5w instead of 7w? Really confused?!

[sigh]

Sometimes a blighted ovum is not a blighted ovum.

This is longgg so I outlined the timing at the bottom for those who don't want to read through this.

It's been quite a week for us. At what was supposed to be 6W 3D, I had some mild cramping that became severe for a few minutes. I called my OB and she told me to go to the emergency room. I had an emergency scan (transvaginal) and they found an "abnormal collection of fluid". They told me it was a miscarriage, handed me some papers about miscarriage/threatened abortion/blighted ovum and said sorry. I also had a blood draw that showed my HCG at 8495 which is good for 6 weeks. I called my OB and she had me come in the next day to talk about my options. She told me it looked like it's an abnormal pregnancy (blighted ovum) and I need to wait another week for a scan to be sure.

So after spending the week googling and thinking I'm walking around with a blighted ovum (the few symptoms I had disappeared at this point), I went back to her office this morning (7w 3d). She did a transvaginal ultrasound and found nothing but 2 cyst like objects but again, no baby. She said she hadn't really seen anything like this before and said that it's an abnormal pregnancy. She wrote me a prescription for Cytotec to start the miscarriage but told me to wait a day before filling it. I read A LOT about misdiagnosed miscarriages this week so regardless of what she said, I planned to let the miscarriage happen naturally. She wanted me to get my blood drawn one more time and said she'd send me to a radiologist who specialized in women's health. I got a same day appointment and went in the afternoon.

The woman tried an abdominal ultrasound first and immediately saw a baby (measuring 5 w 5d) and a little flicker of a heartbeat (rate 101 bpm). I could not believe my eyes, since I've been walking around the last week thinking I had an empty sac in me. They also found another sac which they are calling a "collection of blood" which they said is normal and happens to some women.

So my confusion. I recently got my period back in May after having my 1st child and stopped breastfeeding in July so my period/ovulation is all over the place. I got my first positive pregnancy test on August 20, almost 3 weeks ago. By their estimated timing, I found out I was pregnant at 2W 6D. Isn't that impossible? It also puts my 4w 5d HCG levels at 8495 which is CRAZY high. Could that "collection of blood" be a lost twin? This all makes absolutely no sense to me.

LMP - July 19 (the 2 before that were June 12 and May 12) I was breastfeeding my daughter and didn't get my period back until May 12.

Positive test - Aug 20 faint positive

Scan #1 - Sept 2nd (6w 3d based on LMP) - No baby, just an "abnormal collection of fluid". HCG levels 8495
Scan #2 - September 9th (7w 3d based on LMP) - Baby found with heartbeat (101 bpm) measuring 5 w 5 d. Another sac also found being called "a collection of blood" That would put my positive pregnancy test at 2w 6d.

 

[melfy77]

Well it's not an exact science. It could be a twin, but it could very well be one healthy baby and you just have a high hcg level With DD2 my levels were 29 000 at 4w5d, which is also super high, and the scan showed I was more like 5 1/2 weeks pregnant, and no sign of a lost twin

 

[Mintastic]

Sorry, no advice but so glad your bean is okay.
You should share your story on the misdiagnosed miscarriage site if you haven't already.

 

[Breeelizabeth]

The collection of blood probably wasn't a twin, it is just something that can happen at conception, happened to me and a lot of other women here.
Here's to a happy and healthy 9 months for you love xx

 

[RebeccaR19]

Reading through all of this, I did have a couple of things come to my mind. Occasionally, early ultrasounds can be slightly off. So, even though the baby measured 5 weeks 5 days, you could have really just been at the beginning of the 6th week. While that does put you a week behind based on your LMP, that has now happened to me in both of my pregnancies. I have always measured a week behind from what my LMP should be. So, you technically would have found out at 3 weeks. But I also know that is possible because I found out I was pregnant with my son at 3 weeks.
I am just really happy that you did see your baby. I have read posts on here many times where they couldn't find anything and then a week or two later, they found the baby. So, whenever I see someone wanting to give up at 5-6 weeks for seeing nothing, I just try to encourage them not to be so sure just yet! This story is even more proof for that!

 

[kategirl]

I'd guess that you're positive hpt was really early (I got a BFP with my daughter at 3w2d and this time at 3w1d; it happens) and that the US was just slightly off (it's easy for them to be a few days off, especially that early). Some women have higher HCG levels than others, and if you implanted on the early side (also giving an early positive) then your levels would naturally be higher at 4w5d.

Fx that all goes well!