Large sac on early scan?

[squidgarooney]

I had a scan last Monday (7th April) when I thought I could be 6+4. Scan showed a sac measuring 6-7 weeks but no yolk sac and no fetal pole. I had a erpc in September 2013 and my cycle has been irregular since then which is why I had the early scan. As the sac measured what they thought my dates were due to LMP, I was told that the pregnancy was not going to continue and I should prepare to miscarry again (this would be my third mc).

I went back for a follow up scan yesterday having had no pain or bleeding and lo and behold they saw a yolk sac and a heartbeat! The nurse and sonographer were as surprised as I was and they just said that the fetal pole was measuring at 5-6 weeks so I was just behind the dates I thought I was. They said it was unusual to have such a large sac at this stage but did not seem worried by it. Of course I am extremely worried about it as I am worried that baby is too small.

They said that by 12 weeks it may have evened itself out and baby and sac should be about the right size so they are not going to rescan me until then. It seems like such a long wait and I was just wondering if anyone else had any experience of this?

I know I should be over the moon but there is something that just won't let me celebrate just yet. I spent 10 days waiting for a miscarriage and just about coming to terms with it and now I still feel like I'm on borrowed time.

Wow! That's sounds scary then amazing. The only thing you can do is be patient. I'm on my second (third if you count missed miscarriage first time around) and I can honestly say I didn't fully relax and believe I would get a baby until he was in my arms. Having said that, every small step feels like a bonus. First scan, anomaly scan, then feeling the baby movements.

You have to try and take each day for what it is, your baby getting bigger and stronger. Women are strong creatures! You'll do it. Congratulations.

Hi squid

What an awful few weeks you must have had. I'm so sorry this happened and keeping my fx for good news for you.

I'm in a similar situation. Had a private scan at 6+1 after all my symptoms disappeared and I feared the worst. This is an ICSI pregnancy and I have some complicating factors so very worried about everything.

The scan reassured me somewhat as the Sonographer measured the embryo at 5+5 and we saw a slow HB, which we were told is normal that early and would speed up.

Then yesterday I had an early scan (6+6) at my fertility clinic and the Sonographer there measured me at 6+1. Saw the HB again but it's still slow. So basically in 5 days my baby only grew 3 and I'm terrified.

I know things develop at different stages for different people and I've. also read that IVF/ICSI babies can start slower but it doesn't stop the worry.

Luckily yesterday they agreed to book me in for a reassurance scan in 2 weeks rather than making me wait until 12 due to my anxiety, but did stress we shouldn't be 'unduly' concerned. Whatever that means. If they hadn't agreed to another scan though I would have paid to have another private scan because I would have gone crazy waiting 5 weeks or more. 2 weeks feels long enough as it is.

Would you consider having a private scan? (I'm in the midlands and paid £80 for a diagnostic scan.) I guess it can be a double edged sword as there are no guarantees that things will remain okay after, but for me 5 weeks is too long and, if it's good news at 9 weeks, great. But if the worst happens, I'd rather know sooner so I can deal with it.

Good luck

Thank you both for taking the time to reply. I am also in the Midlands and I have looked at getting a private scan but I think I have decided not to now. The sonographer at the hospital said they have a lot of people come to them really worried after private scans done by people who don't really know what they're doing and get women worried for no good reason. Also, I think unless I have any pain or bleeding I really have no reason to think that anything has gone wrong. So I am going to be positive for now and just take each day and week as it comes.

I haven't booked my midwife appointment yet as the last two times I had to cancel due to mc and I don't want to jinx it but when I see her I may ask if there's any chance I can have another scan at epau at about 9 weeks if I am getting stressed over it. I think being off work for the last couple of weeks hasn't helped as I have so much time to think about it so hopefully once I get back to my normal routine I will relax a bit.

I'm so glad I found this thread.

Do you know how large your sac was squidgarooney? I ask because I've had light brown bleeding for a few days so had an early scan. Sac was 17mm, about right for 6 weeks but not yolk sac or foetal pole. They have said I'm likely to miscarry but have another scan booked in 10 days.

Can't decide whether I should have any hope or not.

I'm afraid I don't remember the measurements in mm but the scan report definitely said measuring 6-7 weeks. I had hardly any symptoms before the scan and yet the day after my symptoms really started to kick in.

I really feel for you Abouttime because I know what a hard 10 days you are going through. I was determined not to hope for a good outcome because they seemed so sure that "the pregnancy will not progress". I had a small amount of brown discharge for a couple of days which I thought was going to be the beginning of the mc but it didn't turn into anything and there was no bleed seen on the second scan.

I don't want to get your hopes up too much but early scans are sometimes misleading. Even on my second scan it took a while to get a good image as the bean was still so small. I hope the week goes quickly for you and you have a good outcome.

Early scans I have no faith in before at least 8 weeks. After a mc last year I had one at six weeks which showed a sac and something in it and at seven weeks was told there had been no growth and to expect to miscarry (contrary by the way to what was in the report which said slight growth of around 3mm do not get me started on that!).

Said not viable pregnancy is currently 33+3 and thumping me in the ribs.

It's horrible and hard (I had to wait till 13 weeks to be scanned again and was an absolute wreck!) but at this stage so much is variable and they can see so little it really is worth waiting until at least 8 weeks when you stand a very good chance of seeing the heart beat. I was nearly a week behind on dates than I thought as I have a 33-35 day cycle. There are so many different factors right now.

Take heart in the fact that they sonographer and doctors are not worried.