MMC at 6 weeks: What to expect

[Justbee84]

Morning ladies
Firstly, I'm so sorry to anyone who finds themselves on this board.
I'm reaching out as just a bit scared of what's to come really. I should now be 10+4 but sadly baby stopped growing at around 6 weeks. I was scanned at EPU Monday and have to go back next Monday for a repeat scan, I guess just to confirm there's no change, which I know there won't be.
I think we will decide to go with medical management so that I can pass the baby at home. It only measured 5.6mm so I'm hoping the hospital won't make me stay in.
I hate to ask this and I'm sorry if it's insensitive, but I wondered if anyone was willing to share their experiences of a loss at 6 weeks? I have big pads ready and paracetamol but I'm pretty scared!
Sending hugs to all x

So sorry for your loss. Similar situation 2 sacs at 5.5 weeks but should have been 8 weeks or so. I was in hospital for the day (this was on 1st November) then went home that evening. They check your bleeding just in case you need a transfusion. The bleeding is very bad for 48 hours. Hopefully hospital will provide thick maternity pads and sheets to put on your bed. The pain wasn’t that bad but they gave me a pessarie for pain relief. The pain was worst when it wore off, but managed with paracetamol and nothing more than cramps. With the second lockdown and depending on your local hospital restrictions they may suggest you take the medication at home. I know they were doing that in the 1st lockdown. Hope everything goes okay. Xx

For me it was always two weeks of period type bleeding.

Hi Op, I don’t have much advice as I’m in a similar situation but just wanted to offer a hand hold as I know how you’re feeling right now. My baby stopped growing at 6 weeks too and I had a repeat scan on Monday to confirm it. They’ve offered me 5 options basically - come off my progesterone medication (IVF pregnancy) and wait for it to happen naturally, take the pessary at home, go in to take the pessary in hospital, op with general anaesthetic or op with local anaesthetic. I’m waiting it out at home currently also armed with the pain killers and big pads. Huge hugs to you and I’m here if you want to talk

ah @Justbee84 am so so sorry to read your post :( this sounds like I could have written it myself. this was our situation just a few weeks ago.
We were nearly at 11 weeks and found at early scan we were only measuring 6 and a bit. had a scan at EPU couple of days later who like u, told me i needed to come back in a week for a repeat scan, as due to size their policy was (regardless we were 100% certain of dates) to do a repeat scan and check for growth over that week. That was really hard as you know in your heart of hearts, but totally get what was their policy.
did u find the EPU helpful? our nurse were absolutely lovely and i asked a billion questions about options for management, and spent a good 48h googling and weighing everything up. id be a dead cert for medical management, but hadnt realised there were other options with covid and the trust was offering MVA which was all done under a local. I'd been veering towards that purely because it just seemed a bit more certain with timings, rather than waiting for tablets etc to work with medical management. BUT, thats easy for me to say now, as 2 days after going to EPU started to get period pains and then 3 days after everything happened by itself. I wont lie, I never wanna deal with that again, but big pads and paracetamol were good, and a hot water bottle! to be honest i never take painkillers so always assume paracetamol will hit the spot, but if id had codeine in the house i would have taken that. the bad pains didn't last more than 36-48h and it then just was like normal period pains. i found myself kinda just in and out the bathroom on the worst day. kinda knew when something was going to come out as the pains got worse. i wont keep wittering on, but let me know if you wanna chat...i really really feel for you. be kind to yourself and get plenty of rest and whatever you do, if you work - just get some time off, and when u think u r ready to go back just take more time! after 48h i was like oh i should go back to work as im not sat on the loo/lying in bed - but jeez, it exhausted me physically and mentally...that only really hit me afterwards, so give yourselftime and dont put pressure on yourself.
thinking of u xx

@louloulemons really sorry to hear about your loss with your IVF baby, sending love and hugs at whats a really s**t time.x

@Justbee84 really sorry. It’s such a hard thing to go through.
I had a scan at 7 weeks, but pregnancy had stopped developing around 6 weeks. I tried to see if things happened naturally, but the sac was still there 2 weeks later.
I was given Misoprostol, and passed the sac that day. I had no pain at all. The bleeding was really heavy, but only for a few hours.
Good luck.

@louloulemons my pregnancy was also an ivf pregnancy. Such a stressful time. :(

@JandL2020 thank you so much for your reply and for sharing your experience, I really appreciate it. I'm so sorry for your sad loss too. I hadn't thought about that re transfusion, so I guess we will just have to wait and see what they suggest next week. Thank you again and take care xx
@justanotherneighinparadise thank you for your advice, much appreciated :) so sorry for your losses. X
@louloulemons really really appreciate your hugs and hand hold as this is all so much harder when there isn't anyone close to me who understands this experience. I am so sorry for your loss, after IVF too. We have had fertility issues for 5 years, 4 rounds of IVF/ICSI which have all failed, so I know how hard that journey alone is. This pregnancy was a miraculous conception, without any fertility treatment and the chances of it happening again are very slim unfortunately but we're, of course, amazed and lucky that it did. Sending massive hugs back to you and praying for a positive future for you. X

@leftitlate37 ah I'm so so sorry, massively feel for you. I was also informed about the sizing policy, as the baby was measuring less than 7mm so they need to rescan just to check....but we already know. When we discovered I was pregnant we decided to pay for an early scan at 8+5 as we have struggled with infertility for 5 years and had 4 rounds of IVF in the past, which have all failed. Due to issues with my DHs sperm, we were basically told we would never conceive naturally, but then we did by some utter miracle! The chances of it happening again are extremely low but will try and stay hopeful. The private scan showed the baby was measuring 18 days behind my dates (which I am 100% certain of), so was referred to EPU at local hosp. They were brilliant even though they were extremely busy. They didn't discuss any options with me there and then, I guess they will next week? They just sent me away with a leaflet with all the options available.
Thank you for being so kind, it's lovely of you. I really feel for you too, it's just so sad. Luckily my boss ans work colleagues have veen very supportive and have told me to do whatever I need to do to help get through this.
Sending huge hugs and virtual support your way xx

@BeHereNowx32 I am so terribly sorry to hear what you've been through, and that it was an IVF pregnancy. My heart goes out to you so much.
As I should be in my 10th week now and the baby stopped developing at 6 weeks it's been gone for over 4 weeks and showing no signs whatsoever of coming away, so I doubt it will happen naturally.
At least I feel a little more prepared for the reality of it thanks to you ladies xx

@Justbee84 so sorry you're going through this.

I had a MMC, 12 week scan showed just an empty sac. We weighed up all the options and I chose to have an MVA under local anaesthetic just to get it over and done with (sorry if that sounds blunt). This was pre-COVID but my husband was able to stay with me and held my hand throughout the procedure. Afterwards I just had bleeding like a heavy period that I was able to manage with normal sanitary towels.

It may all feel pretty bleak now but you will get through this, I did and my long awaited rainbow baby is now 7 weeks x

I’m so very sorry @Justbee84. I can only imagine how you must be feeling after waiting so long for this. I do think going through the infertility battle makes you a much stronger person in the long run but I also know what it’s like waiting for the second scan and being in this awful limbo. It’s a total emotional rollercoaster and the grief is very real and all consuming. I know it will be so tough but you can and will get through this, you are clearly made of strong stuff x

Morning @SJR86 thank you for your kind message. I am so sorry to hear of what you went through....getting to what you think is 12 weeks and then being told there was an empty sac. Utterly heartbreaking for you.
I'm so pleased to hear that you went on to have your rainbow baby and I hope all is going well for you both :) in my head, I'd rather be given the medical management and be allowed for it to happen at home. Whatever they insist though will have to be the way but, like you, I just want baby to let go now so that we can move on. But we will never forget this one, ever.
Take it easy and stay safe x

Morning @louloulemons you are so bloody right. Our infertility journey has made us pretty damn strong, generally and as a couple. What could have broken us has only made us unite even more and I'm always thankful for that! Having first hand experience of this battle definitely changes you as a person and in my case, for the better. I feel like I have so much more empathy. My eyes are open to the reality of this total sh*t storm and what someone could be going through behind closed doors.
You're right there, limbo land is not a great place to be at the moment and as much as we want this baby's heart to miraculously start beating, we know that it won't, so just want the inevitable over with so we can try and move forward.
Sending huge hugs of support your way x

Hi lovely, so sorry to hear. I'm going through it myself as we speak and just want to say that every mc experience is unique and can change massively from person to person. What is always the same though is the immense emotional impact... make sure you take as much time of work as you can, have paracetamol + codeine at the ready, enough large pads, and someone to give you a big hug every hour or so. My pain is so intense, like contractions that are 10x worse then my period cramps lasting for a good 3 days now, normal paracetamol would not be sufficient. Hoping I've had the worst of it now. My baby also stopped growing at 6 weeks, found out on early scan at 7 weeks. All the best xx

ah jeez @Justbee84 im gutted for you , bad enough but when you have gone through so much to get to this stage. It does just go to show tho, that miracles can happen - so will keep everything crossed that when this awful part is over (well physically at least) maybe in time another miracle will happen.
Glad that yourwork is being supportive and that the EPU gave you info to take away. Yeah to be fair, the nurse was great and answered some questions i had re options at the first scan, but did say they would go thru everything at the second one. its really hard with covid when some options can be taken away, but it sounds like the option you want is the one they r most likely to offer.
my OH had made some cake the day before everything started happening naturally - gotta say, this has been the one time in my life i've sat on the loo eating cake. horrific though these weeks have been, there is the odd little thing i look back on, and can try to give myself a little smile.
how r u doing today??
@Anitaatje33 so sorry to hear you are going through it all at the moment :( it's just so awful anyone has to experience this. hope the pain starts to subside now and as u say, that u r through the worst of it.
thinking of u all. xx

Hey @Anitaatje33 thank you so much for your lovely message and I'm so sorry you're going through this too.
I've had a couple of bad days, mentally, and really struggling. It doesn't seem that the baby is going to pass naturally so I'm preparing myself for our appointment at EPU tomorrow. I just feel like I'm in complete limbo, too scared to leave the house even for a walk in case it happens, so I'm finding myself just moping around which isn't doing me any good. Hopefully after tomorrow we will be able to see closure in sight.
Keep yourself tucked up and I hope you have lots of support around you 😘 xx

Morning lovely @leftitlate37 so sorry for my delayed reply. I've had a couple of really off days, struggling to cope mentally with everything. The miscarriage hasn't started naturally as I'd hoped (what a strange thing to say!) So I'm preparing myself for our appointment tomorrow. I'm armed with pain killers and extra think pads....and even some lovely maternity (ironic) sheets for the bed, courtesy of my lovely Mother in Law. DH will be off with me tomorrow and his boss has been very supportive and said for him to take all the time he needs....which will come in handy no doubt.
I desperately want to feel some kind of normal again and to feel positive but I think that will take time...and certainly won't happen until baby has passed and we can grieve properly.
The idea of eating cake on the loo has put a little smile on my face this morning, bless your heart.
Sending so much love, support and comfort during this incredibly difficult time ❤ xx

Ah @Justbee84 sorry to hear you've had some bad days, definitely only natural. It can be hard tho can't it to know how you'll feel or cope one day to the next. Its a proper rough time you're going through x
Totally know what u mean about it being a strange thing to say u hoped it would all start....I did a pregnancy test the other day and still says positive, actually ended up having a really rubbish day after it...we spend ages wanting a line then when u still get one a couple weeks after this happens its such a head mess!
Really glad DH can go with you and his work being supportive. Gotta say was so glad mine took same time off as me cos I needed him to be there mentally and not just in person whilst working from home. Also, was important for him as they are going thru it and dealing with it all as well!
Are u going in first thing tomorrow? Be thinking of u both...and sending love and virtual hugs.x

I hope all goes well tomorrow. I had a similar situation recently, an IVF pregnancy but no heartbeat at 7+4 so I was told to stop all medication. That was last Thursday and I miscarried last Saturday so feel thankful that it happened quite quickly. I don't know much about the medical management as I didn't get to that point, but just sending support.

good luck today @Justbee84 - thinking of you both.xx
@AliciaWhiskers so sorry to hear about your IVF baby - i hope that you are doing ok at such a truly tough time x

@leftitlate37 thanks.

Can I ask those who have had the misoprostol - did it make you sick? I am an emetophobe and I don't think I could cope with feeling sick on top of everything else!

Scan today showed something still in the uterus but they aren't sure if it is blood or the gestational sac. They haven't got a slot for MVA for about 2 weeks so I am having to wait to see if it passes naturally. All this waiting (and huge pad wearing, just in case) is a head fuck!

@leftitlate37 I'm really sorry for your loss too. I hope you are doing ok.

Good luck OP! I've cone across your thread as in similar situation. I found out last week no heartbeat (I've had scan before showing heartbeat), baby stopped growing a week earlier at 9 weeks. I was on progesterone (as have had previous MC) which I stopped, but still waiting miscarriage to start. I got codeine prescribed by doctor, so hoping that will ease the pain. Thinking of anyone in this situation

@Justbee84 hope your appointment went well today. I've had a nightmare weekend, complications with the miscarriage, ended up in hospital because of excessive bleeding caused by left over product in the uterus. Had a d&c done on Saturday. I'm still completely in shock, had no idea the experience of a miscarriage could be so traumatic. Hope this is not what "normal' is as it would make me too scared to ttc again:( it was nothing like what they describe as just 'a heavy period'

Morning @AliciaWhiskers so sorry for the delay reply. How are you feeling? I'm so sorry to hear of what you're going through. It's utterly heartbreaking. IVF is such an emotionally exhausted process and to have so much joy taken away from you after everything your mind and body has been through is, quite simply, shite.
I hope you are resting a taking good care of yourself and you have lots of support around you. Always here if you need a chat 💗