Misdiagnosed Miscarriage after IVF

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What your Doctor may not know about your pregnancy after IVF

Because of the growing number of women who realize their miscarriages were misdiagnosed, I like to get any information out there that may help women in determining whether they are going to miscarry or are misdiagnosed.

If you have had IVF and are being told that your gestational sac or baby looks one to two weeks behind in development during the first trimester, this one is for you.

Keep in mind, miscarriage is unfortunately all too common. Reading this study will not magically change the course your pregnancy will take. It will however give you information that may save your pregnancy if you are misdiagnosed.

I believe every woman deserves to have no doubt before having her pregnancy ended.

 

I am not a medical professional. The information I share is meant to supplement the information given you by your doctor. If you feel your doctor is not doing enough for you or not willing to listen to your concerns, I strongly encourage you to take what you've learned here and get a second opinion.

The Study 

Gestation sac size in in-vitro fertilization pregnancies

Summary:
The gestation sac size in pregnancies resulting from in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer have been compared with those in spontaneous pregnancies. Small-for-dates gestational sac sizes were found in 36% of the IVF pregnancies. This proportion held for both singleton and multiple pregnancies. With increasing gestation beyond 8 weeks the gestation sac volume increasingly approached normal. In contrast to spontaneous conceptions, IVF pregnancies had a low rate of pregnancy loss once fetal heart movements were demonstrated, when the gestation sac size was small-for-dates. Small sac size in an IVF pregnancy may lead to the misdiagnosis of a failed pregnancy.

Gestation sac size in in-vitro fertilization pregnancies

Our Hypthesis on Why This Happens 

it's really pretty common

We've discovered from the many misdiagnosed women online that many of them have a retroverted uterus in common. The transvaginal ultrasound is really not as accurate in women with a tilted uterus. Often we'll look one to two weeks behind during the first trimester. As the pregnancy progresses, the uterus gets pushed back into a more 'normal' position and then dating looks more accurate.

Our guess, and I do think it is a good one, is that this 36% actually had tilted uteri since a number of studies indicate that up to 30 to 40% of women actually have a retroverted uterus.

What Does This Mean For You? 

Take this to your doctor

If you have had IVF, you are more likely to pushed into D&C earlier than most women based on what I've been told by women online. If you just wandered into a doctor's office pregnant, the doctor knows your dates may be off and there is more room for error in his eyes. However if he is certain of dates due to the IVF procedure, he is definitely more likely to doom your pregnancy earlier. We this see this quite a bit.

Take this information to your doctor. Unless there is an immediate necessity to end the pregnancy, ask to wait out the diagnosis. Some doctors really don't like to be second guessed so sometimes it is better to say something like, "I know you are probably right, but for my own peace of mind, I'd like to wait a bit longer and see what happens." Ask for a follow-up ultrasound at least seven days out. You want to give that sac enough time to grow adequately. You stand a much better chance of seeing that baby a week out rather than two days out if you are misdiagnosed. And, yes, sometimes we have to wait a few weeks to find out we're misdiagnosed. We've found most misdiagnosed women see their babies by nine weeks but, yes, some women are even further along amazingly enough.

If You End Up Misdiagnosed 

Please, let us know!

As you can see from our collection of Misdiagnosed Miscarriage Stories IVF patients can be misdiagnosed. I am certain there are far more stories out there and, if you are one of them, post your story at the Misdiagnosed Miscarriage site.

I know that if you are misdiagnosed and share your story, you will, in turn, help so many other women.

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Concerns? 

If I don't reply to you here, please feel free to e-mail me directly at bonzobean@gmail.com

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  • Reply
    Florence_Beckworth Florence_Beckworth Sep 21, 2009 @ 4:51 am
    Thanks for sharing your personal story with us -- this is a must-read for anyone going through IVF! *****

    I have included your lens in the top 100 Infertility Site so more people can read your excellent lens when they search for general information and tips of getting pregnant.
  • Reply
    charlene stamper charlene stamper Jul 21, 2009 @ 3:02 pm
    i would never end the precency life is beauitful no matter what comes to your way if it can be safe and the baby are good have it any way love of having and making babys are good
  • Reply
    IVF Abroad IVF Abroad Mar 29, 2009 @ 6:55 am
    This is a very informative lens.

    Thank you.

    IVF Abroad
  • Reply
    Cari_Kay Cari_Kay Mar 19, 2009 @ 1:33 pm
    Oh Michelle, you need to take this study with you to your next appointment. I have talked to a number of women who look a week or two behind after IVF and all ended up fine. Of course, a miscarriage is always a possibility with any pregnancy but if you are having no complications, there is no reason to have a D&C this early. Seven weeks and even eight weeks is just too early to have a D&C for a blighted ovum. Please, keep me updated. Feel free to email me.
  • Reply
    Cari_Kay Cari_Kay Mar 19, 2009 @ 1:33 pm
    Oh Michelle, you need to take this study with you to your next appointment. I have talked to a number of women who look a week or two behind after IVF and all ended up fine. Of course, a miscarriage is always a possibility with any pregnancy but if you are having no complications, there is no reason to have a D&C this early. Seven weeks and even eight weeks is just too early to have a D&C for a blighted ovum. Please, keep me updated. Feel free to email me.
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I believe every woman deserves to have no doubt before having her pregnancy ended.

by Cari_Kay

Hello. My name is Kay. I'm not a medical professional but due to life's twists and turns, I've learned a bit about topics like miscarriage (as well... (more)

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