Ultrasound shows empty sac at 7 weeks - any advice?

[Anonymous]

I'm looking for some advice or support from women who have experienced an empty sac on their ultrasound.

I'm not sure how far along I am due to my irregular periods so the Doctor has been doing weekly ultrasounds. However the sac is growing (9mm to 16mm to 22mm) but it appears to be empty. I haven't had any bleeding, cramping or any signs of a possible miscarriage. In fact my pregnancy symptoms are getting worse everyday. The Doctor is not optimistic and recommends a D&C but I feel uncomfortable and would rather wait to see what my body does naturally if this pregnancy isn't viable.

I've read enough online that a tilted uterus can interfer with the ultrasound but my Doctor dismished this. I also read at least two dozen stories where women were told the same thing (empty sac) and then at 10, 11, 12 weeks a heartbeat was found. I am getting a second opinion ultrasound on Monday as well.

Thanks for reading about my experience, I appreciate your thoughts!!!!

[Anonymous]

I am so sorry for the news your doctor is giving you. I am glad to hear that you are getting a second opinion on Monday. Is the dr concerned taht there is no heartbeat or fetal pole but the sac is still growing? Do you know if your beta's are still rising? I had every other week ultrasounds until the heartbeat at my reproductive endocrinologist. She was going to give me until week 9 or 10 to hear the heartbeat. I think we saw it at 7.5 weeks. I have read that the heartbeat often is not apparent until after week 8. I was on the www.ovusoft.com boards when I was trying and they were very supportive, gave great advice about this sort of thing as well as provided a lot of links to find more articles and research. You may try those boards as well. Good luck and I will be thinking of you.
D

[Anonymous]

I would not only get a 2nd opinion ultrasound but a 2nd opinion from another OB. If you want to wait it out, the OB shouldn't be suggesting a D&C. Hang in there - sorry you are going through this.

[Anonymous]

This happened to me with my first pregnancy, except for me it was with an 8 week ultrasound. There was an empty sac and the doctor suggested I come back in a week to see if I'd just miscalculated my last period. I ended up making the appointment for 10 days later and I miscarried the night before my appointment. Looking back on it, I'm glad I miscarried that way. I wouldn't have wanted a d&c and I wouldn't have wanted to just wait for it to happen. I wish you all the best and hope you have a different outcome.

FWIW, I got pregnant again 2 months later and my son is now 4.

[Anonymous]

This happened to me. I had an immediate D&C. In retrospect, I wish I had waited a week or two then gotten a second opinion. My doctor really felt like it was something I needed to take care of right away and DH thought it was false hope to delay. I was caught up in the emotions. Sometimes I still wonder if they could have been wrong, but what is done is done.

I'm sorry for your loss. I know it is heartbreaking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This happened to me. I had an immediate D&C. In retrospect, I wish I had waited a week or two then gotten a second opinion. My doctor really felt like it was something I needed to take care of right away and DH thought it was false hope to delay. I was caught up in the emotions. Sometimes I still wonder if they could have been wrong, but what is done is done.

I'm sorry for your loss. I know it is heartbreaking.

I meant to say I am sorry for what you are going through!

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for your thoughts, it really helps to hear other people's stories. Interestingly my Dr. has not been monitoring my beta/hcg levels which I'm still not sure why. The Dr. wanted to see a yolk and a pole at this point, a heartbeat would be even better. I've read enough other stories that many women skip the yolk/pole part and the heartbeat appears at week 9 or 10.

I appreciate the ovusoft website suggestion, I haven't even been there and just found a ton of information. My intuition is to wait until my second opinion and proceed from there. If I'm meant to miscarry than I'd like to do it naturally.

Would you recommend your reproductive endocrinoligist?

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

PP here -- I really do love my RE overall - her skills, experience and that fact I have known 2 other people who worked with her. We took a lot of time researching RE that participated in our insurance. She was rated at a top dr from washingtonian several times as well as other great recommendations online. However, her beside manner is not always as comforting as one might think a RE might be. If you would to discuss anything else, feel free to contact me offline at dmladay at yahoo dot com

Her name is Dr. Rafat Abbassi and she worked out of VHC. Her number is [phone]
1635 North George Mason Drive, Ste155
Arlington, VA 22205-3601
http://www.midatlanticfertility.com

Good luck

[Anonymous]

I would get a 2nd opinion too. Have you been told before that you have a tilted uterus? I have one but have known since I was a teenager. I personally didn't have any issues seeing the heartbeat at 7 weeks but everyone is different.

[Anonymous]

I belong to another forum where many women all due in the same birth month were on a forum together. There were SO many posts like this early on and some of them had happy endings. Also, the same time many doctors do not even like to do the first ultrasound until 8 weeks because it's hard to see. Especially if you are not sure when you conceived, there could certainly be some hope. It sounds like you are bracing for the worst, which is probably smart (doesn't everyone do this early in pregnancy anyway...i know I did). But it's good that you're following your instincts. Many women who have miscarried say they just "know" that something is wrong, and oftentimes it turns out they are right. Instincts are valid, whether they lead you to a healthy baby or (fingers crossed that this is not the case) letting your body do what it needs to do naturally. Even if it is bad news you need to ultimately have a D & C, what can it hurt to let it ride a little bit? By the way, I am pulling for you and hope so sincerely that yours lead you to a healthy baby. Good luck OP!

[Anonymous]

PP here -- I mistyped that. Obviously my fingers are crossed that your instints lead you to a healthy baby!!! My fingers are definitely NOT crossed that this is "not the case," like I mistakenly typed. So sorry about that...it must read horrifyingly!

[Anonymous]

PP - I didn't even read your "typo", no worries -I appreciate your kindness and helpful information

OP - thank you for your kind words as well, I found comfort in reading to trust my instinct. I keep thinking that if the ultrasound didn't show the empty sac (lets saw I didn't have one yet), I would completely feel normal and VERY pregnant.

I'll post after my second opinion appointment on Monday.

Thank you so much!!!