Hi lovely people, I'm just looking for some advice or some positive success stories as I'm worried sick right now, I had a positive pregnancy test on the 2nd of April (my original test date and I wasn't due to have my first scan until the 23rd of this month April, but Sunday just gone I had some brown spotting and got really freaked out so went to the hospital and explained that we'd gone through ivf and was worried, they then booked us an early scan the next day so Monday the 15th, on the scan I got so upset because all they could see was the gestational sac and the yolk sac but no fetus, she told me to not worry because I'm probably only around 5/5 and a half weeks so it's still early, but I've called my fertility clinic this morning and the nurse told me at that time I would of been 6 weeks and 3 days and she's now booked me in Monday for my first scan, so what I'm really trying to ask is shouldn't I be seeing a fetus+ a heartbeat at over 6 weeks pregnant or am I doomed and should prepare for the worse I'm so upset thinking this won't be good news! Thank you and and replies would be appreciated 🙏
(Sensitive post for some): Hi lovely... - Fertility Network UK
(Sensitive post for some)
Ah I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Sounds incredibly stressful.
Waiting for these scans is really tough, I’ve been in similar boat to you.
Firstly, it’s important to remember that no one on the internet can tell you definitively what’s happening inside you and there’s nothing you can google that will change the outcome - I’m just saying that as this was what I kept reminding myself when I was waiting for a scan to confirm a miscarriage.
Truth is yes at 6+3 most people will see a foetus or fetal pope. A heartbeat is possible at that stage but it’s only after 7 weeks that you should definitely see one. But foetuses will grow at differnt rates so the only way to know for sure if it is a healthy at this early stage is to see if there’s been growth between one scan and the next.
Happy to answer any questions about my own experience if you have any.
Look after yourself as you wait for the scan.
Thank you for replying so quickly! It really is so stressful I actually feel this is more stressful than the 2ww which I never thought was possible, I'm just holding onto hope that I'm still getting some pregnancy symptoms but I also know you can keep having them after a loss so it's just so confusing, I have stopped spotting now I had it for 3 days but it never got heavier and was always brown not red so maybe that's possibly good? I hope you don't mind me asking but did you full on bleed with your miscarriage and how did they confirm it/ what was seen on your scan if you had one? I understand if you don't want to go through the ins and outs as I can imagine the pain of miscarriage xx
I will write out what happened to me incase it’s useful hearing my story. But trigger warning it does involve pregnancy loss, incase you don’t want to read on.
I had an IUI procedure which resulted in a positive test, my clinic scanned me at 5+6 and saw the sac and fetal pole and were happy with that. They weren’t sure if the heartbeat was visible, but that’s normal at this early stage, so said to go back a week later to make sure all was developing well. Had second scan at 7+0 where they said there had been no growth and couldn’t see heartbeat. I had no bleeding at all. I went straight to the EPU and was scanned there - they saw a yolk sac and gestational sac but couldn’t see fetal pole. This was on same day as scan at my fertility clinic, so just shows how different people can interpret scans differently.
EPU said they could not diagnose a miscarriage as what they could see was a healthy 5/5 and half week pregnancy. I told them I’d had fertility treatment so I know 100% my dates and there was no chance I had my dates wrong, but they couldn’t confirm a miscarriage until they saw me again a week later and could confirm no growth. Some foetuses might just grow slower, so one scan alone isn’t enough.
So I had to wait the longest week of my life! Still had no bleeding but knew deep down it wasn’t going to be good. By that point I just wanted to bleed it all out and have it over with. But my body kept thinking I was pregnant. Went for the final scan at 8 weeks and only then could they confirm there was no growth and classed it as a missed miscarriage. I had surgical procedure a few days later to have the pregnancy removed. My body held on to the pregnancy all along so I never bled until post-surgery.
Ironically, I had a successful pregnancy a few years ago which resulted in my DD. In that pregnancy I bled heavily throughout first 16 weeks but the baby was fine. Turned out it was a polyp causing the bleed.
So for me it shows that anything is possible - no bleeding or miscarriage symptoms with a non viable pregnancy, or heavy bleeding and a healthy pregnancy. Unfortunately early pregnancy is a really tough waiting game.
Wishing you all the best, keep us posted x
And feel free to ask questions, I know how helpful these forums can be when you find yourself in these situations.
Wow that sounds like a terrible thing to go through, this ivf game just pulls you from pillar to post, I'm so glad at least one of them worked out for you though so there is a good story at the end bless you, just hope mine will be the same outcome, I will reply back to this post Monday afternoon to hopefully tell you all some good news, my scan is at 2.30pm xx
Good luck with the scan today 🤞
So we've been to the appointment, I can't believe it but embryo and strong heartbeat seen we got to see it and was crying a lot as I really thought it wasn't going to be good news! Only thing is she said the embryo is smaller than what it should be so she's booked me in again next week and said it could either go 2 ways, it either has grown massively and then they can discharge us or they send us to hospital for miscarriage management as if it doesn't keep growing then I'd have a miscarriage eventually, just never seems to end this worry but we're also very grateful that we've managed to get this far! Xx
Oh, well that’s fantastic you saw a strong heartbeat. Willing on your little bean to keep growing for you!
Have you got the next scan booked for Monday? Take care of yourself until next week, and hopefully this will be your baby x
Thank you I'm just lost for words at the moment, I asked her why I'm still spotting brown stuff from a week ago and she said she can't see anything wrong or where it's coming from as that was one of my main worries so that's a weight lifted of our shoulders, and yeah the 30th of April so I'm praying little bean keeps growing stronger, thank you for your words of encouragement xx
Hi just a little update I don't have my fertility scan until tomorrow but had my hospital one today and they have scanned me at 6 weeks 3 days when I'm suppose to be 8 weeks 3 days so it hasn't grown at all within a week but still a heartbeat so I can't believe it I think it's over sadly for us, just going to see what ob says tomorrow, thank you for your support xx
I’m really sorry to hear that. And especially difficult that it’s still not straightforward with there still being a heartbeat. Has the hospital told you to go back again next week?
Look after yourself xx
No they have told me everything looks alright but the last time they scanned me nothing was there so they see it as an improvement, but when I go fertility clinic tomorrow they will see it's the same as last week so they will have a different view I'm guessing, it's such a horrible time in my life xx
How confusing!
Sorry you’re going through this. It’s hard going between two places. When I had my miscarriage the hospital EPU told me they wouldn’t even consider the private clinic scans and they’d both said different things.
Hopefully you’ll get some answers tomorrow. x
Hiya I can't believe this again but fertility clinic have told us that we're 7.3 weeks pregnant so still a week behind but it is growing and there is still a strong heartbeat so she's discharged us but said we still need to be referred to the hospital for close monitoring x
Wow, how are you feeling?
Does that mean the hospital and clinic are dating it differently? Will you now go back to the hospital, or just wait another week to see if they can see more growth?
Hope you're okay, what a rollercoaster you've been through! Hoping this is your little miracle baby and s/he is fighting away in there to catch up!
Hiya I honestly am baffled, as I really was sure hospital couldn't be wrong, the only thing hospital did differently to clinic was they gave me a abdominal ultrasound and clinic gave me an internal one so maybe that could of affected it possibly? The clinic have discharged me from today because they said even though its behind everything else looks perfect, heart ect! She also did say because I'm petite I could just have a small baby but she did also say she couldn't tell me what the outcome will be because some people can have everything great and then all of a sudden it falls apart when they are behind so I'm still optimistic but cautious still! This really is a mad time. I've booked in to get a midwife so I will keep you updated anything that changes! Again thank you for your support and I hope you are also well xx
a lot of clinics don’t scan until 6+weeks for this exact reason as it causes unnecessary worry. It will probably implantation, I had this with both of mine. Totally normally to see very little so early on. I think my clinic didn’t actually scan until closer to 7 weeks tbh x
Yeah you are right because I did try and get an earlier scan before hand and she said no I had to stick to the 23rd as I will be around 7 and a half weeks then and would probably see nothing before, I'm just constantly going off my friends scan as in her 6+weeks scan you can see quite a bit and the embryo was really visible, but then I need to stop comparing I think s that's what's sending me crazy. I'm glad you had a good outcome it's so good to hear your not alone and could be light at the end of the tunnel xx
A couple of days can make all the difference too. You have time how early/late that babe started to get comfy which is exactly why you should try your best not to compare, I know it’s hard! You have so much going around your head and we cling to anything that makes us worry more! Sit tight my lovely, I know the scan seems forever away, just take it a day at a time, or hour by hour- that’s what u had to resort too. We had an early loss with our first so when we had our second bfp it was super hard waiting for scans and reassurance scans, I had to take it hour by hour not too book extra scans and it was such an achievement to get to the closing time of the clinic as I’d made it through another day without booking a scan! Take it steady and replace a negative thoughts with a positive one as the bad ones serve no purpose and make you feel crap when you could just be ok! Keep us updated on your little bean xxx
Do you think it could be possible the clinic could be off a few days then depending on how early/late the implantation happened ? Yes it's definitely hard I've never googled so much in my life than what I have this week 😂 we do it to ourselves really but sometimes it's weird I feel comfort from doing it strangley lol, I'm also really sorry to hear what happened to you first time round it really must be such torture getting so far just to have it all taken away, I honestly don't know how some of these warrior women on here go through it time and time again but then I do understand we will do anything to get our little Baby at the end of it! Are you currently going through ivf again or want to go through it again ? Xx
I went for my first scan at 6 weeks 3 days, no heartbeat yet. Went back exactly a week later and it was there. Good luck xx
Awe what a relief you must of felt! Congratulations on your little bean 💗 xx
That little bean is 2 next month lol but I'll never forget that feeling at the scans. Hopefully my next FET will work and I get to experience it again. I hope it all works out for you xx
Fingers crossed so tightly for you! Xx
I’m sure I went in for a scan at 6 weeks and they could only see the gestational sac and yolk sac and they prepared me for the worst I went back a week lasted and there was a heartbeat! I’m nearly 13 weeks now so try your best to not get too disheartened, seeing a yolk sac is a really good sign xx
Sorry you’re going through this. I started with spotting and fresh bleeding not long after BFP. Early scan an 5+5 showed only gestational and yolk sac. 6+1 scan was the same and heartbeat and fetal pole finally seen at 6+5 and despite bleeding & spotting throughout weeks 5-present.
I posted similar on my profile after also ending up in hospital, although I suspected ectopic or mc. But I am currently 10 weeks and baby is doing fine. Easier said than done I know. But try not to worry.
Sending you lots of luck x
as others have said it can happen later but also IVF clinics tend to do transvaginal scans and hospitals do abdominal scans. If they did an abdominal scan it’s possible it just wasn’t clear enough to see fetal pole or heartbeat and may be more likely picked up on transvaginal scan. Keeping everything crossed for you!
Thank you all for your comments I'm feeling slightly more positive today as I have stopped spotting finally it was for 4 days but only very scant bits and never got any reder thank god! I did have a vaginal scan because they said I'm so early but I'm again clinging on to the fact that she was a trainee but was being observed by another lady as I've read online sometimes it's the skill of the technican that helps and also I do have a tilted uterus so sometimes can be harder to see until a bit later on, as for all your little beans congratulations and I wish all of you and your perfect little babies the best! Xx
Sorry to just add as well but I'm finding it hard to believe the fertility nurse that I would of been 6 weeks+3 days when the hospital checked as how could I of been when my egg transfer was on the 20th of March, I read somewhere that 4 weeks after transfer you would be 6 weeks pregnant as they add on another 2 weeks and yesterday the 17th of April was dot on 4 weeks since so surely I only would of been 5 weeks 5 days Sunday just gone and that fits perfectly with that the hospital staff said and when I've looked at a 5 week scan mine fits it perfectly ? I'm just really struggling to understand the gagestional age of the embryo it's so confusing when doing it through ivf, do any of you ladies explain it to me xx
Side note I had my transfer 27th March making me 5 weeks 6 days today, they have told me to work out your date it’s 2 weeks & 5 days counted back from your embryo transfer date xx
I’ve had my scan today at 5+6 and they’ve told me everything looks perfectly normal (just the gestational sack & yolk sac) no heartbeat etc, told me that they would book me in again at 8 weeks of that helps at all xx
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Awe thats really good news bless you congratulations! Also see that's exactly what mine looks like and I'm suppose to be nearly a week later than yours so I'm just going to wait and see and try and put it to the back of my mind as much as I can before I send myself into a early grave 😂 will just show you a quick pic of mine and you'll see xx
Embryo and sac measuring small and behind but heartbeat good. 
Low Fetal heart rate at 6+6 *sensitive* 
*sensitive post* scan picture 13+1
Sensitive post - miscarriage questions
