Early scan, results inconclusive, looking for your stories please!

[Freyaee]

Hi you lovely mumsnetters, this is my first thread though I am now so addicted to reading the forums that my DH has begun worrying that I spend more time on here than in RL. Anyway, I am looking for a bit of reassurance and to hear other similar stories please.

I thought I should be about 10+2 today, but after a miscarriage a couple of years ago and a worrying lack of symptoms I asked for an early scan. This is my first pregnancy since the miscarriage as that was unplanned when on the pill, came off the pill in late Dec and had a BFP by second week of Feb, when i thought I was about 5 weeks.

The NHS wouldn't give me an early scan (annoyed as GP referred me for one at 7 weeks, but the hospital gave me a 12 week scan with no explanation - had to call them to be told no, essentially). So today I paid £99 for a private scan. I am glad I did, but the results were not very positive. With a normal abdominal ultrasound the sonographer found the gestational sac, but could see nothing else. The sac was small for 10 weeks, probably only 7-8 weeks in size. She then did an internal examination and found the yolk and a small 4mm fetal pole. She said there were two options - 1. I am not as far along as I thought, 2. the embryo stopped growing at some point and my remaining hormones are keeping it all in place for now.

She was very lovely, but did not sound too optimistic as I am quite sure about my dates. I had a period in early Jan (somewhere around the 5th) and thought I had conceived around the 19th. I then got my positive result in early Feb.

Do you think there is a chance this pregnancy is still viable? Could the pill have messed up my cycle even though I had a period early Jan? Basically, could I just be earlier in the pregnancy than I thought? (Even with a BFP in early Feb??)

I did ask the sonographer some of this, but she said she couldn?t confirm of course. She was really lovely.

I have also had some dark, old looking blood mixed in with discharge (sorry if TMI), but only a small amount. More today than previously. Do you think this is the start of the end again!? I am just not sure what to think. I have read a positive thread on here from 2010 (google Mumsnet Enni and it is the second link I think) and am clinging to hope based on that.
Your experiences and thoughts would be so greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Freya its so worrying isn't it.

Even if you got jiggy on 19th, it doesn't mean that you conceived that day- sperm can live a long time inside you (5 days I think) If mr sperm didn't meet mrs egg (!) until 24th then this will put your dates out. Then if you got a BFP in early feb it might have been a particularly early one- again throwing dates out a bit more even if you thought not.

When is your 12 week scan due?

Thanks for the reply Bank, it is worrying and all the info is a bit confusing tbh!

My 12 week scan is on the 6th of April, but I am going to see my GP tomorrow and try to get another early scan before that on the NHS this time. I hope they would do it now given these results, it is what the sonographer has told me to do.

P.s we were on a delayed honeymoon end of Jan, so you know, plenty of other opportunities then for Mr Sperm and Mrs Egg to hit it off! (As you rightly say) Just hope that's the case...

Both of my pregnancies I thought I was further on than I was, bled with both at what I thought was 8 weeks, scans showed no heartbeat so asked to return for another scan 2 weeks later, with both pregnancies second scan showed viable pregnancies who are now 9 and 5 yrs old.I hope you have a similar positive outcome that wait is horrible.

Hi Frey I think it could go either way, think it is very common for inconclusive at this stage.

Now, the battle to get the NHS to give you the attention you are entitled to begins. To a certain extent, thy aren't interested until 12 weeks because, in fairness, so many pregnancies don't get started and they don't really consider then established and worth expensing resources on until then, which is brutal but understandable I suppose.

However, you have had bleeding. Anything could be hapenning. The pregnancy could be ectopic (sure it isn't buy they can't know that for sure). Therefore what you do when they refuse you a booked early scan (which I am nearly sure they will) is self refer to the hospitals early pregnancy unit (epu) with cramping, bleeding and a history of miscarriage when you feel you should have an early scan. All hospitals have them, but they keep them quiet. I would try phoning them direct via the switchboard, if not you have to turn up at casualty and wait.

And so begins the journey of parenthood, which is mostly about fighting to get resources for your kid!!!

Good luck, I think it is very possible that dates are out.

Thanks oddslippers and flatmum.
Odd, I'm so pleased your experience turned out well, thanks for sharing and I hope that your story will ultimately be my story, too!

Flatmum thanks, you're right I can understand why the NHS aren't interested before 12 wks and I know they are overburdened, but I do feel sometimes that they are less than reassuring. I hope they'll listen to me now, or like you say I will try and self-refer to the EPU.

Thanks again all, appreciate the replies, I guess there's not much to be done but try and get another scan in a week and hope for the best.

Similar happened to me. I had an early scan due to hyperemesis, I thought I was about 10 weeks, but turned out to be less than 7. Now 36 weeks. I personally don't think early scans really help unless there is a serious cause for concern, they are often inconclusive and don't really ease the worry about making it past the 12 week (lower risk) mark. I can appreciate its a really stressful time though and I really hope things work out for you.

Thanks Paradise, you're probably right - but my angst got the better of me. If I hadn't had one I'd still be anxious anyway though! Will let my GP know the situation tomorrow and (mostly due to concern because of the bleeding) ask their advice, but I would like another scan in a week to see if anything has progressed. We'll see...

I feel a bit guilty about being down o. The NHS. When I miscarried they were wonderful, though that was in a different area. My experience here hasn't been as good but I guess it's just luck of the draw - the individual you see etc. I am very pro the NHS in reality!

P.s Paradise, glad things are going well for you now, too! Bet you're looking forward to meeting your DC!

Freyaee, we are almost exactly in sync! My dates say I am 11 +1, then had early scan due to bleeing which said I am 10+2.

12week scan now scheduled for April 4th.

First doctor I saw very unhelpful and positive, second was lovely and just said my dates were probably off. I know exactly when we had sex (honeymoon) so was convinced on dates but as others said sperm can live for a while so who knows.

As others have said it is difficult to tell at the start so I would be positive.

If you are bleeding maybe cyclogest would help, I've been using the pessaries ever since bleeding at 7 weeks and touch wood everything has been fine since.

Good luck and i'llbethinking of you on our scan dates, so close together!

Hi Kelly, funny our situations are so similar! Thanks for the cyclogest tip, I'll look into that as I haven't heard of it before!

Good luck for your scan on the 4th! I hope everything continues really well for you - would love to hear how it goes

Hey freyaee, in my experience (3 miscarriages out of 5 pregnancies) a heartbeat can always be seen by 6 weeks. When they haven't seen a heartbeat at 6 weeks ( I'm always 100% sure of my dates) the pregnancy has not lasted. You don't mention if they saw a heartbeat. I hope so because if they saw a pole of 7 weeks but no heartbeat then that would not be a great sign. I have my fingers crossed for you.

Hi clabsy, sorry I missed that out - no heartbeat. The sonographer sized the fetal pole at 6 wks so perhaps some hope. I'm sorry you've had such a hard time with these pregnancies you mention. I've only suffered a miscarriage once so far and it was awful, I think they have a much deeper affect than many people realise. I hope you have had or have greater luck in the future. Thanks for being honest with me too, better to know than cling to false hope - but I will keep in hoping for a while longer yet. Hopefully the next scan will be conclusive.

Oh sorry Clabsy, obviously you have had two DC! I shouldn't be in such a hurry to reply and read more thoroughly

Not quite 2 dcs but currently at 20 weeks so hoping to make it two. I hope you have your dates wrong because 2 in a row can be hard to get over but should you find that's the case the there's hope aplenty to be found on these boards. Good luck!

Thanks and to you. Certainly have found these boards an enormous comfort.