7.3 weeks early scan doesn't look good but need advice

[Boos75]

I'm not sure if this thread should be here or in the miscarriage section. I guess I chose here as am looking for reassurance..

I am 7 weeks 4 days pg and went yesterday evening for an early scan, which I booked privately as it's my first pregnancy and I like to worry! The Dr did all the measurements and said he couldn't easily see a heartbeat and the embryo is measuring small for 7.3 weeks. He said it was hard to call but given my age (34) it doesn't look good and advised another scan on Monday. I'm pretty certain about my dates as although I conceived during my second cycle off the Pill I know the day I ovulated (had cramps and tested + using an OPK) and I also know the day I got a BFP, as had a BFN two days before.

So, I guess I'm asking has anyone out there been in a similar position and it worked out fine, as I need to think positive to get through to Monday.

Also, rather than pay for a private scan again on Monday I was going to call my GP to see if I could be referred to my NHS hospital. Do you think that's likely? I've had no bleeding but have had a Dr say my scan doesn't look too good? Thank you

[JollyPirate]

Hello there, I had a blighted ovum for my first pregnancy but altghough everything measured correctly there was no heartbeat. I always heard that having a heartbeat present was a good sign.

I would say from the point of view of an ex-midwife that it's still a viable pregnancy and until you hear otherwise it should be treated as such. How much smaller is your baby than the 7 weeks and 3 days. There have also been reports in the past of babies being born after women were told the pregnancy was non-viable so in my book there's every chance still that it might all be okay.

I would also say - ring your GP about a scan - if you've had no bleeding could I suggest you lie (not that ethical I know) and say "I've had a bleed and can I have a scan" - many areas have an early pregnancy unit which will scan you.

[FlightAttendant]

Oh sweetheart, how scary.

Fwiw I had an early scan and the baby was measuring very very small, about 2 weeks behind what I knew it was...iyswim. Also the heartbeat was hard to find, I think it often is at this age? Anyway it was all fine, just hard to get it right with a teeny tiny embryo.

Sorry not to be more use, but it doesn't sound like you need to panic just yet from my limited experience xx

[Boos75]

Thanks so much for your replies. The baby wasn't too much smaller I don't think - it measured 18.3mm and I think he said it was just a little smaller. I can't remember too much as was trying not to cry. Am just hoping that even though he's a Harley Street consultant he's not as good as a sonographer on the NHS who would see so many more women each day..Will call my GP in a bit. x

[Joygirl78]

I feel for you. I have had to have early scans (due to prior miscarriage). Definitely try and get a NHS appointment - go see GP today and push for support! Most NHS hospitals have what is called an 'Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit' (or similar) where they do early scans for people with any complications. Your GP can get you an appointment there normally on the day or at short notice, or you are referred directly by casaulty (ie if you go there with bleeding). I'm not sure you can always just 'turn up' - but might be worth a punt calling them direct (go through hospital switchboard). Note that the units might not be open at weekends though. They are normally dealing with lots of people in worrying situations and are very sympathetic.
It's more difficult to get appointments for this type of thing in the normal antenatal clinics becuase the appointments are all booked up. But if there is an EPAU then that is the place to head....
Good luck! Try to stay positive. 34 really is not that high risk from an age profile. If you are unlucky this time, take comfort in that you did concieve and it is very likely you will again - I certainly did soon after my MC and i'm only slightly younger than you and now 37 weeks pregnant. Sending you support vibes and optimism in the hope that all will be fine. x

[FlightAttendant]

He was probably just not very good at it, or not very experienced, and didn't know what else to do but ask you to come back for another one.

That's awful really as you will be so worried.
I'm hoping you can get another scan either privately or on the NHS today so you can be reassured.
Meanwhile no bleeding is a good sign. I bet everything is fine xx

[IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern]

WHat kind of scan was it?
Was it abdominal or internal.
The reason I ask is I have had an early scan twice and once could not get an accurate look or visible heartbeat until they did an internal one.

[Boos75]

He did both as I had drunk so much water that my bladder was so full for the abdominal scan that he told me to go to the toilet to empty it. When they said full bladder I had taken it literally! So I guess the fact he did a vaginal scan and couldn't easily see a heartbeat makes me feel less positive (he couldn't work out if he was seeing the vibrations of mine of the foetus').

[FlightAttendant]

That sounds a bit odd, usually they send you away if you haven't drunk enough ime!!! But not sure if it can be too full as well.

If he couldn't tell whose heartbeat it was that doesn't sound like he really had a clue what he was doing...I would definitely try and get a proper experienced sonographer to do one asap. xx

[Boos75]

Thanks FlightAttendant am hoping you're right! My Dr is going to call me when she finishes morning surgery and I'm going to ask about going for a scan at the hospital early next week. If they can't see me then I suppose I'll go back to the other guy but am loathed to pay twice for bad news.

[GroovyGumdrops]

Just to echo what JollyPirate said. It is probably worth telling a little fib and saying that you have had a small bleed (as you do have a genuine concern based on medical info). I was advised to do this by my midwife after the EPU refused to see me despite sever cramping and a previous mmc. A bleed seemed to be their "criteria" for an early scan. Luckily she hadn't got as far as giving my name when she rung them so she advised that I made a GP app and listed all of my concerns/ symptoms just with the addition of having had a small bleed (again she pointed out that this wasn't exactly ethical). As well as asking about all of my other symptoms (which I was very honest about), the GP asked me to describe the bleed (small fib - I said spotting and dark red in colour)and did give me a brief (and not painful) internal examination. I was given a scan 2 days later which showed that the baby was fine and the pain was due to a large cyst. This put my mind at ease massively, otherwise I would have worried for weeks.

Good luck x x

[GroovyGumdrops]

Sorry, just to clarify by "genuine concern based on medical info" I just mean that it's not as if you'll just be making things up as you just fancy an early scan on the NHS (which I really don't agree with). Wasn't sure if that came across properly?

[Boos75]

Yes it completely did GroovyGumdrops. And thanks. I agree, I wouldn't expect an early scan on the NHS, which is why I paid for a private one but given he didn't think it looked good and could be a mmc I def. will push for one now. Everyone knows that you don't bleed the moment you miscarry so am hoping the Early Pregancy Unit will see me next week as I don't want to just sit and wait and equally don't want to shell another £120 out to see him again x

[IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern]

If you call early they might see you tomorrow.
My EPU only scans in the morning but they see you asap if they can avoid leaving you until the next day they will.

[Boos75]

Thanks for all your posts. My GP was great. She faxed the hospital and they called two hours later. I said I hadn't bled but I guess last night's scan was enough. Am booked in for Sat morning. Please keep everything crossed for me. X

[IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern]

Oh def everything crossed for you keep us posted.

[GroovyGumdrops]

Glad your GP was so helpful. Fingers crossed for Saturday.

[hoops997]

everything is indeed crossed for you, a lot of ladies have been in the same situation as you.......Good Luck xx

[hoops997]

also to add, just looked at my notes and I had a scan at 8 weeks and 3 days and my little embryo measured 19.2 mm, hopefully that added a little bit of hope for you, lets just hope the doc you saw just didn't see the heartbeat xx

[JollyPirate]

Everything crossed for you here too.

[JollyPirate]

Hello Boos - hope the scan was oaky - thinking of you.

[bluesheep]

Hope it's good news, thinking of you.

[Boos75]

Hi all,

Wanted to let you know how I got on. Am afraid it was bad news. The sonographer measured the embryo the same as it had been during my scan two days before - just under 6 weeks but the gestational sac measures 6.5 weeks - and no heartbeat. I am really certain my dates are correct and I should be 8 weeks today. The sonographer was v.negative and said she thinks it's a mmc but the nurse I saw afterwards was more cautious and wants us to go back in next Sat for a final scan to be certain. I know she's just doing her job and wants to make sure it's completely conclusive but the waiting is going to kill me. I just want to be able to move on asap as it will then be another few days/a week until I can have a ERPC. I've just posted a thread about that as am worried it's not healthy to have a 'lost' pregnancy inside for 3 + weeks.

My DH and I are devastated though he's not as emotional as me of course as my hormones are all over the place!

Thank you again for your advice and support. It meant so much. x

[Joygirl78]

I just read your message after replying to you earlier. I'm so very very sorry. I feel urgently compelled to write again because this is what happened to me. I had an (extremely) light bleed at c.10 weeks. I was referred to the EPU at C&W hospital by the causalty (it was weekend so I couldn't see gp). They did an internal scan, and had problems getting clear visibility, but told me that they could see a sac which was c.6.5 weeks in size, and no heart beat. However, the source of the bleed appeared to be from the other side of the womb. So they said they were pretty sure I had lost the baby some time ago, but there was also 'a chance' that my dates were a month out and they wanted to see me again a week later to confirm and weren't prepared to give me an ERPC until then due to the very very small chance. They prepared me for a MC, and sent me home to wait. It wasn't quite as 'cold' as described here, in fact they were extremely gentle. HOwever, obviously I was left hanging somewhat and didn't absorb what they said that well. I knew for sure my dates weren't wrong, and also i had sensed the pregnancy wasn't right as i had very few symptoms. I was sure there was no baby.
The wait was simply awful, and my body slow to react, but i did MC - it took about 8 days after that scan.
Firstly, don't worry about feeling that it might not be healthy to have lost a pregnancy and to have had no reaction for several weeks. In fact, this is not so uncommon. SOme people's bodies just take a longer time to process. Mine certainly did. It doesn't cause any damage. Secondly, yes, the emotional side of dealing with what you are going through in these circumstances is torturous. All MC are awful, and this is absolutely no exception. I was desperate for my body just to ' get on with it' so I could emotionally and physically move on. I quickly learnt through talking to my doctor and many many firends that MC is extremely common. SO many people came out of the woodwork with "this happened to me" (including my GP, the doctor I saw in causualty, many friends and family members I talked to but just didn't know about). It's far far more common then you would ever have been led to believe or imagine. Somewhat strange that people don't talk about it more, but i think the emotional side makes it incredibly difficult for some to be open. YOu must must remember that a first MC doesn't even make you high risk for a second pregnancy. You need to have successive ones before the doctors think there is a problem. This is difficult for you to absorb right now, so concentrate on getting through this first.

I tried to send you a private messsage but your settings don't allow this at present. If you do desperately want to talk to someone directly who experienced this, then you could change your options, or you can send me a C-A-M (contact another member) message to me. See how you feel.

(BTW - I am now 37 weeks pregnant, I conceived successfully 2 months after the first MC and have had no problems)

Take care, cry as much as you want, be angry as much as you want.
x

[JollyPirate]

Hello Boos - just want to echo what Joygirl said really. I had a similar situation too with my first pregnancy which 6 weeks in showed a blighted ovum (embryo had died weeks before and there was just an empty sac left). Like you I was sent hoime to wait before returnng for a further scan a week later which confirmed it. They didn't want to do an ERPC straight off and told me to wait a further week and after that I did miscarry. Your body won't come to any harm but it's a difficult time just waiting. I can remember a mixture of both relief and devastation when it finally occurred over two days.
As Joygirl says though - as soon as you say miscarriage - loads of people start saying "oh I had one" - it's really common - 1 in 5 pregnancies amazingly enough.
And I can't echo strongly enough the advice to cry as much as you want and be as angry as you want but along with all that make sure you look after yourself and take as much time as you need to grieve.

I conceived 6 months after my mc and the result is now 7 years old (oh my - where did that time go).

Take care

[hoops997]

So sorry this has happened , another one here that had a MMC earlier this year, had scan on the wed, ERPC on the Thurs, anyway 2 and half months later I conceived again and here I am at 29 weeks with a v. active little boy........please be kind to yourself and if you want to grieve.......xx