I was 5 + 1 weeks pregnant yesterday following a FET with a PGS tested embryo. I’m 40 and this is my first ever pregnancy. Everything was looking good with great HCG levels. I was healthy so was my uterus. Then yesterday morning I woke to a dull ache in my lower abdomen, just like when I’m about to get my period. I then found some significant spotting which over the course of the next two hours turned into bright red bleeding with a few clots. The cramps (not intermittent but a steady dull ache) dissipated after about 4 hours but the bleeding continued and I filled a long pad in about 6 hours. Then it started to slow down and after another 3 hours it completely stopped. I feel fine now, 24 hours later. No cramps no blood and the bloating I’d had is all gone. Sorry for the TMI but I’d also been massively constipated which resolved itself at the beginning of the heavy flow.
The EPAU can’t see me until tomorrow but suspect it’s a miscarriage but that was yesterday when I was still bleeding. Has anyone experienced anything like this where there’s blood and pain and clots but then it all stops? I was getting terrible pimples on my face up until yesterday but this morning they’ve all settled down too. I didn’t have many other symptoms and the sore boobs only started the day before the bleed. Still tender now but not as much.
It’s driving me bonkers knowing it’s quite probably over but a glimmer of hope because of the briefness of the bleeding in comparison to my usual 4 day mid-heavy period bleed.
Thanks for listening team xx
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Lillilly
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I’ve had 4 miscarriages from 6 weeks up to 12 weeks and the bleeding once it starts generally last about a week start to finish. Although with some of the earlier ones I’d have a few days of on and off spotting first. On another one I had a larger one I’d bleed and then it started a couple of days later x
I’m so sorry you went through so many miscarriages. It’s really rotten and unfair. Thanks for sharing your experiences. I fear maybe it’s like the last one you described and I’m just experiencing a brief lull before the storm. I’m hoping not, but it does not look good. Xx
I have bled a lot more than that during my MC, one word of warning it’s unlikely at this stage that much will be visible to EPU so I am sorry but I am not sure your visit will be completely conclusive. Good luck x
Thanks Daisy. I managed to get an HCG test at the GP yesterday so we’ll have some sort of marker for when they take bloods tomorrow but I think you’re right in that tomorrow may not give me a straight answer. Thanks for the heads up. It gives me the mental space to prepare at least. X
I’m sorry you’re going through this uncertainty truly awful. I have had spotting with all my pregnancies- my grown up son I bled like a period at 7 weeks told it was a threatened miscarriage, my 15 month old daughter I spotted between 6-14 weeks mostly brown blood but I did have fresh red blood with small blood clots, this pregnancy ( I’m 12 weeks 6 days) I spotted brown blood a few days after ovulation & I’ve had spotting most days with 5 episodes of fresh blood with small blood clots & baby is fine! With my chemical pregnancy I had I had severe abdominal pain ( like doubled over not mild twinges which are normal for early pregnancy) & the bleeding got heavier it was gushing I couldn’t leave the toilet coz it was so heavy with huge like size of my fist clots it lasted 3 days & didn’t taper off. Good luck for tomorrow I hope all goes well xxx
Omg Jess, that sounds all so traumatic! But also reassuring to me, so thank you. I have no idea how to feel right now. After the certainty of miscarriage yesterday I’m now feeling more hopeful it may be something else. My clots were nowhere near as big as yours (perhaps length and width of half a thumb) and the pain was early dull ache before period starts. But like ivfgotadream above said, it can stop for a few days apparently. 😩 This Rollercoaster ivf journey is relentless. X
Thank you I have literally have the worst scary early pregnancies this is definitely my last one! It’s awful not knowing what is happening, but I hope yours is harmless early pregnancy bleeding that is so common. The midwives always told me unless I was having severe abdominal pain with heavy bleeding like a pad an hour not to worry ( impossible not to worry!) it can be cervix which is very sensitive in early pregnancy especially if you’re inserting progesterone. Bad bowel movements can also cause bleeding . Implantation also happens again at 5 weeks my sister had heavy bleeding at 5 weeks which was implantation she had a successful pregnancy.Its not always bad news. I have everything crossed for you xxx
I had no idea that implantation can happen so late or again even. Everything you’ve said gives me hope. The bowel movement, the irritated cervix etc. I got my HCG results from yesterday blood test and they are bang on where they are supposed to be and the test was taken as the bleeding was starting to ease. I’ll take this as a positive for now. I’ll deal with the negatives later. X
when I miscarried at 5-6 weeks the pain lasted only one day the bleeding lasted about a week. The bleeding you describe sounds a lot like my subchorionic hematoma bleeds though so for a glimmer of hope it could be that? Were the clots just blood or did they contain tissue? Xx
Oh that’s really interesting. Gosh I hope it’s that. My pain (which was mild) lasted no more than 4 hours. Am starting to wonder if it was constipation pain (sorry for TMI 😂)though I’ve never experienced it like that before and it certainly felt more like period pain.
As for the clots they were smooth red and jelly like. Few little bumpy bits but that could have been leftover Crinone gel which goes a bit lumpy and white. Also, there was no pain when the clots passed (there were 2 about the size of half a thumb) and then just sort of “fell out”. My friend who’s a midwife said it sounded like blood that had pooled after lying down for a while. I don’t know, this is all first time for me.
Thanks for sharing your experience. This has definitely got my hopes up! Ps: what do you do with a hematoma? Bed rest? Move?
I went on complete bed rest for 2 weeks And then took it really easy for another 2 weeks and at 8 weeks scan they could no longer see it and they think it’s absorbed into body or bleed out. I’m just waiting on next scan to confirm all is still okay but the amount of stories of bleeding but people going on to have healthy pregnancies I received did give me hope 🤗 I’m really rooting for you xxx
Thanks for the advice. I’m resting now because regardless of what is going on, I feel whacked. How many weeks are you now? Do they think the hematoma could return or is that it now. Yeah, I think you and I are probably all over the success stories. Xx
Hoping it all positive xx this happened to me back in February first time pregnant then went for 6 week scan no sac was found and because I was on medication I never bleed until I stopped taking the meds but I’ll never forget the pain of that period only lasted 2 days but never experienced a period like that before or since xx but after i picked myself up and I said I’ve done it before I can do this again xx now I’m just waiting for the date of my egg collection but be positive every one if different xx wishing you all the best xx
I had 4 egg collections but never anything to transfer. I can’t imagine going from egg collection straight to transfer. We’re using donor eggs so our wonderful donor does the hard bit for me. (Love her so much for that). The average person doesn’t realise how tough this is, on every level. You’re such a trooper! And you’re right, you’ve done it once before and you can do it again. We’re so bloody resilient (pun slightly intended 😉).
It’s over 24 hrs since the bleeding stopped and I haven’t had any cramps, just slightly tender. Yesterday’s cramps were quite mild so I just hope this isn’t the calm before the storm 😞
Hey lovely, I’m so sorry you’re having such a worrying time. I had a mc at 5 1/2 weeks and I bleed for the best part of a week but also had the most excruciating cramps alongside it. The absence of painful cramps is a good sign I think so hoping it’s good news for you but definitely rest up for the next few days xxx
Thanks Kibo and I’m so sorry to hear about your mc. That sounds really traumatic. Luckily I’ve not had that sort of pain yet so hopefully you’re right. It’s so hard to tell and could go either way. Xx
Hi with my last pregnancy I had 2 tiny bits of blood nothing else at 6w then had a scan at 8+5w was looking blighted then I bled on and off for 2w no pain or clots then I decided to have an mva as my body was hanging onto the pregnancy and it had gone on long enough. This was my 3rd and was different to the 2 previous. Fingers crossed it wasn’t a miscarriage for you x best of luck
That sounds emotionally and physically really tough. Our bodies are so peculiar at times. It does sound like we’ve had a similar experience. Did you have your HCG levels checked at the time? I had mine taken yesterday afternoon just as the bleeding was starting to ease. They’ve doubled as they should have, but I also know that it will take time for hcg to come down and tomorrow’s bloods will give a better indication. 😫
This is so hard. Where are you at with your treatment now? Crossing everything for you that next one is a sticky little bean xxx
Yes they were 17500 rose to 23000 in a couple of days so they thought originally was ectopic but eventually found the yolk sac where it was suppose to be.
When I had my scan my sac was an abnormal shape couldn’t find the yolk sac so they thought it could be in my Fallopian tube which wouldn’t be good and because my hcg had risen but not doubled and not high enough really to be around 9w it was a pending mc but they needed to find the pregnancy so had another scan eventually found it then we could do the normal 2w wait to see growth then decide the next step. If your hcg is doubling that’s a good sign fingers crossed they monitor it and u get a scan soon x
Sadly, I now understand what you mean about irregular sac. It was complete foreign speak to me before yesterday. They found my gestational sac pretty quickly and it has the yolk and an early fetal node, but the gestational sac is collapsed. It’s supposed to be round but mine is pinched at one end looking like a tear drop. Sometimes they can recover but odds are extremely low. But sod it, I’ve always been on the shitty odds end. I’m owed some good odds for once!! So I’m telling myself it’s going to be ok. (Ish) x
Well when they found the actually pregnancy they didn’t mention the sac was abnormal again they were pretty excited that it might actually grow which concerned me abit as I would have been 10w but measured 5 so I didn’t think it would be good news, had to wait another 2w then it was definitely not viable.
This sounds like my miscarriage at a similar stage BUT I’ve heard other women still going on to have babies despite similar sounding stories to yours. I don’t want you to get your hopes up but I also don’t want you to give up hope as this could still go either way even though that’s not helpful for your worry and anxiety. I truly wish you all the best and hope it’s not over for you xxx
Thanks Scarlett, I know exactly what you mean. On the one hand I need to hear stories of hope but at same time I need to be realistic and know it could go the other way. I’m so sorry you went through your mc.
Thanks for your wishes. I had good results from yesterday’s hcg but that could have been the peak. Will find out more tomorrow/next few days. Xx
Good news on the hcg! Fingers crossed for you xxx I got pregnant and had my baby the transfer after my miscarriage so don’t give up hope no matter which way this goes (it took me 3 rounds and 8 transfers)! X
Hi ladies, thanks again for all the well wishes and advice. Also for anyone searching this topic in the future, I thought it would be helpful to make a note of what’s happened. (I’ve been googling scenarios and not finding answers myself).
So:
The sonographer found the embryo (gestational sac, yolk and fetal node at 5 + 3 weeks) however the sac appears collapsed. It’s not clear if the bleed caused the collapse or if the bleed was a warning of an impending miscarriage due to the collapsed sac. There wasn’t anything else visible which would explain the origins of the bleed. The doctor and sonographer told us to prepare for a miscarriage. 💔Sometimes the sac can repair itself, but this is rare. I’m due to return to the clinic next weekend for a follow up scan to see If there’s been any growth, if there’s a heart beat (yesterday was too early to tell) and to review the shape of the sac. As for the bleeding, it is their opinion that I will probably start to bleed again once my body recognises the end of the pregnancy which could be in a few days or few weeks. Until then I am going to remain hopeful that we are the rare odds of it still working out. I can’t do negative thinking or worrying anymore. It doesn’t prepare me an iota for the pain so might as well enjoy “being pregnant” for as long as I can.
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