6 weeks and no fetal pole - UPDATE ON PAGE 4

[ohiomom]

Morning Everyone - I am new to this and at this stage in my pregnancy, I am around 6 weeks pregnant. The first day of my last period was 6/22 and I usually have 31 day cycles. I went to the fertility office yesterday for an u/s so they can release me to my obgyn. Well, the doctor and a doctor in training did a transvaginal u/s and could not find the fetal pole. He looked and looked but found nothing. Both thought they saw something, but when I talked to him again about it, he said he was not confident that was the fetal pole. The gestational sac was large and at 6w2d; however I think that is stretching it completely. I have been trying for over a year now and already have a beautiful 5 year old daughter. I was distraught after I left the doctor and actually called his nurse because I was so stressed. The doctor actually called me back and told me that by now, he should see something and doesn't; which alarms him. He told me I have a 40% chance of having a viable pregnancy.

I go back in a week for another u/s. I am at a loss for words. This pregnancy is so different than the first. I am not throwing up and I have very little pregnancy symptoms, other than fatigue, running to the bathroom all the time and extreme hunger. Some of these symptoms are better; which also worries me. I just don't know what I am going to do with myself for the next week. I am sad and depressed. I just want to know.

If I don't have a viable pregnancy, why haven't I lost the baby? Does anyone have any words of advice?

 

[hearthappy]

I'm so sorry, but there is still hope. I have heard lots of these type stories and at the next ultrasound, they see a baby with a heartbeat! It's going to be a tough week of worry. But try and keep yourself busy...I think that is what helps me. I get worse when I sit around and research the internet! Good luck to you!

 

[GradMommy]

I am so sorry that you're having to go through this! My thoughts and prayers are with you during this time. I too had to go in for an early scan, and they saw a sac, but no fetal pole. They had me come in a week late to do another ultrasound, and sure enough there was a little heartbeat! Don't lose faith! What happened to me was that my dates were off by 5 days - apparently enough to change up what they saw and when. Even though I KNOW the exact date I conceived Bubs through ovulation tracking, etc., it just took awhile longer than I thought to implant.

Don't lose all hope, your dates may be off, or your body is just slower than the "average woman" all doctors like to compare us to. I don't have ANY symptoms either, literally none. You're not alone, and I'll be thinking of you. Do you have another scan set up?

 

[GradMommy]

I just re-read your post and saw that you do have another scan coming up. My best advice for that week (I've been there too!!) is to stay far far away from googling or researching the horror stories on the internet. I had myself twisted inside out from reading that crap, thinking it was determined already and done. I'm not going to say not to worry or stress, because there's no way you won't be able to not do either. Don't overload yourself with the research and internet searches. It's a long hard week, but, you'll get through it. I took my DD to the park, overnight at Grandma's, shopping, you name it to keep busy. DH was just as bad as I was in the stress and worry department, talk to your SO and take comfort in anything you can. God Bless you my friend, I'll say prayers for you.

 

[ohiomom]

Thanks so much for the kind words. It's miserable. I always just assumed that if I was going to miscarry, I would know because I would have cramping and bleeding. I don't have any of that. It really makes no sense to me.

 

[AveryATL]

Unfortuntely, the only thing you can do is wait. Of course, that is also the hardest thing to do. It could either just be too early to see, or could be a blighted ovum. There is a great website, called www.misdiagnosedmiscarriage.com which has lots of information about blighted ovums, and also stories where they have been misdiagnosed, or diagnosed WAY too early, which may be the case in your story. They just change so much in the beginning, that just a few days can make a world of difference.

I had a blighted ovum in Feb. of this year.

IF it is a blighted ovum, because your gestational sac is present and growing, your body is still producing hormones, it just takes a while for your body to realize that the baby isn't growing in there. Some people don't naturally miscarry until 10-12 weeks. There are other alternatives, but you don't need to worry about those until you cross that bridge. Until then, just stay positive that the LO is just a bit of a late bloomer.

 

[MummytoSummer]

I'm so sorry you're going through this and have a horrible wait until your next ultrasound. But I've heard of so many women whose drs fail to see anything until their 7th week of pregnancy, even a day or 2 can make all the difference in seeing that development so please don't lose hope. Plus all that aside you could have ovulated or implanted slightly earlier than you first thought which could make you earlier than 6 weeks and as I said even a day or 2 can make all the difference.

As for the lack of symptoms then I'd just count yourself as one of the lucky ones, I had no symptoms while pregnant with my daughter and have had zero symptoms this time around too. I feel so unpregnant it's untrue! If I didn't know for sure I was pregnant then I'd swear I wasn't, BUT I had a perfect ultrasound on Thursday so it just goes to dhow that symptoms, or lack of, don't mean a thing!

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you though and hope all is well!

X

 

[beachlover1]

my LMP was 17/6 when i was 5+5 there was NOTHING in my sac!!!! you only need to be a couple of days out, which could be late ov, late implantation etc then you would see nothing!! wait a week...i did and saw a HB!!!!!

I have zero symptoms too...they are maybe now just starting, feel a bit sick but thats all!!

 

[beachlover1]

oh and lack of symptoms certainly doesnt mean a BO!! BO will still produce the hormones that make you sick etc. Good luck.....and remember if you have a 31 day cycle. like me you probably dont ovulate til at least day 16!!! you maybe only 6 weeks today/tomorrow ?????

 

[roxursox302]

I just read on a pregnancy week by week article that at 6 weeks only 86% percent of pregnancies show a fetal pole with a heatbeat. There is hope! Take this next week and relax and try not to get yourself down and out. I know its hard. Good luck!

 

[jenniferttc1]

When I went in at 6+1 my babys heartbeat was only 102, doctor said it was low, and heart just started beating. The ultrasound tech warned me that there was a chance I wouldnt see a heartbeat cause it was early. I wouldnt worry to much yet, it happens to alot of ladies with early scans, thats why I hate them

 

[Xiaohuii]

Ohiomum, I'm in exact situation as you. My last menses 21june and is on 30-33 days cycle. Hence I should be a six weeks now..A scan on Friday shows nothing except a sac. Will be going for another scan next week. Before that, I would really avoid reading forums and webbies about ob/mc to avoid getting over paranoid (though I been studying them past few weeks!) I hope u stay away from them too & stay positive for your Bb. Update me next week!

 

[red mom2b]

This isn't my area of expertise or anything, but since I didn't know what a fetal pole was... I looked it up on Wikipedia. It says it usually shows up by 6.5 weeks, but it's still okay if it's later. It says it may not appear until week 9.

Best of luck to you. Keep busy and think positive!

 

[ohiomom]

Thanks Ladies!!

I have my next u/s on Thursday. I am actually slightly crampy, nauseated and had tendor nipples (TMI, I know) over the weekend. I don't know if it's in my head or what. I am trying to stay as positive as I can. I know I have longer than usual cycles, so I am holding out hope. I was just telling some friends before the initial u/s that I had a feeling this baby was going to be onry as my daughter is so good. Maybe this is a sign that the baby is in fact a little squirt!

I'll keep you all updated! Thanks again!

 

[tiggerz]

PLEASE DON'T PANIC YET!!!

With my dd I was scanned at 6w5d saw gest sac nothing else!!!! I went back 7w5d and we saw baby, yolk sac, HB!!!!! please don't give up yet hunny you may have been scanned a teeny bit too soon! Fingers crossed you see that little flicker next week - keep us posted!!! And goodluck!!!

 

[ohiomom]

Tiggerz - how did your doctor react when didn't have a fetal pole at 6w5d? Mine seemed so pessimistic.

 

[tiggerz]

Tiggerz - how did your doctor react when didn't have a fetal pole at 6w5d? Mine seemed so pessimistic.

He just said it's just a little early to see and explained how tiny everything is at that stage - he also said things looked good and the sac was nice and round indicating healthy! If things are going wrong apparently they kinda go flat like letting a balloon slowly deflate.

I'm sure you'll be ok hunny - I think you were scanned too early and IMO from my experience they shouldn't scan until 7 wks+ as it causes so much upset and stress when a baby isn't seen, but had the scan been done a few days later that stress wouldn't have been necessary xx

Goodluck! Please message me after your next scan - I don't want to miss your update xxxx

 

[jacobsmom]

I had an ultrasound at 6 weeks 1 day due to some bleeding. The gestational sac and yolk sac were present but no fetal pole. The doctor that I saw said it wasn't uncommon to not see the fetal pole present at that time. I went for a follow-up ultrasound at 7 weeks 3 days and there was the fetal pole with a heartbeat Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[sunkiss]

my first scan was @ 5 weeks 6 days and all they could see was a sac, they scheduled another for a week later and bam, there was my baby and a beautiful heartbeat, so please do not worry, they cant always see this early on, even with trans-vaginal scans, please keep us posted and relax hunny

oh and i had the same symptoms as u, just tired all the time n boobs hurt, didnt feel preggo @ all besides that.

 

[ohiomom]

One more day - I'll keep you all posted. Seems like it's been the longest week.....