Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
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 Ask Dr. Greenfield
Did Not See Fetus in Early Ultrasound | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
The first day of my last menstrual cycle was March 1. Last week I had my first doctor's appointment and they guesstimated my due date to be around December 6, making me seven weeks along. Today, however, I had an early ultrasound done. My uterus was elongated, and closed, and looked good according to my nurse. But nothing showed inside the sack. We definitely saw the sack itself but nothing inside. I gave blood to check the hormone levels but am so worried. This is my first pregnancy and I am scared to death. Is this normal? What exactly does this mean? Help my sanity!
— Worried and Scared in Henderson, Nevada | | | ANSWER |
May 25, 2001 | | | Dear Worried and Scared,
I can understand your concerns. While it is pretty common to have the ultrasound not match up with the dates, it can be a sign of impending miscarriage. Alternatively, it can be evidence that conception occurred later than your last period led you to believe.
One of the hardest things in this situation is waiting to get the answer. Sometimes it can take as much as a week to sort out whether the pregnancy is just younger than expected or whether it is miscarrying.
If it turns out that you are not as far along as you thought, that would be great news. If you are losing this pregnancy, your worst fears will have come true. But somehow you will deal with it and eventually recover. Miscarriage is very common and does not mean that you did anything to cause it, nor that you will have problems with future pregnancies.
I hope you get the good news you are seeking. If the worst happens, I hope that you work through the grieving process and go on to have a wonderful family in your future. Good luck to you. — by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
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