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Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Miscarriage

Diagnosis & Tests

How is the condition diagnosed?

A blood or urine test will be done to confirm that a pregnancy exists. The level of the pregnancy hormone HCG may be checked several times over a period of days or weeks. Rising levels suggest that the fetus is growing. Levels that fall or stay steady suggest a malformed or dying fetus.

Other tests can include the following:

a complete blood count, called CBC, if the woman is bleeding heavily

a pelvic exam to see if the cervix is open and whether there is any fetal tissue in the vagina or the cervix

a pregnancy ultrasound to check for any fetal movement and heartbeat and to rule out an ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when the egg implants outside the uterus

a progesterone level to find out if enough of the hormone is being made to maintain the pregnancy

a white blood cell count to rule out infection

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