# Missed Miscarriage How long is too long to wait?



## ecurlycue (May 17, 2004)

So I found out today I am supposed to be 16 weeks 2 days that the fetus measures only 8wks 2 days and there is no heartbeat. I so far have no symptoms of anything other than normal pregnancy symptoms. I want to avoid a D&C but am having trouble finding information about how long is too long to wait and what are the risks of waiting it out, I understand infection is a risk but so far I have no signs of infection. Thanks for any input. Also is there any way to help your body let go without using cytotec or D&C. Herbs or a more natural route?


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## Saramomofmany (Sep 3, 2003)

Hi Elizabeth,

I'm so sorry you are going through this. Were you pretty sure on your dates? Did you have an ultrasound to measure/check the heartbeat?

One website I heard about from someone on another board is: http://www.misdiagnosedmiscarriage.com/ I'm not sure if anyone over there might have some info for you or not.

My personal thoughts if you want to wait it out would be to keep an eye on your temperature(since you are concerned about infection). With my first miscarriage, I think it took me about 5-6 weeks to have it be completed(I didn't go get a D & C or anything, just did it natural). My thoughts are that most likely waiting a week or two, or longer is probably not going to cause any harm, and gives your body time to do it on its own. I know even if I had an ultrasound say there was no heartbeat, I would want a second one before ever going through with a D & C or anything like that. Just to be sure...know what I mean?? But that's just me!

I had two miscarriages, and I know how much it hurts, and I will be praying for you.

Sara


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## Saramomofmany (Sep 3, 2003)

Not to try to give you false hope, but I was reading around on that website I gave you, and this Mama was 18 weeks pregnant, told baby had no heartbeat, and came to be the baby was in a weird position or something, and they found the heartbeat on a different day...
http://www.misdiagnosedmiscarriage.c...pic.php?t=7376

Seems to me a good reason to wait a while, and/or get a second opinion/ultrasound..

Sara


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## Amy&4girls (Oct 30, 2006)

I'm so sorry.


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## MarineWife (May 1, 2004)

I'm so sorry you are having to go through this. I was just diagnosed with a missed miscarriage about 2 weeks ago. I was supposed to be 10 weeks and 2 days pregnant but on a transvaginal ultrasound the baby only measured about 8 weeks and there was no heartbeat and no movement. I miscarried last weekend at about 11 weeks.

My doc offered me cytotec if I didn't want to wait but said I didn't need it. I declined. When I asked, he said that the baby was so small that I probably shouldn't need a D&C but I could have one if I wanted the tissue collected for testing. Again, I declined. He didn't seem concerned about me letting the m/c happen naturally even though it had already been about 2 weeks and nothing was happening. He did say that I should come back for another exam/consultation if 4 weeks passed and still nothing happened. It ended up only taking about a week from the time I had the u/s for the m/c to start. I started bleeding on a Thursday, passed the baby in the amniotic sac on Friday and passed the placenta on Saturday.

I, too, would've definitely wanted another u/s in about a week's time to confirm the diagnosis before going through any kind of intervention, whether it be drugs, surgery or natural/herbal treatments. That being said, there are some herbal treatments you can use. Black and blue cohosh are supposed to help but I think they are both contraindicated if breastfeeding. Blue cohosh is a definite no while breastfeeding. Black cohosh is a category B, which means it might not be good while breastfeeding but has been used without problems. Red Raspberry Leaf tea is a strong uterine tonic and might help with getting contractions going. Again, I would not use any of these unless you are absolutely sure that your baby is not alive.

Like others have asked, are you sure about how far along you are? I had a pregnancy during which the docs insisted I was about 2.5-3 weeks further along than I really was. I knew because I was charting my fertility signs and basal temperature so I knew exactly when I ovulated, which was on cycle day 30. Since docs assume a 28 day cycle with ovulation on day 14, they considered me already 4 weeks pg 2 days before I had even ovulated. Anyway, I had an u/s when I was 5w4d because I was having bleeding and passing clots. We saw a yolk sac and fetal pole but no heartbeat. The doc said I was going to m/c and would need a D&C because he insisted I was at least 8 weeks pregnant and he wasn't seeing what was expected for an 8w pg. I went back for a follow up u/s 4 days later at my 6w pg and we saw the heartbeat and everything else was right on track for 6w. My point is that it is possible for a misdiagnosis because dates are wrong. A misdiagnosis is also possible, like a PP said, if the baby is just in a position so that the heartbeat cannot be seen or heard.

That being said, if the baby is measuring at 8 weeks, you should be able to see the heartbeat on a transvag u/s since the heartbeat usually shows up at about 6w. With an abdominal u/s, I don't think you can see a baby that small. However, another thing is that those measurements can be off by up to 7 days.


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## AngelW (Jan 13, 2007)

I hope you're not still waiting.. The wait is intolerable to me and it's only been a couple days since I've known. That said, I read that you have a total of a month from the time the baby passes before you will likely get an infection, so if the baby passed more than 4 weeks ago I'd schedule a D&C right away or start the medicine to cause the cramping and dilation - and would expect a doctor to tell you that, too.


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## MarineWife (May 1, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AngelW* 
The wait is intolerable to me and it's only been a couple days since I've known.

It was for me, too, but I'm glad I waited. I needed to let things happen naturally.


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