So I was actually nervous about the ultrasound leading up to it. I kept asking F, "what do you think we will see?" Our responses ranged from the practical to the silly to the macabre: From absolutely nothing (in which my body simply absorbed everything), to the outline of the Virgin Mary to Eraserhead to a teratoma. I was eventually relieved to see the familiar, yet sad, Empty Sac.
To put things in perspective, since this time around, I was actually in a state to take note of the measurements my RE was giving the nurse, I made a little drawing of gestational sac size by week (not including fetal poles and the development of the fetus). For a comparison I included my measurements.
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| i was hoping that by clicking on the image you could view it in actual size, so small! you'll have to get your ruler out instead. |
I find information in the weirdest of Internet places. The American Pregnancy Association was very disappointing in their cautious approach to giving definitive measurements based on the high variation found in early pregnancy, blah, blah, blah, don't want to scare us. Anyway, I ended up on a military obstetrics and gynecology site with information on first trimester ultrasound scans. As in, "How To." According to this site, the way to date the pregnancy based on gestational sac size is to add the diameter of the sac in days to 4 weeks. After 4 weeks the sac grows at a rate of about 1mm per day. So if the diameter of the sac is 11mm (what mine was at 6w3d), you would add 11 days to 4 weeks. Dating would then be 5w4d for an 11mm sac (This is consistent with what my RE told me, that I was measuring a week behind at the first u/s).
Fun with miscarriage!
8 comments:
I am so sorry you are having to go through this for so long. I think you are being very brave in the way you are sharing information about your experience. Thinking of you...
I understand your analytical approach to this. When I was miscarrying, my first doctor just sort of said "undersized misshapen sac, too small embryo" and I started begging him for more detailed information. He gave me some more vague numbers and moved on. Getting the actual details from the sonographer the next scan and for each subsequent scan as we watched the miscarriage complete made me feel better somehow. I like details and I like numbers.
Thank you for sharing this incredibly difficult process.
I remember having these kind of confusing thoughts when waiting to miscarriage too - because of the whole empty sac, no embryo situation. In fact, I still refer to this time as when I was pregnant but not pregnant. Somehow thinking I was pregnant but not pregnant made it easier for me.
It seems wrong to say I hope you miscarry soon - but I hope you get to forward on soon. Thinking of you.
I gave you the Liebster Award :D
Keep on posting! I look forward to your posts!
Here from ICLW. I too had an empty sac pregnancy in October. I choose to take Misoprostol as I couldn't fathom 'waiting' for a miscarriage to begin. This horrific episode was close on the tails of a missed miscarriage I had in June where I went in for a 12 week ultrasound only to find out the fetus died at 9 weeks. I did misoprostol for that but needed a DnC to clean out retained 'product'. Good luck! You seem so very strong!
Oh Jill, I am so sorry you are going through this. I went through multiple pregnancy losses in my battle against secondary infertility and don't wish the experience on anyone. {{{Hugs}}} and prayers.
ICLW #66
also thinking of you...no matter how it happens, it's never easy. warm thoughts and hugs coming your way.
Found your blog through ICLW. I'm very sorry that you are experiencing a miscarriage, but it sounds like you are handling it very well (little comfort, I'm sure). If being detached and analytical helps you survive this, there is nothing wrong with that. For all you know, you are helping someone else just like you by validating their views, too. I pray you are able to move forward very soon.
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