Melody wrote:

Theory 1: (Mind you I am NOT an auditory person, I'm a visual person so I
may not relay what she said with great accuracy, I'm hoping someone can
figure out what I'm talking about.) Is that there's been some sort of
bleeding between the placenta and where it attached for some reason or
another and that's what's causing my spotting. She said this is fairly
common and some women spot for days because of it, others have spotted for
up to 4 months. She said this condition will not affect the viability of the
fetus. Likely? Anyone heard of this? This is a new one on me...

Yes, I've heard of something like this. I think a fair number of women
have unexplained spotting. One thing you might want to check is your
progesterone level and go on supplements if its low.

Theory 2: I have a blighted ovum. I have heard of this, I know it is fairly
common. My u/s last monday showed only a gestational sac and a yolk sac but
I was determined to only be 4 to 5 weeks pregnant. My HCG levels went up
appropriately from Monday afternoon (9312) to Tuesday morning (13148).

Those are very good numbers, I think.


I won't have the results from todays HCG until tomorrow afternoon. If it is
a blighted ovum how long will the HCG continue to rise? What should it be at
by now? My midwife will be unavailable until Monday, the lab tech is calling
with the results so I would like to have some idea on how to interpret them.

My hCG levels were rising quite slowly, but rising. We had serial
ultrasounds, and confirmed a nonviable pregnancy at 8.5 weeks (I think).
At that point my levels had started to drop. We never saw a fetal pole
or the heartbeat.


I won't know anything for certain until Monday's ultrasound when I should be
between 6 and 7 weeks pregnant. Will an ultrasound at this stage be accurate
enough to make a proper diagnosis?

You should see some progress from your last ultrasound, probably a fetal
pole, maybe a heartbeat. Those would confirm a continuing pregnancy. We
continued to monitor our pregnancy until we were certain (by ultrasound
and by hCG) that it was not viable. We did choose to do a D&E, mostly
for my emotional health.


Also, the midwife mentioned that they will offer me a D&C if it does turn
out to be a blighted ovum. Can anyone give me the risks and benefits of
having one? Is a blighted ovum guaranteed to come out on its own without
having one?

You would likely miscarry naturally if you did nothing. I know one the
risks of a D&C is perforating the uterus but that this is rare. I know
there are other risks, but don't know them off hand. The benefit is that
your ordeal is over with quicker which may or may not
be a benefit. Miscarrying naturally is healing for some, and traumatic
for others. If you miscarry naturally and something is retained you may
end up with a D&C anyway. Its such a personal decision and hopefully
you wont need to make it. I would make sure that the evidence that the
pregnancy isn't viable really convinces you before you have the D&C if
you would go that way.

I'm sorry for the uncertainty, it really sucks. I wish you the best.

Mary