, a corpus luteum was formed at each location)

Thanks for the reply.
I realise not all 3 could have been fertilised, but my doc was positive I released 3 mature eggs. I just thought that if only one fertilised then I would have only one corpus luteum? I mean if I only had one baby in there, why would 3 cl be hanging around? I though the other 2 would have absorbed back into the body by now. I have heard of women having an early scan and seeing one sac and going back a week later and seeing a second!

Sorry, didn't see the Eta part. Doc says they were all mature and of the same similar size and mature

your ovaries won't recognise whether one or three embryos have implanted - the HCG was recognised and the corpus luteum were created.

i would take notice more of the pre-ovulation information regarding mature follicles than the post ovulation CL size. follicular development is very standard - 1-2mm per day, and has to be a certain size for a mature egg to be released - if there was only one follicle large enough when they triggered, there would be no way others could increase to maturation rapidly (trigger stops growth of follicles).

as i mentioned, i used to get upwards of 20 immature follicles and between one and three dominant follicles during an IUI cycle - the cycle my daughter was conceived, i had one dominant follicle but well over 20 immature follicles on my right ovary. at the early scans i had, my ovaries were described as chunky and covered in corpus luteum from the immature follicles...

My fertility doctor and nurse always told me that the trigger gives the follicles one last super boost of growth before they are released. I already had one mature one and 2 smaller ones and because it was earlier in my cycle than when I would normally trigger, I still took the puregon shot before my scan as I thought I had at least 2 more days to go (have never triggered that early in my cycle before) so with the puregon and the trigger on the same day the other 2 follicles could well and truly have reached a mature size in the 36 hrs before ovulation. My 1st mature follicle reached 20 mm in just 10 days!

I usually just get one follicle each cycle. This is only the second time I had 3

well i guess it's a waiting game - i don't know your clinic protocols - mine would trigger with up to three follicles at mature size, most others would only do up to two. i would still be wary of pinning too much weight in the idea of all three not only releasing mature eggs (if two were lagging), but also fertilising and then implanting. as i said, nothing is impossible, but improbably is probably a better word to use. i guess you'll only have a few more days before they scan again for viability and count

Personally I'm hoping it's just 1! I already have 3 boys. Just really wondering why all 3 corpus luteum would hang around for so long (I understand why one would). Like you say, I'll just have to wait till next week for another scan Thanks!!!! :)

As I said earlier, your ovaries aren't smart enough to recognise how many embryos implanted. The hcg doesn't just hit one cl and close the rest down. They all have the the exact same response to the hcg so none of them will disappear until the placenta takes over

You'd get the exact same response if you continued luteal phase support shots with The trigger drug (puregon or similar) as they have hcg in them so the cl will all respond. It's a good thing. Should give better support to your pregnancy than a single cl.

I know my ovaries can't tell me how many embryos implanted, but the amount of cl can be an indication.
Also puregon does not contain HCG.
Yeah, I guess 3 is keeping my progesterone levels good!

sorry, i haven't done a cycle in several years now (DD was conceived in 2008) - i may be misquoting the drug names - the drug used as trigger, and often used in luteal phase support - whatever it is called - contains HCG. off the top of my head i thought of puregon - i think maybe it was pregnyl i was thinking of - although over the course of my treatment, i used that many drugs, it could be something different.

the content of my post was clear though - the drug used in luteal phase support contains HCG. and i'm sorry, but i will argue the point that 4 corpus luteum is not a sign of anything other than three burst follicles - the exact same concentration of hcg will lead to development of one or 30 corpus luteum - the hormonal INPUT to create them is the same - the hormones created will be in higher volume though.

i apologise if i typed the wrong drug name.

Oh it's all good. Wasn't disagreeing with you, just is frustrating wondering. Anyways, got a call from my doc and he wants me to go for another scan tomorrow as my hcg levels went from 141 to 16000 in a week. He says he is worried because of the 3 cl he saw. Guess soon enough I'll know....

hi jetalexjay, just thought I'd pop in to say my hcg went from 198 to 16,300 in 10 days and I have just one in there. must admit, I did a lot of googling & my levels seemed high too. guess you will find out more tomorrow - goodluck! : )

Hey Andie78 :D That's nice to hear! I already have 3 boys, the eldest with down syndrome, so the thought of multiples is scary :o
Guess I will find out tomorrow... I'll let you know. Thanks!!

Hi just wanted to say good luck for tomorrow.

HCG with Multiples can be really misleading as well so tomorrow you will have peace of mind knowing how many you are carrying. When I had my HCG tested with DD at 16dpo is was 305 and with my twin pregnancy also at 16dpo the HCG was 351 (so not much difference so no idea how many we were carrying).

Will your OB be doing a Amnio for you later on to check for Downs (seeing you already have a downs child) or is he not going to worry - only reason I say this is because high HCG level could also be an indicator of Downs Syndrome. I don't want to scare you but will be interesting to see how you go tomorrow.

Fingers crossed all is pefect and however many you have in there it is amazing how you learn to manage - a friend told me when I was pregnant with my twins that "People who are blessed with twins are the ones who can handle them" same goes for HOM (Higher Order Multiples) as well :)

Just to let you know it is triplets!!! Bit in shock and speechless at the moment :o

omg..! congratulations!!

How exciting triple blessed!

I've been reading this thread and omg! A huge congratulations.

Wow! Congratulations and here's hoping for a happy healthy pregnancy :)

We had a lady who had 3 boys and tried once more for a girl and got natural triplet boys lol

Wow amazing congratulations

wow!! congrats! !!!

Wow! Congratulations. All the very best for your pregnancy. Xx

Congratulations! I hope your pregnancy is as smooth as it can be.

xox

Wow what a surprise!

Wow! Congratulations! Here's to the next 8 or so months x

Congrats! I have 3 year old triplet girls and its chaotic and life changing but so rewarding :)

Wow! Congratulations!

Congratulations!!!

Oh my goodness! Congratulations!! :) xx

Congrats, make sure you check out your local Multiple Birth Association and also services your local hospital and council can offer you in regards to support services.

Also once you get the 'all clear' I would start working a roster for family and friends to help out with your other children as much as possible so you can try and relax and grow some strong babies. Also 'term' for triplets is 33 weeks so you will have a lot of hospital stays and trips when they arrive so family/friend support will be very handy then and also when they come home.

AMBA (Australian Multiple Birth Association) has a really good Facebook page and there is also a Facebook page for HOM's as well (Higher Order Multiples).

I'll be cyber holding your hand through this wonderous pregnancy :)

OMG!! Have been following this thread and wow! Congratulations :) May you & your 3 babies enjoy a healthy & easy pregnancy

Huge congratulations. We are starting ivf soon so youv given me hope. X

OMG that is soooooo exciting!!! Congratulations!!! Wishing you all the best x