To want some answers?! Pic attached

[Mashoona88]

I'm about 12 weeks pregnant following a missed miscarriage at 13 weeks at the beginning of this year. I'll put the disclaimer in here that I realise I am completely obsessing and this is probably an irritating post but I'm just so frustrated.

First things first, I had cramping and minor spotting at 6ish weeks. I was aghast and convinced I was losing this baby, too. I finally got an appointment at an EPU at 7 weeks and had an internal scan, which I quickly discovered was by a student (I wasn't asked to consent), who tried to insert the probe into my anus twice and then very brutally shoved it into the correct orifice without so much as a cursory wipe. I was so taken aback by the fact she found a heartbeat I barely had a chance to think about how to respond to the violation or to really look at the screen.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and my tummy had really popped (uterus palpable halfway between pubis and belly button) and sickness had hit full force. It got me to thinking whether the spotting and cramps was thanks to a twin, vanishing or not. I pulled out the pic the tech had given me and see something but it isn't clearly a second sac - see pic, bottom right. I thought perhaps it's conceivable that my evidently unqualified sonographer might have missed something at this early stage. I certainly didn't get any explanation at the EPU - just the usual 'there can sometimes be pain and bleeding in pregnancy that's normal' chat. I have since gone google crazy and discovered other pics at 7 weeks for twins that look similar, also for vanishing twins, also for bleeds. I've posted the pic elsewhere and got little response and thought I'd just wait for my next scan and perhaps get some answers, but even though I booked early at about 7 weeks (and my MW confirms she put in scan request then) I rang up the us department yesterday having not for a date through and the reception said she just booked me for a week and a half from now!

Now I know it is ridiculous but every day feels excruciating, I just want answers. If there's a bleed that's potentially a risk, I want to know. If there's a twin, obviously I want to know! If there was a vanishing twin, I'd still want to know and to value that life as I did the last baby I lost. The more time elapses, the less likely it is I'll get those answers (it may well be reabsorbed).

AIBU to be so het up that I can't seem to get any answers? That I have to wait so long?! (I suspect yes - but can someone please give me an opinion on the pic?!) also that I think early pregnancy care can be so effing insensitive? I pleaded with the us receptionist for a cancellation to have my scan closer to 12 weeks on account of being worried due to the MMC and she was so rude and cold!

Thanks

I had a scan at 6 weeks after a bleed with DS1. On my scan, there was a dark area which the sonographer said was probably blood, and that I should expect more bleeds as that blood worked it's way out. I wonder if yours is the same as mine?

I know nothing about this and could barely make out my own scans.

I am a HC student in another area though and would expect to be supervised when carrying out all tasks.

Was she not supervised? I think a complaint not so much about the student, although they would bear some of the responsibility for not ensuring they were, but for the person who was meant to be training them and ultimately the responsible professional.

I've had 3 M/C and have 1 DD and I'm currently pregnant for the 5th time. I have had spotting and cramping in all my pregnancies from 5 weeks. 3 of which resulted in complete M/C by 7 weeks and 1 is my DD. So I have had lots of early scans from 5 weeks +.

In my current pregnancy I had significant spotting and cramping start at 5 weeks and so was scanned at 5, 6 and 7 weeks. On my 5 week scan I had a second dark area in my uterus like your pic and asked the sonographer about it who was fairly vague and dismissive. I had a senior sonographer at 6 weeks so asked again and she said it was a fluid pocket, could be blood, could be something else but sometimes early scans picked this up. It had reduced by 7 weeks but was still there and happily so was a heartbeat! I googled like mad inbetween scans because I was so worried the fluid could cause M/C but after harassing several HCP's I was reassured that bleeding is only ever a symptom of M/C not a cause and a lot of women do just bleed in every pregnancy. I seem to be one of them! After looking through my previous maternity notes I found it was noted on my early scans with my DD that there was a second dark pocket too.

I am now 4 months gone and everything is fine. I have only ever had sickness and other pregnancy symptoms on my successful pregnancies so the sickness is a good sign! The EPU is not an easy place to be after M/C and I think more needs to be done to address this. However I find staff have been better after reading my notes so if you can ask for a midwife to call you back if you are worried It can be better than just dealing with reception.

Good luck and I hope you get all the answers you are looking for at the scan.

Definitely complain about the near rectal probe - if no one tells her it was unacceptable, how will she learn?

Thanks for insights and advice all. I think fluid or blood seems likely. Why they wouldn't tell me that though I don't know!

I will speak up about the bad scan experience.

If its any help at all .my dd had her early scan (8 weeks) because she saw a midwife and told her that this pregnancy felt ' different ' ,she couldn't put her finger on it , but everything just felt different to her last pregnancy ,that's when we found out she was carrying twins.
A feeling or a hunch shouldn't be ignored ,mothers instinct means a lot .

Sorry , meant to say from six weeks. , not eight .

If waiting another week and a bit is to nerve wracking how about a private reassurance scan?

Round here they do them for about £100

I had a scan at 8w with DS because of bleeding, on the picture it clearly shows a second sac. I think I ovulated twice during that cycle and the second (later) sac didn't survive (I was charting at the time and had a very early spike (DS) and a later one when i was supposed to ovulate). My bleeding continued on and off for 19 weeks.

Your scan experience was awful. Please complain, no other woman in EPU should deal with that.

Hi OP, sonographer here.

First off, usually very difficult to interpret a single image in ultrasound but from what I can see I would say the 'blob' you are talking about is an area of bleeding. Sometimes this comes to nothing, or you may have experience a bit of bleeding, very common in a normal early pregnancy. If bleeding is heavy or you experience pain then get yourself checked out. All this should have been explained to you following your scan so if it wasnt then they aren't doing their job properly.

Secondly Re. the student who performed your scan. Were they not supervised by someone? In our department we are always with our students during scans until they are fully competent. Also, for internal scans, proper verbal consent would definitely be obtained. We tend to introduce ourselves and the student and ask the patient if they are ok with the student performing the scan. Sorry you had a bad experience, students have to train and it sounds as though this student may have only just started, judging from the clumsy nature you describe. But there are ways of ensuring that training students has a minimal impact on patient experience and this does not sound like one of them! (not the students fault).

Hi OP, sorry - I hadn't realised the image was only showing contents within the uterus (I'd be a bit concerned if my colon appeard there!).
I only mentioned our IVF to demonstrate that I've seen the contents of my belly on plenty of occaisions and often see dark areas of (less dense?) matter. Sometimes it has been my bladder, other times my follicles or (as one over zealous consultant told me) the contents of my colon!
I really hope this pregnancy is going well for you. It's so awful to have lost pregnancies in the past and can understand you must be feeling particularly anxious. Good luck with it all xx

Hello all

Sorry for the late reply, sickness has been unmanageable the last few days.

Coldtea - thanks for your expertise. A bleed seemed most likely to me, but baffling why the EPU wouldn't think that explaining that to the fraught pregnant lady who came in with spotting and pain would be a good idea! Actually, I guess the EPU lady (consultant?) I saw after the scan hadn't seen the scan and hadn't had a full report, so it does seem the ultrasound dept in this particular instance was at fault there. Sounds like they do need alerting, in answer to your q re supervision, there was another woman present but she sat and tapped on a computer and didn't even look up when I squealed! I'm sure (I hope) this was an example of one off slackness but I will feedback tomorrow so as to prevent others potentially getting the same rough ride.

Icannever, poppy, mrscharles and needasock, thanks all for your input and reassurance. I feel less crazy and more prepared for my 12 (or 13+ as it will be, grr) weeker.

If it does turn out to be two, that'll be a story eh?! NB my fundus is spookily high - has anyone noticed it being higher quicker immediately following miscarriage?