YOLK SAC, BUT NO FETAL POLE

[TD123456]

Hi there,

I went to the early pregnancy unit as advised due to having some mild abdo pain/cramps and loose stools.

I was seen by gynaecology and their observations were normal but was advised to go to an early scan to rule out ectopic pregnancy.

I went to my early scan and they ruled out ectopic pregnancy and the lady doing the scan said ‘congratulations, you’re pregnant and it is within the womb. There is no fetal pole so likely you’re earlier than suspected’

I was relieved with this.

however, when one of the nurses took us through to discuss next steps, she was quite negative and said that yes I could be earlier than what they thought or on the other hand, it may be a failed pregnancy. I was distraught.

I do believe I was only 5 weeks 1 day when they did this scan, so I’ve to go back next week for a repeat scan to see if they can see the fetal pole. She then said as I should be 6 weeks next week, they are expecting to see fetal pole and heartbeat and if they don’t, this would be classed as failed pregnancy.

This doesn’t sit right with me as I’ve seen on here some peoples didn’t show until 7/8 weeks.

has anyone had a similar experience and can offer some information? Extremely anxious and panicked over here and dreading this upcoming week and scan.

thank you all x

If you have a vaginal ultrasound you can see it from 6 weeks , however if it’s abdominal or the uterus is lying in a angle , some may not see it till later on

No direct experience OP but I've had lots of early MC so I do know the anxiety in these early weeks. By 6 weeks they may not see a heartbeat yet, but they should see pole and sac. Do you know dates ect? If you have irregular cycles or ovulate late ect it's entirely possible to be out by a few days and that could make all the difference. The only way to be sure is to be scanned a bit later, like 7 weeks by then the position should be clear. That said, a week is a long time to wait. I would go to the scan at 6 weeks, but adjust expectations on seeing a heartbeat. Not everyone does that early.

Hi @TD123456,

I'm currently going through the same thing but may be just a tiny step ahead of you.

On Thursday last week, I went for a private reactance scan at 6+1 accordingly to LH (6+4 according to gestational age) as I'd had some pretty frightening pain and EPU weren't answering their phones. The private place found a gestational sac and a yolk sac. They dated me at 5+3 and told me to call EPU. They were very positive about it as there was a yolk sac, but at 6+4, which is what they were going by, they should definitely have been able to see something by then as I'd confirmed ovulation dates.

The week of waiting was horrific. I've had barely any symptoms at all and had already chosen my method of management by the time my EPU appointment came around yesterday. They did a transvaginal scan and within five seconds told me there is 'a little baby with a heartbeat'. It was a massive shock. The heartbeat was a little under what they'd like at 106 bpm and I'm still measuring behind at just 6 weeks (was supposed to be 7+2 or 7+4 going by GA), but they seemed happy that there had been progress. This does not mean we are out of the woods. Measuring this far behind isn't a great sign and it could really go either way at this point. I have another scan booked for two weeks time and there we will find out whether this pregnancy has continued.

It is really rough, I'm not going to lie. No one can give you exact answers or tell you what the outcome will be, we just have to wait. Having said that, at 5+1, I wouldn't expect them to have seen anything at all beyond the GS and yolk sac, so I don't think you have too much to worry about.

By around 6 weeks, if your dates are correct, you should be able to see a foetal pole. Embryos don't generally show up after 7+ weeks and if they do there is likely to be an issue. If it's possible you ovulated late, or you have irregular periods, I wouldn't worry much at all. If your dates are exact, I still wouldn't worry too much because you were super, super early to be scanned and literally all they can do at that point is say whether it may be viable (I.E. there's a yolk sac) and confirm it's in the right place. I brought up to the midwife how the private scan place had dated me at 5+3 and she dismissed it saying they can't really date you so early because there was nothing to measure and everyone progresses differently.

I know it's hard, and I know it's impossible not to worry, but I think you're in a good position and hopefully your next scan will provide the reassurance you need. Good luck x

So Sorry you’ve had a similar experience but I’m glad to hear they found a heartbeat and fetal pole. I really do hope you continue to have a healthy pregnancy.

yes they predicted I should’ve been 7 weeks however my periods and ovulation aren’t super regular. I also have always thought from when I found out I was 2 weeks less than what EPU thought so I’m praying that is the case and it’s just too early. I also took pregnancy tests regularly so if I was 7 I would’ve had a positive result sooner than I had.. hopefully

my worry is when she said after next week they’d class it as failed pregnancy as I’d rather wait another week if it is not seen next week as I can’t be certain when conception was.

Im hoping of course next week we see something but it really is such an upsetting and anxious time waiting. X

It really is such a hard wait @TD123456, but I agree with you that if your cycle is irregular then it might be worth telling them and requesting your scan put back (or maybe just call up and tell them you're not well so will need to reschedule).

I'm so sorry you're in this horrible wait too. I really hope you get positive news.

There was no retail pole at my early scan. My DD (14 weeks) is in front of me. Five weeks is still early. If it was an abdominal scan it may not pick it up just yet x

It was a transvaginal scan but hoping they do the same next week and praying they see something.

wow congratulations I’m glad you were okay after that! All the best for your upcoming DD ❤️

Thank you so much. Let me know how you get on will be thinking of you!

fingers crossed both of us have happy healthy pregnancies 🤞🏻

I had some bleeding when I was 7 weeks and 5 days so I went to the EPAU. They could only see a sac and nothing else and told me to prepare for what would be my second miscarriage. I went back 2 weeks later and was shocked to be told that there was a baby with a heartbeat! My little girl is now 2.5 years old! Just to say she always measured behind so it could be just one of those things. You just never know as it's still so early. Really hope you have a good outcome.

Thank you! Super happy for you and I’m so glad to hear you went on to have a healthy pregnancy and have your little beauty!

I am really praying the same happens to me but I will need to be patient I guess

i did ask if I could get a scan 2 weeks rather than 1 as more likely to be a change in 2 weeks and the nurse said no we do them a week apart.

urgh!

I have a private scan booked a week after my next so even if they don’t see anything I’m hoping they won’t force me to take action then, and that I can wait for my private one to see if there is a change

A very similar thing happened to me. I went to EPU at 6 weeks 1 day due to cramping and pain, and all they could see was a sac but no fetal pole. I was literally given information on how to prepare for a miscarriage but when I went back 2 weeks later there was a heartbeat and a wriggley bean. My son is now 2.5 years and running riot. It really may just be too early.

The wait for another scan is torturous. I'd advise that you do everything to keep busy and distract yourself as you'll go mad thinking about it. I hope it all works out for you x

My first pregnancy they couldn't see heartbeat and my dates were slightly out. He's almost 5 now.
Second pregnancy at 5+1 they could see sac and what they thought was the start of the fetal pole, saw a heartbeat at 5+6. All vaginal scans. Even your dates a few days off make a difference at that stage. X

That’s amazing, and has definitely given me some reassurance. I’m sorry you went through it too, it is super tough.

I hope you and your family are all healthy and loving life!

fingers crossed my situation is the same and we get some better news next week x

Yes I did think that, I think maybe the nurse didn’t have the best manner and was so doom and gloom it made it worse.

im praying that is the case and that my dates are closer to what I think rather than what they thought as per my period (they are not regular anyway so I find it hard that they were so certain)

I will be sure to update this feed either way but I’m so glad your little one arrived safely!! I wish you and your family all the best and fingers crossed we have a similar outcome xx

Hi all, just wanted to say a massive thank you for all the reassurance and support

we went for our follow up scan today and we saw little baby with a good strong heartbeat according to the sonographer, what a relief!

i thought I’d update you all ❤️ I also hope you all are keeping well and sending well wishes xx

Yayyy, that’s such amazing news!!! I’m so so happy for you! Wishing you all the best for the rest of the pregnancy 💞

Congratulations.

I was just coming here to say that after several miscarriages I was under the recurrent miscarriage clinic. I had scans there at 6 +2 (based on lmp). At that stage all they were scanning me for was to check that the pregnancy was in the right place. Basing length of pregnancy by last period relies on you fitting the average - 28 day cycle, ovulate day 14, sperm meets egg right away, implant on day 5.

If you have a 30 day cycle, ovulate on day 18, sperm meets egg at the latest possible opportunity so 24 ish hours after ovulation, and then you implant on day 12, and you get scanned at 6+2 based on lmp you will not be 6+2, you might only be just over 4 weeks because even if sperm meets egg, it can’t develop without implantation.

I have a 30 day cycle, ovulate on day 19 so I will already be a week behind my lmp dates and that can be scary! Both of my successful pregnancies were measuring about 4.5 weeks when I went to be scanned at 6+2 and my consultant told me that they are just checking it’s in the right place. They aren’t looking at measurements so much because of these variations in timing, plus everything is so tiny it’s easy to measure a mm out, what they are looking for is progress between scans. Took until ‘8 weeks’ for their heartbeats to appear, and I was measuring just under 7 weeks then, which fits with my cycle. It was a tense wait so hope if someone finds this thread in future that this info helps.

Best of luck op 😊 x

I'm so, so happy to see this lovely update @TD123456. Very happy for you!

My follow up scan isn't until next Wednesday. I hope he get the same outcome.

Oh how wonderful! So pleased it was a positive outcome. Congratulations xx

That's great news! So pleased for you 😃 x

Great news OP! Am so pleased for you. It is the best feeling in the world isn't it. Enjoy the rest of your pregancy

Hi all, hope you're all doing okay.

Only a quick update from me before I leave for a while. Unfortunately, we had confirmation this morning that baby stopped growing last week. I'm booked in for a D&C on Friday.

Wishing you all the best with your journeys, whatever they entail.

I know this was a little while ago, but I’m going through exactly this just now 😔 I’m so happy the outcome was positive for you! 💜

Had a scan yesterday at what I thought was 6+3 weeks (from LMP). The sonographer said they could see the yolk sac but no fetal pole. She said she was seeing what she’d expect at 5 weeks meaning this is likely ‘an unhealthy pregnancy’, and that it was bad news. I need to go for another scan in a week.

They didn’t ask if my dates could be wrong and basically jumped right to ‘we can’t be 100% sure but prepare for miscarriage and here’s some leaflets’. They were lovely but really pessimistic and had ‘those’ faces.

Were your staff similar when you were in that situation?

@purplecolouroffunk I'm really sorry to hear you're going through this. It absolutely knocks the wind out of you doesn't it, when you go in expecting positive news and to be told something so unexpected and unpleasant. Yes unfortunately the staff acted exactly the same. The sonopgrapher gave me the cold, hard facts about no fetal pole and not measuring in line with dates. I was obviously very upset so a midwife then came to speak to me. She is the one who said it was too early to tell but that it may not be a viable pregnancy. If she had left it there I probably would have just about coped but she went on to give me a miscarriage leaflet which is what tipped me over the edge emotionally.

I totally get that they need to be open and upfront about the fact it could go either way but I think to use the word 'miscarriage' when they are unsure if that is going to happen is so unfair. I actually put in a complaint about it once I'd had my son ad I felt it could, and should, have been handled better and worded differently.

Unfortunately the whole thing triggered bad anxiety for me so I has under perinatal mental health midwives for the rest of my pregnancy as I kept thinking something bad was going to happen and I'd lose it. I'm grateful beyond words that it did work out well and I have my son here with me but God that wait for the second scan was hard. I kept reminding myself that I had no control over what would happen so making myself sick with worry wouldn't change the outcome. I kept myself busy and distracted whilst I waited.

I really do hope it is positive news for you too. It really is so early at this stage of pregnancy that mistakes and misreadings are easily made. We could be talking 5 or 6 days making a world of difference here. Will keep everything crossed that your next scan shows a healthy bubba x

Last update just for any other people going through the same - we now have our 5 week old baby girl on the earth with us so sending you all the positivity. Happy to answer any questions xxx