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Miscarriage/pregnancy loss

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*Warning graphic photo if miscarriage* can anyone help me identify the age of this embryo?

45 replies

Sunshine7892019 · 12/06/2020 17:48

Sorry I’m advance for the TMI photo but I had a missed miscarriage recently and had medical management in hospital.
I had some brown spotting and had scan at 8/9 weeks showing a strong heartbeat but baby was only measuring 6 weeks 6 days. This was a worry but I tried to convince myself that things would be fine. I continued to have very light spotting here and there (always brown) and ended up getting another scan at 11.5 weeks and sadly there was no heartbeat and baby was only measuring 7 weeks 5 days. However from what I’ve seen online, what I passed looks more advanced that 7 weeks 5 days. It was growing very slowly so the dates don’t necessarily indicate how far along I was if that makes sense. A midwife at the pregnancy support unit estimated that the heart may have stopped beating around 9-11 weeks. So here is my quandary, the midwives insisted that the embryo was measuring 1.3cm on the scan. I told them that what I passed certainly seemed bigger than that, I know it’s in a sac and there are clots etc etc but even still. I had an abortion as a teenager at 7 weeks pregnant and quite clearly remember what that looked like and this was certainly bigger. The midwives were really dismissive when I asked about this on the phone and they have told me that they can’t see any foetus in this image. Now to me, I know it’s started to deteriorate away but I can see a face (Two eyes, nose and mouth) at the top and at the bottom (you will need to squint for this) I can see the little stump that develop in to a leg. You can’t see it on the photo but at the time, I could also see a tiny little hand. I’m aware that grief can make us see things that aren’t there but I am quite a rational person and feel that I am not being believed. I know it’s difficult to judge size based on a photo but hopefully the hospital bedpan and sheets of toilet paper can provide some scale. Can anyone else see a foetus when looking at this image? If you had to guess, what gestation to you think this little bean is? Thanks in advance

OP posts:
AwkwardPaws27 · 12/06/2020 17:51

There's no photo?

Sunshine7892019 · 12/06/2020 17:53

Hi, I’m having difficulty adding the image. From a quick google it looks like I can’t add a photo until 48 hours after signing up to mumsnet??

OP posts:
gracex4 · 12/06/2020 17:55

Sadly I sometimes think we are not listened to as woman (mums) because they have read all the books x

Sunshine7892019 · 12/06/2020 17:56

Sorry for the typos in the original post! My autocorrect has a mind of its own 🙈

OP posts:
AwkwardPaws27 · 12/06/2020 17:59

Hi Sunshine yes there is a delay before you are allowed to add images.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
I know you'll be seeking answers at the moment (I've also experienced a miscarriage) but it isn't going to change what has happened. Sometimes we use our search for answers to distract ourselves from our grief - do allow yourself to be sad and to grieve.
Personally I would class your gestation as however long you were pregnant, not base it on when the little one passed away. I had a "blighted ovum" and at first I felt like shit as I felt I was grieving a baby that never existed. But after a while I realised that, until I had that scan, I didn't know that, and was pregnant and I was grieving that pregnancy and that my sadness was legitimate.

Sunshine7892019 · 12/06/2020 18:00

@gracex4

Sadly I sometimes think we are not listened to as woman (mums) because they have read all the books x
Yes I certainly feel this way Grace. I had to argue that this definitely was the foetus as it was confirmed by the nurses on the gynae ward straight away. She then tried to say that it must be well hidden under the clots and perhaps what I’m seeing as the head is the pregnancy sac. I just wish I had thought to ask them their opinion of its gestation. I’m aware this chat is all a bit meaningless without the photos, I will upload as soon as I can.
OP posts:
Sunshine7892019 · 12/06/2020 18:11

@AwkwardPaws27 I’m so sorry for your loss too. I think you are absolutely right, the length of time you were pregnancy is what it is, nothing changes that no matter what was happening biologically. I’m probably trying to seek answers that don’t really exist but any form of reassurance that I’m not completely seeing things would be helpful. I don’t want to show any friends/family the pictures given they’re so graphic and not many of them have experienced miscarriages anyways. Another factor in trying to get some answers is hoping that I’ll have some timescales in mind if/when I do get pregnant again. I’m not ready to try again right now (and am annoyingly still getting positive pregnancy tests anyway) but we are thinking about trying again soon. I would quite like to know what stage my loss was biologically as I will be so anxious until I hopefully pass that stage next time around.

OP posts:
icansmellburningleaves · 12/06/2020 18:15

Please don’t post a pic of a dead embryo. Speak to your gp where you’ll get proper medical advice.

BashStreetKid · 12/06/2020 18:24

@icansmellburningleaves

Please don’t post a pic of a dead embryo. Speak to your gp where you’ll get proper medical advice.
This!
Sunshine7892019 · 12/06/2020 18:33

@icansmellburningleaves @bash thanks for your opinions, I’m aware it’s graphic and not what everyone wants to see. That is why I’ve clearly labelled the title. If it’s not something you want to see, why click on the thread? Online generally and in forums there are plenty of similar images women have chosen to share or ask advice on. I feel that there is a stigma around this sensitive issue. I appreciate not everyone would want to share such a photo on a public forum but I am posting anonymously in need of advice as professionals I’ve spoken to haven’t been able to help.
GPs are no expert when it comes to this and I’m looking for opinions of women who have sadly been through similar. I have thought through my decision to post this (not that I have yet anyway!!) so please scroll on if you have nothing helpful to say.

OP posts:
steppemum · 12/06/2020 18:36

I am not sure what it is that you want to know really? Knowing the age won't help, it really won't.

I have had several mc. I counted them as the date I mc. So I mc at 11 weeks, and 10 weeks, and 5 weeks and 7 weeks.

I know that the 11 week one had an embryo that had stopped growing at 7 weeks, with no heart beat. I had had a scan. It was a missed mc. I was living in a country with poor health care, and so I waited a couple of weeks and then flew home for a D&C. I mc before that could happen, at 11 weeks. I count that pregnancy as an 11 week pregnancy.

It really doesn't make any difference how far along you are. My worst one was 5 weeks, because it was the first, before I had any kids, and it was unexpected and burst forever my 'pregnant and happy' bubble. For every positive test after that, there were 12 weeks of worry.

I now have 3 beautiful teenagers.
Flowers

recycledteenager24 · 12/06/2020 18:50

reported regarding wanting to post photo this is very sad for op but very distasteful

steppemum · 12/06/2020 18:54

recycledttenager really? Op is just trying to process what has happened to her. You didn't need to click on the thread

JacobReesMogadishu · 12/06/2020 18:55

I disagree it’s distasteful. Sadly it’s real life. However much people may want to pretend things like this don’t happen.

OP has very clearly labelled the title of the thread so people can avoid if they wish to.....and I totally understand why some people would want to avoid. However others may feel they can help.

Sunshine7892019 · 12/06/2020 18:55

Hi @steppemum
Thanks for your response.
Sorry for the losses you experienced but I am glad to hear you are a mum to three now. Hey
I guess because I had a medically managed missed miscarriage it doesn’t feel like that was truly when I miscarried. I appreciate what you mean though. For me it boils down to feeling dismissed, I’m aware it doesn’t actually make a difference whether the foetus was 7.5 weeks or 12 weeks but to me it does feel important right now. I feel sad that they are not acknowledging that (in my opinion), what I passed was a recognisable foetus and not a bunch of clots. I was hoping for some opinions on whether that was the consensus or whether I was seeing things. Perhaps I will move my post to a forum specifically for miscarriage where many others are sharing graphic photos as I don’t want to cause controversy or offence. I am here for advice and reassurance not judgement.

OP posts:
JacobReesMogadishu · 12/06/2020 19:00

Have you seen this website.....it’s got good images of embryo development which may help.

embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Embryonic_Development

Natalie654321 · 12/06/2020 19:04

I am so sorry you have gone through this and I understand that you just want to make sense of what happened to you and your baby. Ignore the negative comments and I hope you get some answers xx

Sunshine7892019 · 12/06/2020 19:05

[quote JacobReesMogadishu]Have you seen this website.....it’s got good images of embryo development which may help.

embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Embryonic_Development[/quote]
Thank you for you comments.
No I hadn’t seen that website despite lots of googling about this type of thing, thank you for sharing.

OP posts:
Sunshine7892019 · 12/06/2020 19:08

Thank you for your understanding @Natalie654321 I appreciate your comment x

OP posts:
TLBftm · 12/06/2020 19:16

Very sorry for what has happened to you OP and for the way you have been treated. I disagree with those asking you not to post the image, you’ve correctly titled the post ffs, if they don’t wish to see they shouldn’t have opened the thread! There is a fb group I joined whilst pregnant, it’s called Pregnancy Corner and has over 79k members from all over the world, it’s an amazing group and your picture could be posted on there and I’m sure you’ll get lots of help. People post TMI pics often of plugs and bleeding etc too so you won’t get any negativity x

Isthisfinallyit · 12/06/2020 19:18

Can the distasteful people fuck off please, this is someones pregnancy we're talking about, it's nothing icky.

gracex4 · 12/06/2020 19:19

@recycledteenager24 I think you should take your big nose out of a thread that doesn't concern you. How embarrassing that you needed to give your opinion even though the title clearly states what the thread is about. This is life! This is her baby! This happens 10000's of times daily and should be openly spoke about so everyone feels comfortable enough to speak out and be heard when they need a shoulder! I think your disrespectful

thecognoscenti · 12/06/2020 19:31

So sorry you're going through this OP. Lots of love to you. Ignore the people who specifically clicked onto the post just to tell you off.

Isthisfinallyit · 12/06/2020 20:16

Once you can post some of us would be happy to have a look and think with you. I'm sorry you lost your embryo.

Furbabymum15 · 12/06/2020 20:30

Hey op sorry to hear what you ha e been through..... I've had 2 missed miscarriages I saw my embryos at 10 wk 3 days I don't mind having a look. I I understand how frustrating it all is. I here to help if needed xx