Can a fetus survive despite an abnormally shaped gestational sac and no heartbeat?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am six to seven weeks pregnant and my obstetrician informed me that the gestational sac was abnormally shaped and there was no heartbeat in the baby. They advised an ultrasound, and added that it might be a miscarriage. I was also advised that I could get a D and C procedure done or let the baby pass on its own. But I still have morning sickness, and there is no bleeding or spotting. Is there a possibility that the baby could still make it? Kindly suggest.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com,

I can understand your concern.

Usually during six to seven weeks of pregnancy, the gestational sac is regular or smooth and the baby can be seen with a heartbeat. The most common condition showing signs of no heartbeat in the fetus is blighted ovum or also called anembryonic gestation which can occur due to certain genetic issues in the baby. Due to this, no significant growth can be seen on the scan. As the baby is still present, the ovaries keep producing the supporting hormones (progesterone) that are responsible for the symptoms that you are mentioning. Even after the D and C (dilatation and curettage) procedure, or removal of fetal tissue from your body, the hormone will stay at a high level in the blood and you may experience the symptoms. The pregnancy hormones take a few weeks to come back to pre-pregnancy levels.

At this early gestational age, I advise you to follow the below-mentioned instructions.

Repeat the scan after 7 to 10 days. If your dates are not the ones you are mentioning, maybe after these 7 to 10 days, you may be able to see the fetal heart rate.
If the heart rate is still negative you can get it removed by using tabletS Mifepristone and Misoprostol sequentially, which helps in avoiding any invasive procedure like D and C.

I hope this information will help you.

Thank you.