MMC advice

[swancourt]

Hi all,

My DH and I have been trying for our third (and final!) baby since October (when my mirena coil was removed after six months of people trying to get it out - it had perforated the uterus, but I am assured there has been no damage). My two previous pregnancies were healthy, and before that I had a MC at 5 weeks.

LMP was 4th January, and since the coil removal my periods were 33-34 days apart - I got a very faint BFP on a FRER on 5th February. Took two further days to get a BFP on a Clearblue Digital.

It then took almost two weeks for the Clearblue to go up to 2-3, and it wasn't until I thought I was 7 weeks (8 weeks by LMP) to get it to say 3+. In addition, in both my previous healthy pregnancies I was sick as a dog. I threw up three or four times a week with my first daughter, and at least once a day (and often three or four times a day) with my second daughter, from 5 weeks-15 weeks. This time I had sore boobs (always my first symptom) and an aching back and rock hard tummy - but no sickness or nausea at all.

Last Thursday I went to the loo and when I wiped there was quite a bit of blood. I went to the doctor and she booked me in for a scan on Monday (yesterday). I didn't want to wait that long, and my DH was going away for the weekend, so we booked a private scan on the Friday, which revealed the yolk sac and gestational sac - and hormones still being produced - but a possible fetal pole of only 2.6mm and no heartbeat.

I continued to bleed lightly over the weekend - no pain - and went for my hospital scan yesterday, which showed everything exactly the same as it was on Friday, except that the fetal pole now measures 6mm. Still no heartbeat, and no viability.

The hospital won't take private scans as evidence (I had a report and the U/S photos), so I now have to wait until next Wednesday for a further scan. If everything is still the same and I haven't MCed naturally, I am going to opt for the ERPC and the nurse said I could have it on Thursday (17th). I am off work in the meantime, which is majorly difficult - it's a very bad time of year for me to be off and I feel like I'm letting people down. Unless I MC naturally over the weekend I'm going to go in on Monday and Tuesday next week just to keep things ticking over.

Anyway, my main question is this: yesterday I had a hot shower and when I got out there was a very thick black clot when I wiped. It had a circular/globular part of it, probably 2cm in diameter - and then a long thick black part about a centimetre wide and four or five centimetres long. I made the horrible mistake of googling this to see if it might be the sac etc. From the awful awful photos I saw there, I don't think it can be, but is likely just to be blood. Has anybody been through this at this sort of stage? Is it possible to MC naturally but painlessly (I have a few grumbles in my lower abdomen but not cramping really)? Could that be it, or have I got a lot worse in store? I wish I could just have the ERPC now.

Hi Swancourt I had an ERPC last year after an MMC was diagnosed at 7/8 weeks and waiting 3 weeks for a natural miscarriage where nothing happened. I had bleeding for about 4 weeks afterwards and passed a couple of clots but it wasn't any more painful than a heavy period (and bleeding for more than a week is very unusual). If you end up having the ERPC, it was very quick (about 10 min) and more uncomfortable than painful, luckily DH was allowed in to hold my hand. I would imagine if you end up miscarrying naturally there will be more clots/ blood but it can mostly be over in a few hours and is not necessarily painful. Try to remember that blood is the only way that part of your body can clean itself out and although it's hard, your body is just doing what it needs to do. Stay away from Google- often images seem faked by anti- abortionists and are pretty horrific. The miscarriage association are great for much more helpful advice. My thoughts are with you xxx

Good point about the images being faked by anti-abortionists. In this case there is no real foetus so I don't think I'm going to see anything like that.

Sorry you went through this too.

I don't mind the blood or anything - mostly I feel upset that, even though I was scanned privately by a registered NHS sonographer (but happened to go privately) they won't take the evidence she gave me - a report and photos - but need to make me wait another week until having another scan and ERPC. I don't want another scan - I've seen it all twice now and don't see the need of a third time - and when I asked the nurse if this meant that there was even a one in a million chance that the pregnancy was viable/my dates were wrong, she said no. There's not even a one in a million chance. So it's just about filling in forms and ticking boxes.

Anyway, I do understand that they have to be really sure before they terminate a pregnancy, and that not all policies work 100% of the time. But I just wish I could have the ERPC now and have it over with. I was half hoping that yesterday's clot was all it would be - I am still bleeding but only very lightly - but I am sure there is more to come.

Thank you.

I know it's hard to wait it out but if you can bear it, it is better to miscarry naturally. There are risks with surgical intervention (albeit very minor) and if your body has started doing what it needs to, it should be over pretty quickly. Take heart, your body knows what it needs to do.

It's interesting you say that. I know several women who have waited for natural miscarriage/gone for the pills, and then weeks later they have infections or are still getting positive pregnancy tests and need the ERPC anyway. My body doesn't really seem to be doing what it should - just light bleeding for days but there's still a yolk sac, gestational sac, and a 'growing' foetus (albeit slowly, well behind dates, and no heartbeat), as well as blood flow to the placenta. Anyway, what you say about surgical intervention is right. I'll just see what happens over the next few days, I guess.

Thank you for replying.

So sorry you're going through this.

I'd feel the same, just want the ERPC over and done with. I think that some women's bodies aren't very effective at helping mc occur naturally. I had a mmc too, things went wrong at 7 weeks and by 14 weeks still had no bleeding at all. I opted for the pills at hospital but after a day of heavy bleeding and clots I still so didn't manage to pass it. Only the ERPC was successful, I wished I'd just done that straight away.

Thanks sausagedog. I think with this pregnancy that there are obviously major chromosomal issues with the foetus but it is still sort of growing - just not healthily and with no heartbeat - so my body is continuing to support it. But obviously I'm not really pregnant.

Definitely going for the ERPC. I've almost stopped bleeding altogether now so the pregnancy doesn't seem to be ending, and what I described on Monday can't be it. I don't want to wait weeks and weeks.

Thank you both for your replies.

Hello everyone. Don't know if I am in the right place, but if anyone can help or point me in the right direction I would be very grateful.
After ttc was successful, got to 11 weeks and started spotting brown blood. Very light but went to a and e as have had a MC last time so know the drill. Went for an emergency scan and showed I was measuring 5.5 weeks and as I hadn't had a scan yet, was told to come back in a week. Myself, sonographer and nurse all know it isn't viable and dates are sure due to positive test, but they need to allow time to be sure. I have been bleeding for 4 days but it isn't going along as I remember last time. I really don't want surgery as statistically I am superstitious as mmc is low risk and yet here I am.. does anyone have any suggestion of what to do? I have heard of medication to assist, and considering the pregnancy stopped nearly 6 weeks ago now I am not sure if waiting is going to be good for me. I guess my question is, has medication helped or is surgery better? Sorry for long message, I don't really have anyone else to speak to.
If anyone at all can help, I would be thankful.
H xx