Six week embryo at 10 weeks? - Miscarriage & Still Birth Message Board

sorvete · 09-11-2008, 12:37 AM

I just found this forum and was hoping someone might have had a similar experience and could share. I just went to what I thought was going to be a routine appointment with my obgyn. I'm ten weeks from my last period and had two positive pregnancy tests in early August. I've been feeling pregnant and since I had no reason to think otherwise (no bleeding, serious cramping, etc)., I just assumed everything was progressing on schedule.

The doctor ordered an ultrasound for routine purposes (I'm in Portugal, where apparently they do them more frequently than in the U.S.) and I found out that the embryo is at six weeks development, not ten weeks. There was also no heartbeat.

The doctors didn't really give me any definite answers but said to get another ultrasound in a week. When I pressed my obgyn, she mentioned a D&C and told me it was likely the pregnancy was not going to progress and mentioned trying again.

I was devastated and still am, but I'm still confused. Is my pregnancy over? Is there any other possibility other than miscarriage (I'm not looking for false hope, but more for some end to this terrible sense of ambiguity)? I feel very certain I have the date of the beginning of my last period right (it started the first day after a big move). Again, I've already begun grieving a miscarriage, so please don't be afraid to write in and tell me that yes, I've probably miscarried. I'm just still a bit confused after my visit. I think it would be easier to have a better sense of what has happened. Thank you!

quibby84 · 09-11-2008, 06:12 AM

If you are 100% sure when your period started then it may be true.
It is so horrible to go through a miscarriage...I hope that its not the case for you, but if it is there are many women here that are ready to comfort you. I had a similar situation but baby was at 8.5 weeks, I was 11....I could also clearly see my baby on the screen..not moving...it was terrible. I got the D and C the next day.
I am confused as to why your doctor made you wait a week. Have you had any bleeding or anything?
If you got your period wrong by a few weeks, or if you are irregular and dont know exactly when you ovulated then the baby could be at 6 weeks with a heartbeat to small to be seen. It seems odd that you would have gone for four weeks without knowing anything was wrong. Anyways...in my case, it was a miscarriage...and now I am looking to trying again. But I dont know about you, just know that it does get easier as time goes on. The first week I would cry randomly and just felt like staying in bed for the rest of my life. But now almost three weeks later I feel better...and are waiting for the next baby.
Do you have children? How old are you? Whats your preg. story?
I hope it all works out.

sorvete · 09-11-2008, 12:44 PM

Hi Quibby,

Thanks so much for your message. As for waiting a week for another sonogram, that really confused me, too. My husband and I have been wondering if it's just the medical culture here--that for whatever reason, they are more hesitant about going ahead with a D&C before further information. I'm also supposed to be travelling on Saturday, so that may have influenced the doctor's decision to get another ultrasound later--she may have thought that getting a D&C now would delay my trip and could just as easily be done elsewhere.

I guess what I'm confused about is, could there be any other possibility other than a failed pregnancy? I am certain about the day my period started and I've been pretty regular over the past two years. I also had slight bleeding right when my period would have started (now about six weeks ago), which was one of the first clues I might be pregnant, since it seemed like implantation bleeding. As I said, the ambiguity about this has been awful. Part of me is just dealing with the pain of a miscarriage, but then I feel guilty about doing that, because I don't have any certainty.

As for my history, I'm 32 and this is my first ever pregnancy. My husband and I had been trying off and on for about two years, so we were absolutely thrilled.

sorvete · 09-19-2008, 04:04 PM

I just wanted to send in an update, in case anyone else is struggling with the same ambiguity. Unfortunately, I did end up having a miscarriage. It started this past Monday early morning, when I woke up bleeding and quickly passed the sack. I went to the doctor later that morning and she did an exam and ordered an ultrasound and decided I needed an "aspiration" [a D&C in French, although with suction] the next day. I was grateful to get the D&C because the day before I was in a lot of pain. The pain has gradually eased up during the week.

This is such a sad and disorienting experience. Both my husband and I have spent the week in a fog, unable to focus on anything. The only thing we've done is sign up for classes (we're each learning a new language), which I think will be something fun and new to help us move on. We still want to try again but I want to wait at least two months. The idea of this happening again is still too scary.

imtuppence · 09-19-2008, 05:16 PM

Wow...I had the very same experience, only we conceived through IVF. My one and only pregnancy. My boobs grew fast but I never did feel pregnant. My OB suggested a D&C immediately, as there was no sense of experiencing a miscarriage if I didn't have to. My only regret was they were unable to tell me the sex as they couldn't separate the tissue.

My heart truly goes out to you as I do know how you feel.

tup