Friday, May 29, 2015

Do Doctors Try to Scare Women into Ending Their Pregnancies Early?

Yesterday Michelle posted on The Misdiagnosed Miscarriage site about her misdiagnosed miscarriage.  Her doctor had been trying to convince her to end her pregnancy for weeks before she pulled out her trump card.  She told her the pregnancy was likely molar and she needed to end it now. Michelle refused, got a second opinion, and saw her baby with a strong heartbeat.

If you'd like to read Michelle's story, here is the link:
Chelle31 - Diagnosed Molar, Told to Have D&C - MISDIAGNOSED!

So, you've been diagnosed with a molar or ectopic pregnancy, what do you do?  Both these types of pregnancies can have very serious consequences including death.  You have to take this sort of diagnosis seriously but you also want to know that is correct, right?

And, so, I wonder if *some* doctors pull the ectopic or molar card because they have made up their minds and are likely slighted bugged that you aren't in total agreement. 

But, on the other hand, ectopic and molar pregnancies are fairly common.

What is a mom to do?

My doctor did try to convince me, strongly convince me for two weeks to have a D&C with my daughter.  Thank goodness I knew two people who had serious complications from D&C and could no longer conceive.  I declined.

Let me pause a moment to say that while I turned down the D&C, D&Cs do have their place.  If there is an emergency or you are more than 10 weeks along, a D&C may well be needed and your best hope.  For me, though, I was fine.  There were no complications and I was still less than 10 weeks.  For more on my story:  When a Blighted Ovum is Not a Blighted Ovum

To give my doctor credit, I don't think he was trying to scare me because he was tired of seeing me and wanted to move on.  He was a newer doctor who had just come out of med school and honestly believed the textbooks on blighted ova were correct (they're not). 

However, I've talked to more women than I can count over the years who have shared how rude some physicians have gotten when they've questioned the diagnosis.  With everything still looking normal, they've been told they need surgery immediately.  I have no doubt many women end up having the surgery.  I hear from the ones who do not and some have found their babies. 

I once asked a doctor why other doctors are so quick to push the D&C or medicated miscarriage.  His response?  Because doctors really do believe they are correct and they don't want to be called in the middle of the night to meet you in the ER or answer questions about your pregnancy. 

Because an ectopic or molar pregnancy can have serious complications, just waiting it out may not be an option.  Your best bet is to get a second opinion as soon as possible especially if you feel your doctor is overly pushy or rude.  You may end up needing that surgery but I do believe a woman deserves to know with 100% certainty that her pregnancy is failed before having that surgery.  Find a physician who will really listen to your concerns.

If you are going through a miscarriage scare right now, I don't know how this will end.  Just stay monitored and get a second opinion if you think one is warranted.

9 comments:

  1. My husband & I lost our baby the day after mothers day this year as we had been to several doctors and were told by all of them that we were experiencing a blighted ovum and that there was no baby in my sac. We were devastated and tried to hold onto hope but after 12 weeks of disappointing ultrasounds we decided to take the pills to induce a miscarriage so that we could heal and move on to try again. It was the hardest decision I have ever had to make, and its a pain that is so indescribable. I don't understand how you could be pregnant but have no baby in your sac it makes no sense and is pure torture! I wrote a blog about it as im in the process of writing a book. Please read and share it.

    https://blightedovumchangedmylife.wordpress.com/

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  2. Angelica, I am so very sorry. (((hugs)))) to you.

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  3. I read one of your other posts about stories where people were misdiagnosed, but then went on to have babies. In the post you said when they first saw empty sac. When you say that, do you mean there was NOTHING (like a yolk sac) or there was no baby. I am asking because I had my second ultrasound today and my gestational sac measured 12mm (5-6 weeks), but the doctor was concerned because there is no yolk sac. I go back in a week and a half. She said if gestational sac doesn't grow or there is still no yolk sac then she will consider it unviable/miscarriage.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, all they saw was an empty gestational sac. I was almost nine weeks before they saw anything in there. I had to turn down the D&C at seven and eight weeks. If the gestational sac is growing and there are no complications, I love the UK's new guidelines. They should wait until the sac measures at least 25mm before diagnosing a blighted ovum. (((hugs)))

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  4. Hi , I am going through the same thing . I went to the doctors two weeks ago they told me I was 5 weeks 2 days and seen only a sac . Doctor said it was early still to come back in two weeks. I went back today and was told there's a yolk sac but no baby growing or heartbeat. Doctors tried to tell me to take medication to miscarry because this is going to be a miscarry anyways . I'm measuring 7 weeks 2 days. I denied so she sent me to do blood work to see if my levels gone down. I'm so worried and after reading these post gives me hope . Doctors say I should of seen something by now.
    Any recommendations

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    Replies
    1. This is much to early to diagnose. Generally, a baby is seen a week after the yolk sac is seen. If there are no complications, an ultrasound a week out should give you a better idea of what is happening. (((Hugs)))

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  5. I'm in this situation right now we went for a scan and measured 6w2d and saw a ges sac and a yolk sac and next week another scan and this dr (different) dr only saw a ges sac measuring 5w3d I don't know what to do I'm so confused no bleeding or cramping

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