Miscarriage or Two Weeks Off?
QUESTION
Dear Midwife,
I'm confused. I had my last period January 3rd. I waited until one week after my next expected period to do a pregnancy test. It was positive.
I spoke to an OB/GYN friend who said I should wait until 8 weeks for my first appointment with her, which I did. A repeat pregnancy test was still positive. They took me for a transvaginal ultrasound which was not as expected. There was a sac but definitely not the stage it should be for 8wks and the nurse couldn't say for sure if she saw a fetal pole. They did a quantitative analysis which I don't know the results of and am not to see them back for two weeks. (that was over a week ago).
I have never had bleeding or any other issues, some mild nausea but no true morning sickness. I did have some breast tenderness but that has subsided. Still urinating alot but I have always been that way.
I'm getting really depressed. I do have a long cycle but it didn't seem to make sense by the calendar that we would be two weeks off on our guestimate. Is this possible or are we just delaying the inevitable which is that this is an ovum which hasn't developed and is doomed for miscarriage? If so, by my calculations I should be 10 wks in 4 days. How long should it take for something to happen?
ANSWER
In the case you described, you should have had two quantitative tests so that the values could be compared. If you did, and the values were going up, then it is possible that you do have a viable pregnancy,and that you are just not as far along as your thought. The ultrasound will tell for sure what is happening. Good luck!
-- Cynthia, CNM. PhD.
Cynthia Flynn
Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, is the General Director of the Family Health and Birth Center which provides prenatal, birth, postnatal, gynecological and primary health care to underserved women and their families in Washington, D.C. Recently Cynthia served as Associate Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. There she not only taught, but remained in full scope clinical midwifery practice at Valley Medical Center where she cared for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.
