Advice - should I prepare for the worst??

[Sowalk]

So this story began about 2 and a half weeks ago. Sunday I started spotting when I wiped and some in pads. No pain but it continued. I was booked in for an early scan that Wednesday and while there they said they could see the sac and the yolk and put me at around 5 weeks (a week ahead of where I thought I was) there was some blood in the uterus and I was told to come back in a week and see if there was a heartbeat.

I went last week (what they would say 6 weeks, I would say 5 weeks) and was scanned again. There was the start of a baby there (2.5mm) the blood was lessening and the sonographer said "it is separate from the baby and it all seems to be resolving itself." It seemed pretty positive but as there was still no heartbeat (she didn't seem concerned) I was told to come back in a week.

So I went in today (at what they say 7 weeks, but I would have said 6) with everything crossed. Had a different sonographer who took a long time to find it. I could sense something was wrong and then she asked when my last scan was. I told her it had been a week ago and asked if something was wrong. After what felt like forever she told me that the baby has not grown as much as she would expect and there's still no heartbeat. After pushing from me she told me the fetus had grown 1mm and was now 3.5mm, and she said this would put me at 6 weeks, not the 7 weeks they would expect.

I have been booked in for another scan in a week and feel like I've been dragged back down to the bottom. I'm not sure what to think. They had put me a week ahead of where I thought I was so could I be 6 weeks? Could they have got my dates wrong? Or should I prepare for the worst as it has only grown 1mm in a week regardless of dates??

Any advice would be appreciated as I am so confused.

Thanks xxx

My dates completely changing with what I knew what right (first day of my last period) and what the transvaginal scan was saying. It wasn't until about 8 weeks (and my 3rd scan so it's routine for it to be with a doctor as well as the sonographer) that they could see everything properly. The first two was nothing and then an empty sac. It seems fairly normal and common just because it's at such an early stage. Good luck.

Sorry, having said that, I was always prepared for the worst - some of my family and friends have had miscarriages, stillbirths and babies who have died shortly after birth. I just wanted to be prepared emotionally as well.

Thank you for your reply. I'm looking at my dates as I know when we TTC and I can only be 6 weeks. So I'm hoping it will be OK. But at the same time so much has happened with this pregnancy already that my confidence in it has taken a knock. Hoping the week goes quickly and I get some answers next week xxx

Hi OP

I just wanted to say that I am 22 weeks pregnant and My Due date/growth scan at 12 weeks put my ovulation/conception date as the week where I was away with work in a different part of the country and literally didn’t see my husband for 7 days!! We were TTC so I was tracking my periods, taking my temp and doing ovulation sticks and there is just NO WAY those dates can be correct but 🤷‍♀️ Baby is fine.

Fingers crossed for you xx

They can totally get dates wrong - they did me! You know your body best.
Has the spotting stopped? I had spotting twice with my son who's now a healthy 2 and a half year old.
Hope alls we'll x

Thank you both.

Spotting lasted for about 2 weeks. But it was all 'old blood' as they termed it. They said there was some blood in the uterus. But at my last scan (the one before the most recent) they said it was separate from the baby and a lot of women have it and it leaves/gets reabsorbed before week 12. She could see there was less there and said it wasn't a concern as it seemed to be resolving itself.

Hopefully the dates are off as I've spent a lot of time calculating it as put myself at 5 1/2 - 6 weeks. Just trying to get a balance of hope whilst also preparing myself xx