Has anyone heard of a "lost" fetus before?

[derah]

Hi ladies

I have a good friend who's ttc. She's had 2 mc's already this year (one of which was twins who both died separately so that was kinda like 2 mc's and she ended up with a D&C). She's just e-mailed me to say that she's pg again, but it's ectopic or something because they can't find the baby in her womb. What's really scary is that they don't know where it is! So they're testing her hormones to see if the levels drop meaning the baby has died and won't rupture her tubes (if it's in one). But if not, they're going in with an endoscope to find the fetus. I've never heard of a 'lost' pregnancy before. She didn't say how far along she is, but she isn't having any pain like you would expect with an ectopic. And I thought that you didn't get hormone increases with ectopics like you do with a normal pregnancy.

Has anyone ever heard of anything like this?

Hi Derah
Not heard of this before, but I had an ectopic which they could see with an internal scan at 7.5 weeks, so not sure why they would think it is 'lost'.
I did not have any pain although I was bleeding. I also had all the normal hormone levels for pregnancy as when they discovered that it was ectopic, the baby was still alive, just growing in my tube.
I think that you shouldget your friend to insist on an internal scan to see what is going on!

HTH and thinking of your friend xx

I've heard of this. Is it possible that the embryo has gone into the abdomen?

Presumably they have given her an internal scan, in which they should be able to see the fallopian tubes.

Well, my friend didn't say what kind of scans she's had. She's in Israel, so I'm not sure what the procedures are there but they're usually very clued up when it comes to medical stuff.

Belgo, maybe the fetus is in the abdomen, and that's why they're going to look with an endoscope rather than a regular internal scan. All very traumatic for my poor friend.

yes that is very upsetting and worrying, especially having already lost two pregnancies.

Could it be a molar pregnancy.. hydatiform mole I think is the proper name? No actual baby... just placental growth and the body behaving as if there is a pregnancy.

I had similar episode last year. I started to have spotting at 6 weeks. No embryo could be seen on regualr scans for a week but my hormone levels kept rising. an ectopic was suspected (even though i had no pain) and a laparoscopy was done , still no embryo seen and levels were still rising.
They then suspected a molar prgnancy and carried out a d and c ..........the lab results confirmed a molar pregnancy and i needed 6 month follow up of monthly blood tests to ensure the hormone levels stayed down.
It was a very rough and trying time so i really empathise with your friend.......the not knowing at the start is definately the worst as you keep hoping they will find the little embryo and that all will be well.....unfortunately for me it was not but on the up side i am now 36 weeks prgnant and all seems well...fingers crossed.
Love and hugs to your fiend........it will be very difficult for her until she has some answers. xxx

If it is very early days (5/6 weeks) the baby doesn't always appear on the scan (even internal ones) I was told I had an ectopic pregnancy last year as I was in pain, pregnant, and they couldn't see anything in my uterus. Luckily they checked the hormone levels prior to removing my fallopian tube and they doubled. I now have the "missing" baby playing in the next room on his playmat! The consultant I saw who chose to check the hormones said scans are not that reliable very early on in his experience.
In an ectopic pregnancy the hormones increase but they do not double every 48 hours, they increase more slowly.