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What Does An Ultrasound During 8 Weeks Of Pregnancy Showing Empty Sac Indicate?
I found out on July 29th that I was 5 weeks pregnant. I ve had bright red spotting for 3 weeks now. I ve had my blood drawn numerous times over the last 3 weeks and my levels keep going up like they are suppose to. I had my first ultrasound today at 8 weeks and 2 days and they did an internal ultrasound and my doctor couldn t find anything. What I saw on the screen was a giant empty circle? He said it looks like a cyst. Could he have missed the baby? Or could I be having a miscarriage or an eptomic pregnancy? I ve never experienced either one. And should Iask him to do another one just in case?
Mon, 21 Sep 2015
Hello and welcome to HCM,
An empty sac indicates absence of viable pregnancy.
The bright red spotting could be due to missed abortion.
However, it has to be confirmed that you were pregnant previously.
Is there an ultrasonic evidence of viable pregnancy and a progressive increase in beta HCG?
Ectopic pregnancy can also be picked up on ultrasound.
Ectopic pregnancies are most often present in fallopian tube and these pregnancies do not progress to full term pregnancies and get aborted in first trimester itself.
Thus, if it is confirmed that you were pregnant and absence of fetus in the gestational sac suggests that you have had a missed pregnancy.
You need to consult your gynecologist for review of present ultrasound and past one.
Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja Puri
An empty sac indicates absence of viable pregnancy.
The bright red spotting could be due to missed abortion.
However, it has to be confirmed that you were pregnant previously.
Is there an ultrasonic evidence of viable pregnancy and a progressive increase in beta HCG?
Ectopic pregnancy can also be picked up on ultrasound.
Ectopic pregnancies are most often present in fallopian tube and these pregnancies do not progress to full term pregnancies and get aborted in first trimester itself.
Thus, if it is confirmed that you were pregnant and absence of fetus in the gestational sac suggests that you have had a missed pregnancy.
You need to consult your gynecologist for review of present ultrasound and past one.
Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja Puri
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