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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Pregnancy

Anyone had a scan like this then got good news?

35 replies

mears · 12/05/2005 22:38

My little sis is pregnant for the first time age 42 years.

She is sure of dates and should be almost 8 weeks by her reckoning. Had a bit of spotting today and was referred for a scan.

There is a gestation sac with a fetal pole but no heartbeat. Pole is only 2mm which is too small for that gestation. Sac is 12mm x 15mm.

She has to go back for rescan in a week.

Anyone has a scan like this then got good news out of interest?

Scans are not always what they seem. It was transvaginal so probably clutching at straws really

OP posts:

Report

milge · 12/05/2005 22:47

No experience of it, Mears, but wanted to wish her well for the next scan. Fingers crossed for her.

coppertop · 12/05/2005 23:02

Sorry, no experience here either but just wanted to wish your sister lots of luck. xx

nicmum2boys · 12/05/2005 23:14

Yes, although not exactly the same. When I was (as I thought, and I was very sure of my dates) nearly 8 weeks pregnant with DS2 I had some spotting, and a scan showed a 4mm foetal pole, no heartbeat, and a 15mm sac. I was told to return for another scan a week later, and went along expecting to hear the worst as I had continued to spot, and the measurements just didn't match my dates. However a week later, he measured 15mm, clear heartbeat, alive and well, and they reckoned 8 weeks gestation at that point. I was stunned, as I thought I knew when he was conceived, and had tested at what I thought would have been 3 days late.
As you say, scans are not always what they seem. Really hope your sister has the same happy outcome I did. Let us know what happens, will be thinking of her.x

mears · 12/05/2005 23:16

thanks. That was what I wanted to hear

OP posts:

mears · 12/05/2005 23:17

thanks for posting milge and coppertop. Will let you know what happens.

OP posts:

Pastarito · 13/05/2005 11:35

The same thing has just happened to me. I am 8 wks pregnant (third pregnancy, fortunately have two healthy children). I had upper abdominal pain and went into hospital for that, and, even though they thought it was unrelated, they sent me for a scan anyway.

The fetal pole measured 5mm and they thought the gestational age was 6 wks 2 days. But there was no heartbeat. I am being sent for a follow up scan next week and the gynacologist I saw was almost certain there would still be no heartbeat next week

I have done some research on the internet and apparently in a case such as this, by the time the fetus is 6mm and 6wks 3 days (on transvaginal scan), there should definitely be a heartbeat. This is the landmark. Before that, they can be uncertain. So I was 1mm and 1 day under (not looking good).

Good luck to your sister Mears, she has got a better chance than I have by the sound of it. Still sounds like she has some hope!

aloha · 13/05/2005 11:49

I'll keep everything crossed for her Mears.

Marina · 13/05/2005 11:51

Every digit crossed for her Mears and hoping very much that Nic's story reflects your sister's, and not Pastarito's. Still hoping all might come good for you yet Pastarito, though...
Has she been trying long Mears?

MINNIE1 · 13/05/2005 12:08

mears,
Fingers crossed for your sister.

Pastarito · 13/05/2005 12:11

Thanks Marina. I am still waiting - I have my follow up scan on Tuesday. The worst thing is that my belly has grown this week and now I actually look pregnant. It is grim but I already have two children, so I don't feel as bad as I think I would otherwise.

I am glad in a way to have this week to prepare for the worst and I have already started to disconnect myself from the pregnancy. The worst thing is the waiting!

Pastarito · 13/05/2005 12:12

Fingers crossed from me too for your sister, Mears.

cupcakes · 13/05/2005 12:18

I had this - I was sent in with abdominal pains and they did the internal scan where they saw a sac which appeared empty - and no heartbeat. I gave a blood sample and then went back a week later for a second blood sample so they could compare how much something (sorry to be vague) was multiplying. It was increasing at the correct rate which implied pregnancy and when I had a second scan they did find the heartbeat - and they set my dates back accordingly.
Hope all goes well for your sister, Mears, and for Pastarito.

MaddyD · 13/05/2005 12:21

Mears Thomcat is a classic good news story of this. Also a friend if mine thought she was 11 weeks and turned only to be five, a week later they found a heartbeat.

As you know my experience didnt work out(cp3) but there is always hope, so hang on in there. I hope shes ok, really i do.

expatinscotland · 13/05/2005 12:23

Will keep fingers crossed for your sister, Mears.

Marina · 13/05/2005 17:36

Quick hijack - so you're MaddyD now, are you cp3?
Do you still want those books I mentioned to you a while ago? How are you?

Donbean · 13/05/2005 18:02

would this be classed as a blighted ovum then?

mears · 13/05/2005 22:35

Blighted ovum is more when the fetus hasn't developed at all. I had a blighted ovum detected at 7 weeks. There was a sac but no identifiable fetal pole.

Sadly sis has started to bleed like a period tonight. She will still go for scan next week but feels sure she is miscarrying

OP posts:

aloha · 13/05/2005 22:49

I am so, so sorry. What a horrible shame.

nicmum2boys · 13/05/2005 22:55

Mears, still keeping fingers and toes crossed for her. Really really hope the bleeding stops, and she has a miracle like I did.
Pastarito just because they couldn't see a heartbeat doesn't mean there isn't one. The little one is so tiny, and I had to hold my breath at 8 weeks (2nd scan, see my earlier post) so they could be sure there really was a heartbeat, it was that hard to see. Fingers and toes crossed for you too. xx

Donbean · 14/05/2005 08:45

Oh, i see. Sorry. i had a blighted ovum detected at 6 weeks as well, just wondered if it was the same/similar.
Fingers crossed for sil, really feel for her.

Thomcat · 14/05/2005 08:54

Oh no, your poor, poor sis and her DH/DP, I'm so sorry, I really hope she's going to be okay though, does she have to wait long for the next scan?

oops · 14/05/2005 14:48

Message withdrawn

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Rainbow · 14/05/2005 14:52

I haven't read all this thread. My sis was scan at 8 weeks by her reckoning again no heartbeat etc. she was adamant on her dates but the midwife told her to come back in three weeks for another scan before they did anything. Three weeks later she was scaned told she was 9 weeks pregnant and she now has a happy,healthy 6 yo DD. Good Luck Mears.

cupcakes · 14/05/2005 15:46

oops - yes, that's the test I had. I also wondered why they didn't do this straight away.

99redballoons · 15/05/2005 15:10

Hope your sis is ok, mears. It can still go either way with bleeding.. fingers crossed for her.

From this website -

6wks - Transvaginal ultrasound can pick up 86% of the fetal poles with heart motion, and 100% of the yolk sacs at this point.

7wks - With a transvaginal ultrasound, one study shows that 100% of the ultrasounds will be show a fetal pole with heart motion.

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