I just experienced a natural miscarriage myself last week, the day before 9 weeks (this was my first pregnancy). I went in for an u/s after spotting, just hours before the miscarriage occurred, and the baby was measuring 6 weeks. People, this is the BIGGEST reason that we should not be doing routine 1st trimester u/s scans. It greatly increases the rate of D & C, which is terrible for the uterus, and puts us in the unnatural emotional position of knowing the pregnancy is over, but the miscarriage process hasn't begun yet. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MISCARRAIGE PROCESS TAKING WEEKS TO BEGIN. It is the natural way of things, and is actually a sign that other than a genetic issue, the pregnancy was actually very healthy, high progesterone, high hcg, well implanted placenta, etc, etc. I am so thankful that I did not have a routine scan in early pregnancy, and that I ONLY went in when there was medical indication instead, and therefore got to experience a natural miscarriage in the privacy of my own home. Perhaps I'll post my full story in the next few days once its edited. I urge you to suggest the same to your friends who go through this devastating experience. Just like birth, miscarriage is a natural process, that should be trusted. Interrupting of short changing the process only causes longer term physical and emotional damage. I won't even start about all the women I've met through my midwifery apprenticeship who were told the pregnancy was over, only to find the next week that the heart was beating and all was well. Ultrasounds are not infallible, and are not a part of the natural process. We need to reclaim the knowledge we have as women around miscarriage so that it can also be honored and supported when it does sadly occur, rather than handing over our power to doctors.
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