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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Confused by early scan

18 replies

ImpyCelyn · 23/08/2011 16:50

My LMP was 25th June. I had a positive test about 2.5 weeks ago - with a conception indicator that said 2-3 weeks.

I saw my GP yesterday as I was having cramps and spotting and she sent me to the EPU this morning.

They did the scan, the baby is all fine thankfully, but they dated me at 5 weeks 5 days. I really thought I was more like 8.5 weeks.

Does anyone have any experience of this? I asked them and they just said that the size is what they go on.

Also, they said that I have a cyst on the right hand side, that appears to be separate from the ovary. Does anyone have any experience of that? Should I be worried? They can tell the difference between a cyst and a tumour, can't they?

Oh, and there's a corpus luteum on the left, but they said not to worry about that.

Sorry for all the questions but I've come away confused and quite worried. Thanks for any advice!

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Original poster

ImpyCelyn · 23/08/2011 16:55

Also, if I'm only 5 weeks 5, then due to travel and illness I got a BFP two days after we had sex.

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SaulGood · 23/08/2011 16:56

Sounds fine. If you were only just 2-3weeks 2.5 weeks ago, then you were actually only just over 4 weeks, so to be around 6 weeks now sounds completely within the realms of normal. Especially considering those conception indicators are a very rough guide indeed.

Corpus luteum is not only fine but expected. It's been protecting your pregnancy for you.

And cysts are very commonly spotted in early scans. They will be very well versed in them and if they were at all concerned they'd have said so.

Please don't worry. The epu do early scans all day every day. If they reassured you, then that's really as good as it gets in terms of early pregnancy reassurance.

Congratulations.

SaulGood · 23/08/2011 16:57

X-posts. Did you only have sex once that month?

SaulGood · 23/08/2011 16:58

And meant to say scans can be out by up to 5 days either way. So you could be 6 and a half weeks. Depends on how full your bladder is, location of pregnancy, machine used etc.

hester · 23/08/2011 17:01

i'm not an expert, but let me join you in feeling a bit puzzled.

First, I don't think the cyst is anything to worry about. I had one too and was told they are very common and usually shrink after pregnancy.

Second thing is that I was dated as earlier in pregnancy than I knew I was (I was doing donor insemination so I certainly knew when I fell pg). The consultant said it was clearly ridiculous to ignore my certain knowledge and amended my records to an EDD based on my estimation of the duration of pregnancy. However, that was a matter of a few days: I'm a bit puzzled by the size of the discrepancy in your case.

OK, this is a very wild possibility, but I'll raise it anyway. Could you have conceived twice? I'm asking because I have a relative who lost a pregnancy at 8 weeks, then miscarried 3 weeks later. There were two fetuses, of different ages. This was possible because she has a double uterus, and the scan was only looking into one. It is a fantastically unusual thing to happen, so I raise it hesitantly, but it does have implications for future maternity care so may be worth asking your midwife about?

I'm sure someone will be along soon with a very sensible, rational explanation.

Oh, and congratulations on your pregnancy

hester · 23/08/2011 17:02

Oh there you go, you've already had some sensible answers

Original poster

ImpyCelyn · 23/08/2011 17:11

We were both travelling a lot. We had sex during a 5 day window from 15th July, which was already a bit after mid cycle, but ties in best with ovulation. I was expecting a period around the 26th, but it didn't come.

Then we've been having sex again since the 3rd August, which was 2 days before I did the test (which I did because I'd been nauseous for several days and having spotting).

So according to dates I thought I was nearer 3 weeks post conception when I did the test, and I think I should be 5.5 weeks post conception now, 8.5 since LMP, but I appreciate that LMP might not be relevant.

Oh well, I don't understand the things my body can do.

Thanks for the reassurance though. I'll stop worrying about the cyst. :)

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MeconiumHappens · 23/08/2011 17:13

Possibly let out another egg at a later time in the cycle? PLus semen can hang around for 5 days or so.

Original poster

ImpyCelyn · 23/08/2011 17:16

Thanks Hester :) I thought the discrepancy was huge, but since SaulGood had calmly and logically pointed out that it's probably not actually that large I'm calming down.

I wonder if it was one of those "the sperm survived X number of days before it met the egg", so conception was later than I thought, and then perhaps the scan is a couple of days out, and eventually it will all meet in the middle.

On a plus side, I'd rather have my dodgy dating put right now than at what I thought was my 12 week scan!

Thanks again

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Original poster

ImpyCelyn · 23/08/2011 17:16

X-posts with MeconiumHappens - now I'm calm and thinking properly I am leaning that way.

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hester · 23/08/2011 17:18

Have a lovely pregnancy. Is it your first?

SaulGood · 23/08/2011 17:22

LMP isn't at all relevant, when you ovulate IS. So if you had sex for 5 days from the 15th, then you could have had sperm hanging around until the 25th. So you could have conceived any time between the 15th and the 25th (and would fit in well with your bfp). Conceive on the 25th, you'd be 5 weeks and 6 days now. Sounds perfectly plausible.

Original poster

ImpyCelyn · 23/08/2011 17:23

No my second, I'm just handling this bit really badly this time

Thank you :)

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hester · 23/08/2011 17:25

Saul is right that LMP doesn't tell you much. I conceived on day 6 of my cycle.

Original poster

ImpyCelyn · 23/08/2011 17:27

Thanks SaulGood :) I just couldn't get my head round it.

Before DS my cycle was regular as clockwork, so it was all easy when I got pregnant. I've only had a couple of irregular periods since he was born and I can't get used to it being so unreliable.

Thanks for doing the maths for me :)

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Original poster

ImpyCelyn · 23/08/2011 17:27

Oh wow Hester, that's really early! Seems like I was very very late.

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SaulGood · 23/08/2011 17:34

I conceived on day 9. My friend who is due at the same time as me conceived on day 35.

If we'd had the same lmp date and used it to calculate, my due date would be 5 days out, hers would be a whole 3 weeks out. Each woman is just different.

I am pregnant with dc2 and it's harder 2nd time round to relax and accept things. I think your innocence is a bit ruined and you over-analyse instead of wandering doe-eyed round Mothercare admiring the gingham prints.

Original poster

ImpyCelyn · 23/08/2011 17:57

Yes I agree with you there. Last time round I would just have accepted what the professionals told me and not worried to much. This time I've already read all the books and threads, and spoken to 1001 people in real life, and I know far more about it; so I'm worrying about everything.

Thanks so much again for your help. And congratulations on your DC2 as well :)

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