Re: [ozmidwifery] question for a friend

[Marilyn Kleidon]

Hi Jo:   Just a few questions re the dates: Did your friend have regular 28 day cycles? When was the first positive pregnancy test done? Was there a negative test in close proximity? When could conception have occurred?   Most women don't have 28 day cycles but some variation there of which can through dates off a bit (or a lot) if cycle length is not considered. It is my understanding that, limited only by the sensitivity of the ultrasound machine, size and dates found by u/s in the first trimester are quite accurate: this is because (theoretically) all fetuses that are developing normally in the sense of proceeding to term, grow and develop at the same rate at this point in time. Size differentials (due to genetics, placental insufficiency, diabetes etc., etc.,) don't show up until at least after 11 weeks even later. However, if the baby has stopped growing or is ceasing to grow in the sense that normal development is not happening this may show up too. This being said, if the pregnancy is truely 8 weeks, and the baby is 5 weeks GA then maybe development has been arrested, if the empy sac is the implantation site. In reality, I am only guessing only time will tell.    If it was a singleton pregnancy I think the empty sac would be called a "blighted ovum". I think the bleeding could have been either implantation bleeding or the result of the cesation of growth in the now empty sac. This is one of those situations where watchful waiting is all that can be done, as with other pregnancies where there is significant bleeding (not just spotting) early on about 50% go on to term quite normally . I have known women who had this situation in a slightly different presentation: early u/s indicated twins, days later some bleeding occurred, waiting, one heart beat picked up at next antenatal, baby proceeded to term, birth of one normal healthy baby. I do hope for your friend this will be the result.   hope this helps marilyn ----- Original Message ----- From: jo hunter To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, July 07, 2003 6:04 AM Subject: [ozmidwifery] question for a friend Hi there, A friend has asked me to post a question to the list. Please excuse my ignorance if this is a common phenomenon. My friend has recently found out that she is pregnant after many years of trying and 18 months of seeing a naturopath to help her conceive. From the date of her last period she is 8 weeks pregnant and she is diabetic. She had a bleed 3 weeks ago and feared she was miscarrying but after bed rest the bleeding stopped and all appeared to be fine. She had an ultrasound a few days ago which showed 2 sacs - 1 empty and 1 with fetus and by the size of the baby they have told her she is 5 weeks pregnant......which of course does not add up according to the date of her last period. Could she have been carrying twins and miscarried one and the live baby just be small for dates? The second sac is attached to the first empty sac which is attached to the wall of the uterus and they tell her they are worried that if the first sac comes away it may take the second one with it. She's understandably pretty worried - anyone had any experiences with this kind of thing? Thanks in advance. Jo Hunter   Homebirth mum to 4 HAS Coordinator Innate Birth CBE and Doula