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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Scan at 6 weeks shows empty uterus...help please...

68 replies

newtoallofthis · 03/03/2008 13:56

Sorry - I am not sure where to put this....

I am pretty sure that I am (was?) 6 weeks pregnant last Saturday (Date of LMP was 18 Jan).

I had some spotting over the last few days - nothing too heavy but enough to make me nervous. Two very light 'watery' red bleeds and a lighter brown discharge that has now disappeared. I haven't had any cramps or pains.

I went to my GP and was refered to the EPU, where I had a scan this morning. The scan showed an empty uterus.

The sonographer seemed to think it is ectopic or 'failure to develop'. I asked her what the chances were of the dates being wrong but she didn't seem to think it was a possibility.

I then saw a consultant who said the same but said that it could be that the dates are wrong and it is just to early to see anything. She did an internal and said the cervix was closed, but didn't say if that meant anything. She gave the usual lecture of 'Wait and see what happens, try not to get too stressed...)

She took some blood tests to check the hormone levels and I am to go back on Wednesday morning for more blood tests, to see how the blood hormone levels are doing.

I feel completely numb and confused, not sure if I should be clinging to the desperate hope that the dates are wrong or preparing for the worst. It seems like a cruel trick - I feel so pregnant! Sore breasts, nausea and extremely tired (Although the last two symptoms are probably stress induced!)

I keep thinking of things I should have asked the doctor....

Has anyone been through anything similair? What was the outcome? What should I expect next if it is ectopic? Does it mean anything that my cervix is closed?

Sorry..so many questions, so many emotions (and tears!) flowing right now...

OP posts:
Original poster
newtoallofthis · 03/03/2008 15:44

Thanks UmmFulaan,

Thanks everyone else, really good to hear so many positive stories.

I am finding it really weird that I am not bleeding anymore, am not in any pain (well...emotionally is different!!) and still feel pregnant.

I can't believe the support on here - thanks again everyone.

OP posts:
belgo · 03/03/2008 15:46

newtoallofthis - it just shows, there is reason to remain hopeful.

TattyCatty · 03/03/2008 15:49

It's a story I've told many times on other boards, because I know how desperate I was for reassurance. My levels were just about doubling every 72 hours, which I now know is in the realms of "normal", but my clinic insisted that the pregnancy wasn't viable until they say the heartbeat. DD just turned out to be a late implanter but they insisted on taking my dates from my LMP even though I had fertility treatment which meant I couldn't possibly have ovulated on day 14 based on LMP . Like you say, they are just experts in their field, what do they know?!

TattyCatty · 03/03/2008 15:50

No pain, no bleeding and still feeling pregnant are all really, really good signs!

AitchTwoOh · 03/03/2008 16:01

ah well, they often aren't experts in the field of ectopic preg, tbh, i know a truckload more than most hospital docs do about that particular subject. and it drives me fookin' NUTS that they are still using LMP if you actually know that you don't ov until day 18-21.

MrsCarrot · 03/03/2008 16:04

Newtoallthis - I had a scan at six weeks and three doctors couldn't find anything at all. I had some discomfort on one side, was spotting and I had high hormone levels.

I ended up having the surgery for ectopic pregnancy but when I came round they still weren't sure as they'd removed something from the tube but it didn't look like a normal ectopic. He is sitting on the sofa at the moment. When I had a scan at seven weeks they said I was a week earlier than menstrual dates though I am very regular. I still can't believe he stuck in there through the op.

Hope it works out for you.

belgo · 03/03/2008 16:07

Mrscarrot - is it possible you were carrying twins, one in the tube, and the other in the right place?

I'm so glad your baby survived all of that.

MrsCarrot · 03/03/2008 16:12

I don't know, Belgo, they were very vague about it. I asked the doctor if it could have been another pregnancy and he just waved his hand and said, oh, I doubt it, was probably just a cyst.

I would have thought the surgeons would know what a cyst looked like though. I wish I'd pressed further but I was 19 and didn't really question them. I sat in hospital for two days waiting to see if the hormone went up or down after the op but it had doubled after two days. He will be 11 this year!

Original poster
newtoallofthis · 03/03/2008 16:17

MrsCarrot, that is an amazing story.

AitchTwoOh, you make good points - I will ensure that we don't make any decisions based purely on HCG levels.

I am starting to get hopeful again...especially as my cycles weren't particularly regular 28 day cycles...and I am sure I ovulated at least a day or two late in the month we conceived...

OP posts:
AitchTwoOh · 03/03/2008 16:20

i think tbh it sounds like your docs are doing right by you. make sure more than two hcgs and another scan before any decisions. watch out for shouldertip pain, though, get to the hosp if so.

JFly · 03/03/2008 16:24

When this happened to me around 5 weeks and a few days after LMP, they called it "pregnancy of unknown location". Bloods showed hormone levels consistent with pregnancy, but not high enough for solid pregnancy of that many weeks along and therefore I was told to expect a m/c.

Within a day of scan, I had a m/c, and I now think it was probably a chemical pregnancy. Sometimes the embryo doesn't implant. You still get symptoms of pg: sore boobs, no period, hCG in system, but unfortunately pg doesn't continue normally.
See this for more info www.womens-health.co.uk/chemical.html

I hope that your bloods and further scans give you your answers.

FWIW, I got pg again next cycle and my baby is due Thursday! Good luck.

jess1996 · 03/03/2008 20:59

I had this happen last Summer. I had a fairly normal AF then a BFP 12 days later (I took the test because of nausea). I had a scan at 6 weeks, but nothing was seen. HCG that day was about 990, which I think is just under the threshold for seeing anything. Two days later it was about 1750. The following day I had another scan which again showed no pregnancy, but some free fluid. I had surgery that afternoon. It turned out I had two ruptured ovarian cysts which were repaired. The pregnancy was never found (so they called it a pregnancy of unknown location). The day after the op HCG levels fell to 500 and then continued to fall back to 0 over the next week or two. I hope everything works out ok for you. As the others have said the hospital must follow this up with HCGs every 48 hours and internal scans.

I am currently 6+3 and I'm having a scan on Friday to see if this pregnancy is in the right place. As you can imagine I'm terrified. I've had no bleeding so far and only minor aches and pains, but I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for bad news on Friday.

Fingers crossed for both of us.

AitchTwoOh · 03/03/2008 21:45

all the very best to you jess, i hope it works out this time.

nigglewiggle · 03/03/2008 22:01

Had a scan at 6 weeks. Found the sac, but no sign of a foetus. Didn't have any other problems, so was told not to worry about it as it was probably too early. Pregnancy continued successfully, so hope you have nothing to worry about either.

Original poster
newtoallofthis · 04/03/2008 11:33

Thanks everyone...still in limbo but hanging in until I see them tomorrow.

Jess1996, thanks for sharing that - good luck for your scan on Friday!

OP posts:
AdeleFielder · 04/03/2008 15:37

My friend is going through something similar. She went for a scan nearly 2 weeks ago and they didn't say that much, just it might be too early to tell, although she theought her LMP date after stopping the pill was 31st dec. I don't think they did any other tests and she has to go back tomorrow and have another scan and find out whats happening. She also feels pregnant. I can imagine it being terrible not knowing. makes you realise that you just neven can tell it's ok till you see it on the first scan pics. I think i'll be alot more cautious about telling people with my second one. Got my fingers crossed for you,

easterbunbuns · 04/03/2008 19:58

Me too -fingers crossed and will be so much more cautious in the future about announcing too early. Does make you realise that sadly it can all be heartbreaking much sooner than you ever imagined. Similar things have happened to 3 of my friends - all were told to wait a bit longer (none were offered blood tests)and all were sure of dates but then wrongly doubted themselves. Sad news for 2 but a lovely baby boy for the 3rd.All 3 could have gone either way and it was nail biting times for everyone. 6 weeks is still very early and it does seem that only certain sonographers and equipment can actually get it right at that stage. You are not alone sadly this happens to too many women too often and it just so unfair.

Leenie · 05/03/2008 13:57

I hope this will help .... i had an intravaginal scan at around 6 weeks as i had a slight bleed, i knew in my heart i was preg, had done the test, sore boobs tired ect...
so when they told me there was no embryo just a yolk sac i was heartbroken, they told me to wait two weeks and they would rescan as it was maybe too early, but the also said it could be a m/c or failed preg... i left the hosp feeling gutted, and sure that it was failed i went back 2 weeks later, and there was a fetal pole, heartbeat , and the yolk sac, i am now 13 weeks + and still all well, i am still having light bleeds on and off but so far so good, so keep ur chin up, it may well just have been to early to see anything .. good luck

Original poster
newtoallofthis · 05/03/2008 14:10

Thanks everyone, your posts are all great

I had another HCG blood test today - the results for my Monday blood test were 34 000, I am aware that without the results of todays test I won't really know what the pattern is.

I would have thought though, that with HCG levels of 34 000 there should have been something to see on the scan on Monday, so I am not too hopeful!

Will continue playing the waiting game, I expect them to call with the blood test results in the next hour or two....

OP posts:
belgo · 05/03/2008 18:47

newtoallofthis - have you had the second lot of results yet?

How are you feeling?

lollyheart · 05/03/2008 19:11

hi newtoallofthis i had some pain on 1 side had a scan at 5.5weeks saw nothing but a empty sac had my hcg levels done they were 56000 the doc said should of seen at least the yolk with levels that high so i thought the worst and waited to miscarry had 2nd hcg levels done they were 126000 went back for sacn a week later and saw little bean with heartbeat im 13 weeks today and have nuchal scan in the morning fingers crossed 4 you

TattyCatty · 05/03/2008 19:23

Hi,

You really do need to have the second set of results to see how the levels are increasing and another scan before anybody is able to draw any conclusions. The first result is certainly in the "normal" range for your stage of pregnancy, and what you can see on a scan can change dramatically from day to day.

When I had my first scan (a Friday), nothing was seen at all. By the next day, a very faint sac could be seen (only after using a 2nd, higher quality scanner) and 2 days after that, we saw the actual sac and a tiny fetal pole. Even at this stage, we were told that the sac was measuring far too small for dates but exactly a week later, the heartbeat was there and the sac was dead on the correct size for dates. So, even if things start small, there is no reason why it won't catch up - the body is an amazing piece of machinery!

Thinking of you - let us know when you have your results through.

Lubyloo · 05/03/2008 22:48

Newtoallofthis- hope you're ok. Update us when you can.

Original poster
newtoallofthis · 06/03/2008 09:28

Dear all,

Thanks for your messages, sorry I didn't update yesterday.

Unfortunately my hormone levels had dropped significantly, so it was (is?) a miscarriage.

I fell apart yesterday but feel a little better today - I know it was really early days, miscarriage is relatively common, there isn't necessarily any reason why it happened this time and I don't think there is any particular reason why it should happen again, but am very surprised how sad I feel. And by how sad my DH is

Thanks for your support everyone - hope to be back on the Pregnancy board in the near future.

OP posts:
icklegem · 06/03/2008 11:06

I am so, so sorry to hear that. It's such a devestating thing to have to go through no matter how far along you are, I totally understand how you feel.

I hope you and DH can give each other the support you need and when you feel ready we will all be waiting here for you again.

Take care and good luck for the future

xxxxxxx