8 week scan showing 6+1 - missed miscarriage?

[securegal]

Hi all,

I am, according to my dates, 8 weeks pregnant and am really confused and worried. I went for an early private scan yesterday, prior to telling our families the good news. The scan didn't exactly go as we had planned and the sonographer dated the pregnancy as 6 weeks and 1 day. I am fairly sure of my dates and it seems really unlikely to me that I have got it that wrong. The sonographer wouldn't give much information, but she gave me a report and suggested I contact my local emergency gynacological unit for a follow-up scan in 7 days, as it could be a missed miscarriage. She found the Yolk sac, gestational sac and 2mm fetal pole, but couldn't see a heartbeat. She said that if my dates were wrong, it might well be too early to find a heartbeat anyway. I saw the hospital this morning and they have booked me in for a scan next Wednesday to see whether the baby has grown at all, or if there is a real problem. I just don't know what to think and the wait seems agonising. I have had no bleeding, no cramping and have just this week started to feel a bit of morning sickness.

If it is a miscarriage, it means the baby would have died two weeks ago - would I still be feeling any pregnancy symptoms?

I have listed my dates and details from the scan below and I'd be so very grateful if any of you ladies could help me understand what is going on, and whether any of you have had similar situations. I feel pretty hopeless about it all at the moment.

First day of last period: 29/12/10
28 day cycle (very regular)
Supposed day of ovulation: 12/1/11
Positive preg test: 22/1/11
8 week scan: 22/2/11, but measuring 6+1
Fetal pole: 2mm
Gestational sac: 17.5mm
Yolk sac: 3.3mm
No heartbeat seen

Thank you so much.

[PaperView]

It may simply be that it is too early for you yet.

[PaperView]

for you to see a heartbeat yet

[thingumybob]

When you say you are sure of your dates, do you mean you know when you ovulated? I assume not as you have written "supposed day of ovulation". It is possible that for some reason you ovulated later in this cycle than you usually do. Also dating scans can be out by up to a week (more in my experience). My current pregnancy has been given 2 different dues dates, more than a week apart, from private and NHS scans!

So, while it's obviously hopeless to tell you not to worry, please don't give up all hope yet.

I have no experience of MC so perhaps someone else can help about that and symptoms.

Fingers crossed for you.

[securegal]

Thank you so much for all of your responses. It is nice to know that there are such supportive people out there.

You are right, thingumybob, I don't know my exact date of ovulation - it could have been later. I am basing it on the average day that I "should" have ovulated. My main worry is that I got a BFP about 10 days after that "supposed" day of ovulation, which makes me think that it can't be out by an awful lot?

I have still not got any symptoms, and am feeling progressively more queasy this week. I am also getting a little bump above my pubic bone. I know that symptoms can sometimes continue with missed miscarriage, but would they generally increase?

I have a scan with the NHS on Weds this week to find out what is going on and am so nervous. It is so difficult to think about anything else in the mean time.

Thanks again for your support. xxx

[galwaygal]

Sorry you are having a worrying time. One other thing to remember is if you have a tilted uterus, your early measurements can be 2 weeks out. If you need reassurance google misdiagnosed miscarriage website. I don't want to give you false hope, but it is possible that all is still ok.

I had a pregnancy that at 7 weeks measured less than 5 and all was ok, however I have also had 10 miscarriages where I have measured behind and carried on to lose the pregnancy. So it can go either way, but it certainly is not hopeless at this point.

I hope you get an answer with your next scan.

[Maddikins]

I had a mmc at which was not found until 12 weeks. Baby measured between 6-8 weeks but the sac was measuring around 11 weeks.

I was told it is the sac that creates the pregnancy hormones and that is why I'd still had symptoms. Although by 12 weeks, when I had slight spotting, I was worried anyway as thay had decreased to the point I no longer felt pregnant.

The waiting is awful but with you being quite early on it may just be that the dates are out and it was too early to see a heartbeat.

[harassedinherpants]

Fingers x'd for you that it's just too early to see a hb.

I had a mmc 6 weeks ago. Scan was done at 10+1 and baby measured 7 weeks, with no hb. I still looked and felt prg, and no signs of mc apart from some pink tinged discharge. Even when I knew my baby had died I still had horrendous ms. Hormones can be very cruel!!

However, I have heard of people who have been in a similar situation to you and everything has been fine.

I don't want to dash your hopes, but then I don't want to build them up either. Fingers x'd x

[securegal]

Thank you so much for all of your positivity and kind words - it really means a lot to hear all of your stories and advice.

I am so sorry for those of you who have experienced a loss.

Harrassed - it is awful to still experienced morning sickness - you are right, the body does play really cruel tricks. I just don't know what on earth is going on at the moment. I have had no spotting, cramping or any blood at all. In fact, my pg symptoms seem to be getting worse. Who knows. I am just trying not to send myself mad thinking about it all.

Galwaygirl, thanks so much for the tip about the tilted uterus. I hadn't even considered that, so I will definitely ask them about the possibility at the scan on Wednesday. I'll feel so much better knowing that I have asked about every eventuality.

Thank you all again for your lovely messages.

SGxxxxx

[Loujust40]

Hi SG

Firstly I hope everything goes well for you when you get your scan-maybe let us know. I recently asked my midwife about pg symptons and what was a good sign (as i had a missed mc last year). She said that pregnancy tests were not conclusive but that getting morning sickness was a good sign.

Best of luck

LT x

[securegal]

Thank you Lou - I am so sorry to hear that you have had an mmc.

I'm going for my scan tomorrow, so will let you all know. This has been the longest week ever!

Take care,

SGxxx

[NotWoozy]

Hi Securegal, any update? I hope you had good news this morning at the scan.
I could have written your first post, and am anxiously awaiting my next scan in one week. I hope you are ok.

[securegal]

Hi all,

Thank you so much for all of your kind thoughts. Unfortunately the news for me wasn't good. I had the second scan on Weds last week and they confirmed that the baby still hadn't grown past 6+1, although my dates were 9 weeks. Obviously we are crushed, but things have moved very fast. I am luck in the sense that I get health insurance through my job. The nurse at the Emergency Gyne Unit was wonderful, but explained that I wouldn't be able to get an ERPC on the NHS for three weeks. I just couldn't face waiting for the inevitable to happen for so long, so opted to use my insurance. I had the procedure the following day and am now at home trying to get my thoughts and feelings together. To make things worse, I have come down with an awful chest infection and am just feeling so run down and dreadful. The doctor has signed me off work for two weeks - does this sound a lot to you?

My husband has rung my boss and explained the situation to him - and he has been lovely. I just feel so strange about anyone at work knowing about something so personal. He promised that only a few 'need to know' people would be told, but even that makes me feel really vulnerable and sad. I know that other people in the office will be asking questions about where I am, and I'm dreading going back and either having to lie, or explain. No one knew that I was pregnant, or even trying, so it isn't something that would be easy to discuss. I also work in an office full of blokes - only one other girl and me. How have you all coped with this? I feel that I can keep things together when I am on my own, or with my husband, but as soon as I have to start talking about it to other people (doctors, etc) I find it so hard.

So sorry for the ramble. I can't quite get my head around what has happened. I know it is ridiculous, but I feel like such a failure and that I have let my baby and my husband down. I know, logically, that this is silly, but I can't seem to feel otherwise. I don't know whether I want to try again soon, or whether to wait for a while.

Thanks again for all of your support.

SGxxx

[NotWoozy]

SG, I am so sorry for your loss, what a tough time. 2 weeks off work sounds about right. Take the time, you need it. I am in the same boat and don't feel a bit bad about taking that time.
In relation to your workplace, if you have been told only "need to know" people have been told, then that is what will happen. It is up to you who you tell, and as you have a chest infection you could say that is what kept you off work. I am not sure about trying again, I am the same as you, I feel I will wait for a few months and then try again but reading this topic, some women are pregnant before their next period after a m/c so it is entirely up you. give yourself some time then see how you feel.
Take care of yourself.

[Maddikins]

Hi, really sorry it wasn't good news at the second scan. I had an erpc a few days after my second scan and did not go back to work until over 2 weeks later. By then I felt like I was getting back to normal.

I was dreading going back as although I had kept the pregnancy quiet and only told close work friends, my friend told me most people knew (2 other girls had miscarried within a week of my mmc so everyone was talking about it). It was actually ok though, people I'm close to asked how I was but no one else mentioned it. I've found the more I discussed what had happened with friends and family the easier it was to come to terms with.

[harassedinherpants]

I'm so very sorry for your loss.

I had a erpc too and found that physically I recovered quickly, but mentally.....well that hasn't happened yet and my erpc will be 7 weeks ago tomorrow.

I had roughly two weeks off after my erpc, although my doc would happily have signed me off longer if I needed it. Just don't rush back if you're not up to it.

No one knew at my work, and I don't know if that made it harder or easier tbh. They all think I had gynae probs.

Take care of yourself x

[zxq9]

Hi securegal

I'm really sorry to hear about your loss.
The same thing happened to me yesterday. My 12 week scan showed no heartbeat and no progression beyond 9 +1.
I'm scared witless and am going back for checks and 'options' tomorrow.
Your feelings about everything including work are exactly the same as mine. I work in a very male dominated environment as well and didn't tell anyone about my pregnancy. I still don't know what to tell them. I've signed myself off sick for the rest of the week but really can't face anyone knowing my business.
Thank you for your posts as it's helpful to see other people are going through and feeling the same thing.
I hope things work out for you.

[securegal]

Hi all,

I just wanted to say thank you for all of your kind thoughts. Yesterday was horrid, but today is a new day and I am feeling much more hopeful and positive. Have bought my DH an expensive bottle of whiskey to say thank you for being so amazing and am going to cook a nice meal tonight. Am going to book a haircut and manicure for next week and see if I can't get back up and fighting!

zxq9 - I am so sorry to hear that you are going through the same thing. I can't really help on the emotional side as I am still very up and down myself, but I can offer you a bit of reassurance on the physical side. Please don't be scared - if it is any help at all, I found the whole process once the MMC had been confirmed to be much better than I had thought. I chose the ERPC because I just couldn't face the wait for things to happen naturally, but I have read many stories of women who have chosen that path and have recovered quickly (both physically and, after time emotionally). Whilst a hospital procedure is never fun, it wasn't nearly as awful as I expected and I have had very little bleeding or pain (sorry if TMI). The 'options' are such a personal thing and you just have to go with whatever feels right. I now feel that I can start to put things back together again and physically at least begin to move on.

Despite my fears, my work has been amazing. My husband called my line manager (who he doesn't know at all) and told him what had happened. He has been wonderful and has promised that only him and his boss will know what has happened. Since then my husband has had calls from both my boss and his boss, both saying that they have experienced the same thing with their wives in the past. Strangely this has made me feel much more comfortable with them knowing - they both have two healthy children now. It is easy to forget that a lot of these men are married and have children, so probably have a much better understanding than we give them credit for. They have been really very kind and supportive and I feel much better taking time off knowing that they understand the real reason. I was worried that they would think me a slacker and unprofessional, but now they know and they couldn't have been more understanding. I have also confided in my female colleague, which I think will be a really good thing. When I do go back to work it is nice to know that a female friend will be on hand to pick me up if I need it. Whilst the boys have been lovely, I can't see them as a 'shoulder to cry on'!

It really has been an inspiration reading all of the stories on here - people have been so kind. Once again, I am so sorry to hear about all of the other people going through such unhappiness. It is great that we have these places to share.

I'll be thinking of you tomorrow zxq9. Message again if you need someone to chat/cry with.xx