Aggressive transvaginal ultrasound and miscarriage

[Intothewoods2]

I am writing this, not to seek blame, but to ask if anyone has any experience of this. I was lucky enough to get to my 12 week scan after a frozen embryo transfer. Sadly that was the single worst experience of my life as there was no heartbeat,

We had had a scan at 9 weeks 5 days after spotting and cramps at the EPU. Baby was fine, moving a bit and measuring correctly. However, then the inexperienced and very nervous sonographer tried to locate my ovaries. She was poking around hard for nearly 20 mins as I gritted my teeth thinking this was probably normal. But I let out a couple of yelps. Visibly panicking she called in the supervisor who took over and then she said she couldn’t find the corpus luteum. There isn’t one when you have a medicated frozen transfer as I had. 🙄 So that pain was all for nothing and I was struck with guilt for not speaking up. And she was basically told off By supervisor for keeping me in pain. I wish that I’d asked to see the baby again at the end. Feel so so stupid.

I was happy to have seen baby alive and literally kicking though.

Two days later, I had worse bleeding and bad cramps. Back to epu where baby looked ok but was very curled up and had not grown. I figured it was two days so maybe ok, heartbeat was fine and sonographer (different one) was not concerned. Couldn’t find source of bleeding which stopped that day.

After seeing a heartbeat at 10 weeks, I think this reduces likelihood of miscarriage in first trimester. So we were starting to feel excited. Also our embryo tested pgta normal. But At the horrible 12 week scan the sonographers said straight away it was a chromosomal abnormality. I explained this was quite unlikely because it was pgta normal (not impossible, but not likely) . They then said it could have been something else. They also told me that the baby measured 4.5cm so it died around 11 weeks. However on the confirmation scan the next morning it measured 2.9 cm, only 1 mm more than at the first awful aggressive ultrasound. They also commented that the baby was In the same very curled up position, which I could see, and that this wasn’t normal. They asked me several times when I had had my last scan, as if they didn’t believe it. At one point I felt like asking what they wanted from me! I kept telling them the date!

I just feel it doesn’t add up. The healthy moving baby I saw seems to have stopped growing right after that scan, not at 11 weeks as we were first told.

A) does anyone know if the painful pushing around deep in my cervix for 20 mins, looking at my ovaries, could have damaged the baby somehow?

B) does anyone know how far pgta normal test result rules out chromosomal abnormalities?

I know there are a multitude of things that may have gone wrong at my age, 41, with an ivf pregnancy. But the measurements, timings etc just lead back to that first scan.

Should I follow this up? Or leave it? I am so so worried that scan might have caused the ‘embryonic demise’ and that I didn’t speak up for my baby and stop it when it felt wrong.

[Scarlett13]

Hello. I don’t know the answers to your questions, hopefully someone here will. I’m so so sorry to hear your news and I would be feeling exactly the same as you with the same questions. I’d like to think a vaginal ultrasound would not have impacted your baby but I’m not an expert. If I was you I would talk to your ivf clinic about this for their advice on it as well as following it up where you had the scan done. I can’t imagine how you must be feeling, what an awful experience you’ve been through. I really hope you at least get some answers xxx

[Intothewoods2 in reply to Scarlett13]

Thank you, we’re going to ask our IVF doc and make a complaint about the scan. It was a bad experience whatever the outcome.

[Hidden]

I don't have any answers to your questions, just want to send you love. I understand your pain having gone this a couple of times. So sorry love.. take all the time you need to grieve.. It is completely out of your hands and it's no fault of yours in anyway.

*Hugs Hugs Hugs

[Intothewoods2 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you x

[Leesara]

Like other replies, I don’t know the answer but wanted to share some understanding of how tough miscarriages can be especially after the 12 week stage. Thoughts are with you. Don’t be alone xx

[Intothewoods2 in reply to Leesara]

Thank you, pretty rough right now but we will get through it.

[Leesara in reply to Intothewoods2]

You may have already considered it, but after our first MC at 4 months, I accessed counselling to fully process the loss before moving on- really helped. Sending you lots of hope and positivity x

[Corchi]

I’m so sorry for this horrific ordeal you have been through. I don’t know the answer either but I’m my opinion a baby that is healthy usually survives incredible things. I have also done pgt testing and they told me that it is not 100% but more like an 85%. Then there are other reasons why it wouldn’t stick too and as my doctor says there is the 10% that we just do not know because not enough research has been done on miscarriages. Did you do a biopsy on the tissue to see if it had abnormal chromosomes? I’m so sorry for your pain. I’ve had 6 miscarriages so I really feel your pain. Here if you want to chat

[Intothewoods2 in reply to Corchi]

I am totally in awe of you for getting through 6 miscarriages. That must be so hard. My heart goes out to you. We asked for a biopsy but were told at the EPU that it was only an option for recurring miscarriage.

I guess we had been so lucky up to that point (3 eggs, 1 made day 5 and tested pgta normal), and having seen heartbeat at week 10, we were beginning to feel more secure. It seems very cruel.

[Corchi in reply to Intothewoods2]

I can imagine... I never relaxed until he was in my arms and I could have the control for his safety. It’s cruel I know and as soon as you relax shit can happen. I took my 2 year old to my scan at 3 months and baby popped on screen arms legs everything and I wanted to take a pic of my son with his sibling and the sonographer suddenly told me there is no heart beat. It was as you say the worst moment of my life and I’m still scarred. I don’t know how we get through these things but we do. I never forget though even though I wish I could!! Your very brave and take time to heal and pick yourself up again ....

[Hidden]

I'm so very sorry you had this experience. I've had similar painful ultrasounds. One was actually when I was having a pregnancy of unknown location and the sonograoher was training someone and would not let up even when I yelled out. I didn't speak up either I was just not in my right mind. I don't know if that can cause an mc as I wouldn't think they'd be allowed to do them without warning people there's a chance it could impact the pregnancy. However I don't know. Its natural to want answers and to blame something. I'd definitely make a complaint just about your experience in the least. So sorry for your loss

[Intothewoods2 in reply to Hidden]

Yes, I think I will make the complaint anyway, as it was a very poor experience. And it’s not a great feeling when you have to explain your scan to them!

[ttcemmie]

Really sorry to hear about your miscarriage. From my understanding those scans are perfectly safe, although yours sounds horrendous and I agree with you making a complaint about it! Don't blame yourself. It's awful that you have lost your baby, but it's definitely not your fault. I also lost my baby after seeing movement and a heartbeat at 10 weeks. At the 12 week scan they said development had stopped W10D5. I wasn't expecting it; went in to that scan all lightness and joy. Really thought we were in the all-clear. Still think about that baby every day.

I think "chromosomal abnormality" is just something they say when you have a miscarriage because actually they have no idea. There isn't enough research done in to miscarriages, unfortunately. 🙁

Lots of love at this difficult time. xxxx