8 weeks and measuring at 6 weeks?

[BLLMCP]

Hi,

I hope someone might be able to shed some light on my situation as I'm very confused and my midwives don't seem to be giving me very good answers (or maybe I just need to accept their answers better!).

My last menstrual period was on the 18th October. I'm normally very regular, 24-25 day cycle, so no problems there.

That month my husband and I only had sex once on the 30th October.

I then took a positive pregnancy test on the 13th November which said 1-2 weeks.

I haven't been tracking my ovulation at all so no idea what that's like.

I've had 2 scans due to some bleeding. The first at what I thought was 5weeks5 days and all they could see was the yolk and sac. I went back 2 weeks later and I was 7weeks5days and there was a heartbeat but she said I was measuring at 6 weeks.

At the time I thought she meant the baby was 6 weeks, which taking into account the first 2 or so weeks of pregnancy counting from my first day of my period, made sense. But I've since found out that it means 6 weeks including the 2 weeks I technically wasn't pregnant at the beginning.

This makes zero sense to me. I just don't understand all of this. One midwife reacted weirdly when I told her. Then on my face to face appointment with another midwife she was very chilled about it and said it happens a lot and that I could have ovulated late and sperm can survive for 7 days. But on further thought that makes no sense either to me, based on all my dates.

Anyone got any advice? This whole thing is driving me a bit crazy to be honest, I'm such a worrier and I like things to be black and white and they aren't and that really gets to me. I know I just need to go with it and it's not in my control but I just wish I understood all of this better!

Thanks for any replies in advance, this forum has already been such a support to me and I'm so grateful!

When I went through this process, all the people at the hospital were determined to use the dates their machines gave them. Like you, because my husband was away at key points, I knew when DB could have been conceived so I knew their dates weren't quite right but I could not convince them of this. I was concerned that other scans, like the nuchal fold, would not be done at the right time and thus would be inaccurate.
As I went through the pregnancy, I read lots and learned that many of the ways medicos try to measure babies are not very accurate but they continue to do so. There's one where the number of inches from your sternum to your pubis - over your bump - should match the number of weeks or some such. But as every midwife will tell you later, when you really need help, 'every baby's different' which is their way to telling you they won't tell you jack.
So relax, enjoy your pregnancy and just let them tell you what they want to say.

It could be that you ovulated later AND baby is measuring a little bit behind due to technological errors as things are hard to pin down, or it could be that baby isn’t growing properly.

Have they asked for a repeat scan?

If not I would make a private early scan for a week’s time and see if there has been growth.

Pregnancy is dated from the first day of your last period. So you're currently 8 weeks and 5 days pregnant. I'm guessing their concern is that your baby isn't measuring that big so you may have ovulated later or possibly your baby isn't growing correctly.

The fact that it has a heartbeat is definitely a good sign. I went for a scan at 8 weeks and baby was measuring 6 but with no heartbeat. When I went back a couple of weeks later they confirmed a miscarriage. However my friend had similar and when she went back the baby had a heartbeat and is now 6 years old. She had just ovulated later. Sperm can survive in the female reproductive tract for up to 5 days so you may have fallen pregnant several days after the 30th.

I’ve experienced a similar situation twice. First time I went for an early scan and all that was found was the pregnancy sac. A repeat scan a couple weeks later confirmed a blighted ovum and I miscarried a week later.

My current pregnancy I went for an early scan at what I thought was 8w according to lmp, though I have very irregular periods so wasn’t 100% certain. They put me at 6w3d but a strong heartbeat was found. I knew 100% I wasn't 6w3d as my partner and I hadn’t seen each other for a two week period then due to a work trip, making that date impossible despite sperm being able to survive 5 days etc. My 12 week scan put the dates right in the middle of that, meaning I’d have actually been 7w2d at that original scan, which made more sense. I’m now at 25 weeks and all looking good so far 🤞🏼 A heartbeat is a good sign. Best of luck OP.

Thank you everyone for your replies.

They haven't asked for a repeat scan, but when she told me the baby measured 6 weeks I didn't question it at the time, so maybe they didn't think it was necessary?

I think I will try and organise a private scan when I know when my 12 week scan will be.

I'm just hoping, like some of you have said, that maybe their measurement wasn't quite accurate and maybe I am out by a few days! And the fact I saw the baby's heartbeat is very reassuring!

Thanks all for your help and advice!

It's annoying and potentially concerning, but I'd try to focus on the fact you've had two scans which measured your pregnancy consistently and showed that it's developing, and you saw your baby's heartbeat. These are good signs. A private scan to check development is a good idea and I hope it goes well 🙂

@BLLMCP I’m in a similar boat. I was referred for an early scan because I didn’t show as pregnant on any tests until two weeks ago, when my LMP was 17th Oct (I should have shown as pregnant weeks earlier). Drs wanted to rule out ectopic pregnancy so I was scanned when I should have been 7w+5, but the scan only showed an empty sac, no embryo, placing the pregnancy as 5/6w. I have a follow-up scan in 2 days time to see if there has been any growth and I’ve been so anxious since. Really hoping that I ovulated later and it’s all going to be fine but it’s hard. I feel for you.

@closingtime101 in your case, you were getting negative tests until two weeks ago
which means your likely to be less than 6 weeks pregnant. Late ovulation happens. Good luck with your scan 🙂

I wouldn’t worry too much OP. I was obsessed with doing ovulation and pregnancy tests whilst trying to conceive. I got the slightest positive 6dpo. At my 12 week scan they pushed my due date 10 days forward due to measurements. I also had an early scan at 5 weeks so these dates were almost impossible… but, I gave birth naturally at 40+6 and he was a healthy size and weight.

As long as they can find a heartbeat I wouldn’t worry. Wishing you all the best.

[quote closingtime101]@BLLMCP I’m in a similar boat. I was referred for an early scan because I didn’t show as pregnant on any tests until two weeks ago, when my LMP was 17th Oct (I should have shown as pregnant weeks earlier). Drs wanted to rule out ectopic pregnancy so I was scanned when I should have been 7w+5, but the scan only showed an empty sac, no embryo, placing the pregnancy as 5/6w. I have a follow-up scan in 2 days time to see if there has been any growth and I’ve been so anxious since. Really hoping that I ovulated later and it’s all going to be fine but it’s hard. I feel for you.[/quote]
It's so anxiety inducing this whole thing isn't it :( I hope your scan goes ok and the wait doesn't feel like it's going on forever for you

@User310

I wouldn’t worry too much OP. I was obsessed with doing ovulation and pregnancy tests whilst trying to conceive. I got the slightest positive 6dpo. At my 12 week scan they pushed my due date 10 days forward due to measurements. I also had an early scan at 5 weeks so these dates were almost impossible… but, I gave birth naturally at 40+6 and he was a healthy size and weight.

As long as they can find a heartbeat I wouldn’t worry. Wishing you all the best.

Thank you! It baffles me how things can change like that when they make no sense, but I'm trying to remind myself that nothing is completely accurate and there's always a margin for error! Like you said, the heartbeat is always a good sign!