Terrified for first scan as dates don’t match up

[Nicolelinda96]

Hi guys. According to the dates of my last “period” (bleeding after an mc at 5.5 weeks- if this was a chemical, wouldn’t it just be a heavy period tho?)

According to that I’m approaching 7 weeks. But I got a 2-3 on a clear blue digital a few days ago. The only way this makes sense is if I ovulated 2 weeks late. I’m expecting to either start bleeding at some point or have a bad outcome at the scan. I can’t get my head around the dates saying almost 7 weeks but getting the 2-3. I’m mortified. HELP.

Clearblue digital can go back down to 2-3 due to the “hook effect” - HCG gets so high that that the lines on tests get lighter again. Unfortunately as you know it could be bad news as well but all is not lost.

You can try diluting your wee in water 50:50 and retesting - it may go back up to 3+

You could go for a private scan for reassurance.

Fingers crossed for you, this is the worst time in pregnancy I find especially if you’ve had early losses before. Every day you are just waiting for something to happen. I got an early scan this pregnancy privately at 7 weeks then stopped testing and stopped tracking my BBT as I was just driving myself mad.

I’m so sorry for youplr loss, I too have have 2 losses - one of which was a very early one like a chemical. I believe if you got pregnant straight after this your cycles may be a bit messed up so you may have just ovulated late.

Also these tests can be inaccurate and it depends a lot on how concentrated your wee is at the time etc.

I know it’s hard but try to step away from the tests and just trust your body as you will drive yourself crackers. With my third pregnancy (which is going well - I’m 38 weeks!) I made myself stop testing and said I wouldn’t pay for any private early scans this time, only if EPU let me have one I would have one (private scan with my first pregnancy showed HB but small for dates and then I miscarried a week later so I have bad memories of private scans).

EPU wouldn’t let me have a reassurance scan even though I’d had 2 losses - they just said there is no medical need to have one and to just wait for 12 weeks, so I did. And actually although it was an agonising wait it was the best thing, I think going for a scan would’ve only reassured me for a day or so. Not knowing was scary but also ‘ignorance is bliss’ in a way and I just tried to get on with things. Seeing the baby at 12 week scan was amazing! Xx

Good luck x

Good luck today.

It is very normal for cycles to be out of sync following a miscarriage.

I hope all goes well for you.

I was literally in the same position with ds1. Clear blue test said 2-3 weeks pregnant but when I went to see my GP after the initial BFP GP said, according to my last period, I was 7 weeks pregnant! I did tell him about what the clear blue test had said but he just said I shouldn't rely on them to say how far along I was. Nonetheless I was dubious. I had a dating scan when I was 11 weeks pregnant, but I had convinced myself I was only around 6-7 weeks along and clear blue was proven wrong, I was bang on 11 weeks!

Thanks guys. Hearing your experiences was quite reassuring. I’m dubious about an early scan just because I don’t know how far along I am. I may be nearer 5 weeks and they may not see a great deal. I am however considering doing an at home blood test to check my hcg. They aren’t doing them unless it’s urgent at my gps or epu.

My dates never added up. Based on last period I was 6 weeks when I found out I was pregnant but clear blue said a lot earlier than that.. I didn't go for any early reassurance scans but when it came to 12 week scan I was just over two weeks behind where my last period placed me/I expected to be... and even to this day really don't understand the dates as I'm not even sure the dates we did the deed on really match up either... but I'm 29.2 weeks now and baby is all good so I havnt given it much more thought. But 1st trimester did drive me mad was convinced the entire time something was going to go wrong..

Good luck op!

When did you first test positive? Was it before or after the clearblue test?

Can you tell yourself that it's not the scan you fear? Because it's not. You fear losing another baby and that worry is not something that can be taken away when you've experienced it. See the scan as an opportunity to answer some questions. At the moment you're stuck because you know nothing. The scan might help because the not knowing is infinitely worse. It might only give a vague indication if you're very early but if, like me, driving yourself mad with anxiety over not knowing is your thing, it might be what you need.

I really hope things work out for you. It's a truly horrible feeling I know.

I got it after I’d been having positive tests for over a week. That’s why it’s worrying me. I’ve ordered an at home blood test so hopefully I can check if they are looking ok.

My doctor yesterday said 1 in 3 pregnancies end in the first 12 weeks. Jesus Christ that’s so many . That’s all pregnancies. Im 100% expecting no heartbeat. I just don’t think I’ll be lucky this time.

@Nicolelinda96 the first 7 weeks are the highest risk...it goes down significantly after that.

Yeah that is true. Obviously it’s a good sign if I have no pain or bleeding, and my doctor did say that missed miscarriage isn’t that common, but I’m still terrified of them saying my baby stopped growing at like 6 weeks.

It’s perfectly normal to worry about that especially after losses - but as you say, if you’re not bleeding or anything chances are very high that everything is progressing normally ☺️

Thanks. Yeah I guess so! I’m having intrusive thoughts about what if it’s not a new pregnancy? Cos I’ve seen people post tests randomly getting darker after an mc with no new pregnancy? But I got a negative 25miu test 2 weeks after and now have a dye stealer on the same test?

I think it’s very unlikely that it would be the old pregnancy, especially if you got a negative test before.

I totally remember this feeling before 12 weeks, I know you’ll be thinking about it 24 7! But it’s a long wait to 12 weeks so try to relax if you can ☺️ Xx

I’ve bought an at home blood test to check what my beta hcg is. Obviously there’s a big jump from 2-3-3+ Compared to 1-2 to 2-3, but after getting positive tests for 8 days I would’ve definitely expected to get a 3+ by now.

I’m praying with everything I have that it’s a faulty test, Or I ovulated much later or something, because even though my first was probably no more than a few cells, I experienced the strongest sense of love and loss of ever felt and to feel that way again would be crushing (worse this time because it’ll chip away my hope that I’ll have my take home baby). I’m scared that getting positives for 8 days yet being stuck at 2-3 means low and/or slow rising hcg.

Clearblue themselves say their tests are for entertainment. They go up and down randomly. They’re honestly no good for the reassurance you need - I get it, I wanted it too, in the end I had to hide the tests and use all my willpower not to use them.

They aren’t a sign of anything

If they aren’t a sign of anything, why are women saying that the dates went up as expected with their healthy pregnancies and stayed at 1-2 or 2-3 the time they had an mc??

I know exactly what you mean, going by my last period I should be 7 weeks but my tests are showing 2-3 weeks. I've had 2 ultrasounds and they cant see anything in my uterus besides the endometrium thickening. I've had every symptom you can think of but am still very confused. Have a scan booked for next week so fingers crossed it is just a little earlier then i thought

Hope all goes well for you

To be fair, my doctor did say that he’s seen dates be a whole month out at dating scans before! My hope is that now I will have progressed to the 3+, as some people say it took a few days to go from 1-2 to 2-3 and a week to get to 3+.

Yeah my numbers continued to go up, but just didnt match up to my last period :/ fingers crossed I get some answers and all goes okay at my scan cause i hate not knowing.

I got a 3+ this morning! But I didn’t realize that you’re only meant to dip/pee stream it for 5 seconds and I did it for more like 10. Guess I’m going to have to test again tomorrow morning and make sure I do it right this time. Ffs so mad at myself!

Yeah I'm gonna do a test tomorrow and see what is says

If they aren’t a sign of anything, why are women saying that the dates went up as expected with their healthy pregnancies and stayed at 1-2 or 2-3 the time they had an mc??

Look at the HCG levels that they use. Its' for entertainment, they've said so themselves, the 2 - 3 levels covers normal HCG levels for a lot of weeks. It's luck of the drawer.

I don't think I ever saw 3+ and I'm nearly 29 weeks now. I can't remember at what point I took the last one, though - my doctor was clear that they don't help, and neither do early dating scans, and I was just increasing my own anxiety which wasn't good for the baby.

For what it's worth, the dating seems sketchy throughout. My early scans put me at 8 weeks when my LMP had me at 7. At my 12 week scan, they moved me back 10 days. At 20 weeks, baby measured 6 days ahead, but they don't change EDD after 12 weeks. At my 28 week scan, baby measured 30 weeks.

I was trying to provide some reassurance that even Clearblue have said that these aren't medical; they are for entertainment, and not to repeatedly use them. It's up to you if you do, but I regret stressing so much about various things during this pregnancy - this being one of them.

Best of luck to you both

I am considering an early scan but because I don’t know how far along I actually am it would be difficult. If the results of blood test come back with an hcg of 3000 for example, would there be a point in doing an earlier scan? Maybe in a couple of weeks rather than in 5 weeks ish? Because lots of studies suggest an hcg of at least 10,000 is needed for a heartbeat, but also loads of people saying they didn’t see theirs until it hit much higher.