Eventual vanishing twin or just growing slower?

[hotwheels78]

What a roller coaster we've been on and I'm only 7 wks pregnant. My paragard IUD somehow failed dramatically and I'm now,tentatively, expecting twins. After confirming the pregnancy (and IUD location) with u/s, My midwife sent me to a high-risk OB clinic to have the IUD pulled. There it was discovered I had two embryos. whoa. So out came the paragard as easy as can be (thank goodness, the OB thought he could be in there for up to 15 minutes using his 'special tool', eeeegads). I haven't had any spotting, nothing. From that first scan at 5 wks, one embryo was much smaller than the other. The OB was extremely neutral about my chances of continuing on with a twin pregnancy...I'm not sure if he was trying to soothe our shock or just being very honest. So they had me come back today at 7wks for a viability check. The embryos have certainly gotten bigger but even to my very untrained eye things don't seem right. The u/s tech had to really hunt for a yolk sak/fetal pole in the larger embryo and there didn't seem to be anything yet in the 2nd. But it had what, tripled? in size from two weeks ago. Since discovering the surprise pregnancy was twins, my husband and I have become really quite excited about the possibility of having twins. We have one other child and had always planned on having a total of three. We'd both be heartbroken if we lost one embryo now. I go back next week for another scan.

What are your experiences with early twin detection and embryo sizes? Could the residual effects of the copper IUD cause development delays? I was actually charting for the first time in my life the month we conceived...I was planning on practicing for several months before we removed the IUD and tried to have #2. So I know when my ovulation temp spiked in comparison to when we had sex, when I had implantation spotting and cramping, etc. I am very certain of my dates. So I am concerned about the lack of growth and what this could mean for both embryos. On one hand, I'm happy to see the smaller embryo getting bigger. On the other, at 7 wks shouldn't there be a heartbeat? 

Sorry this is so rambly and unorganized. I'm a big giant jumble of emotions right now. Thank you for reading this and any thoughts you might have.

[hergrace]

FWIW, here is my story. I had u/s at 6.5 weeks and 11 weeks. At 6.5 weeks, we saw two heart beats and an empty sac. At 11 weeks, we saw three babes. The "empty sac" stopped growing around 30 weeks, at which point my perinatologist started checking blood flow to the placenta and brain during u/s. When the blood flow to the brain changed at 32.5 weeks, I had a c-section ASAP. He was born at 3rd percentile weight for gestational age, but caught up within the year. He is now a clever, active, happy 4-year old with no ill effects from the early days at all.

[Shuli]

My first pregnancy resulted in the live birth of two boys. Throughout that pregnancy one twin was always measuring about a week behind his brother in development and size (he is still a few inches shorter and a couple of pouds lighter). During my second pregnancy at the 8 week confirmation ultrasound there was one heartbeat and what looked like one undeveloped sac. Nobody was concerned because the last time it looked like I conceived a week apart. At the 12 week follow-up unltrasound the second sac was gone. There is a genetic anomally with my daughter and it could be that the other baby was just not viable. We will never know, but I did mourn the loss of the baby and for about four months after she was born I kept seeing a shadow next to her where her twin should have been. It was really hard until I realized that I had a baby who needed me and it just sort of lessened over time.

Whatever happens, know that you have support here.

[hotwheels78]

Thank you so much for the stories and support. Here's my partial update: Had an u/s on Thursday where it was determined I am 6 wks, not 8 wks. This is what I had figured from the beginning but the way the OB's determine dates with LMP it put me too far ahead. So when there was no heartbeat with the one developing embryo, I was slowly able to calm myself down by remembering it is very early STILL and there very well can still be a heartbeat soon. The other black blob is bigger but empty. Nobody seems to think this sac will develop into anything viable, though I am confused as to why it keeps growing in size but doesn't grow a yolk sac or other baby parts. I go again on Monday for yet another u/s. I'm really hoping to see that elusive heartbeat and prove the naysaying OB wrong. He actually started talking D&C options...which I think is crap since it was exactly 6wks and heartbeats come along at some point during the 6th week, not by the 6th week, right? I just want to embrace the pregnancy, twins/singleton/whatever. The idea of no baby after all this breaks my heart. Possible I know but...ugh. 

Has anyone else had an empty gestational sac at around 6 wks and then end up with a baby? Does this happen? Or should I listen to the high risk, doomsday OB's and count that one out? 

[allicyn]

I had my first ultrasound at 12 weeks, and we saw two babies and an empty sac. At almost 15 weeks I had another u/s and the sac was gone.

The doctor told me that vanishing twin syndrome is actually very common, and if we didn't do so many early u/s most would have no idea about the second sac. I know that's probably not what you wanted hear though.

I hope you get some answers soon. Being in limbo is always so hard/frustrating.

[hotwheels78]

Well, not in limbo anymore. At least there's that. 

I had an u/s Monday at 6w4d and it was very VERY obvious things were going all to hell. The empty sac was still large and empty. The other embryo that had looked somewhat promising had started to disintegrate. There no longer was a visible fetal pole and the sac had morphed into a fuzzy misshaped blob. My OB said the blighted ovum may have had some ill-effects on the other embryo.  He also said it was unlikely the copper IUD had anything to do with this sad outcome. He offered to do yet another u/s on Thursday at 7weeks but it just seemed futile. You couldn't even see what just 4 days ago had been a clear little fetal pole. 

After going over all the options with my husband and close friends, I've opted to go the D&C route. I'm still feeling sick and I am home alone with my 3 year old during the week, I don't know how I could emotionally handle waiting up to another month for my body to finally get with the program and naturally miscarry, or how I could physically handle going through a miscarriage alone with my son. Bleh. Such a heart-wrenching journey this has been. At least I have an answer. Not the answer I want but an answer. 

I'm a newbie here and I really appreciate everyone's kindness and understanding. This is such an incredible resource and community. Thank you all. 

[mylilmonkeys]

I'm so so sorry!  

[allicyn]

So sorry :(

[hergrace]

I am so sorry to hear it.

[~Adorkable~]

I'm very sorry you had to ride this roller coaster. Please be kind to yourself. I'm glad you found us too and let us be there for you.