Nine Day Lag b/w LMP date and U/S date--problem?

US are just not 100% reliable. Often they bring worry and anxiety to the forefront of pregnancies. This is what I know (uh, and why am I get an US again!?!?!).

This is how I see this situation:
1. I'm so sorry your friend is going through this. It just bites.
2. It is very much possible to ovulate later or earlier than day 14 of a cycle. So, it's possible that she ovulated early or later. Was she taking temps to confirm ovulation or just thinking she'd O around day 14 and then bleed or have positive test at 28 days? It is possible she's 6 weeks pregnant.
3. The US could be off. They're not perfect as we all know. They make mistakes. The good thing it saw a healthy baby. That's the most important thing. Dates, schmates!
4. The baby could just be waiting for a growth spurt growing at its own rate.
5. I can't believe her Dr. would be so dramatic -- "You're a week off, but your baby looks healthy. Go home and worry about miscarring for 9 days," is pretty much what he said. I'd look for another Dr with a bedside manner and ability to think outside of the US.
6. Getting another US has pros and cons. I hope your friend can just shake off her bad experience and not get another one. If she's going to take her Dr's message of miscarring to heart, then she might feel better about going back in. Hopefully she can just trust her baby's beating heart to guide her.

Best wishes! I trust your friend will have a healthy happy 9 months that results in a plump little baby that flips off the Dr. on delivery day...actually I hope that Dr. is left in the dust around month 2.

I wanted to make a quick point in reference to this post. When you get an ultrasound at a really, really early time, like six weeks, the technician measures the baby on the screen with basically a line drawing tool like you'd find in a computer drawing program. If they are just the tinniest bit off (probably the difference between 25 and 27 millimeters or so at this point, a super tiny difference) the "age" of the embryo will be off as well, because the age is just a direct corelation with the size. So most likely, if the sac and heartbeat are there and looking good, it could easily have been a technicians goof. I would just try to reassure her as much as possible, and as for getting the next u/s it's totally whether it would ease her mind or not. Most likely the baby's going to be fine, and the next u/s would verify that...

Give her a big hug!! If she's been on fertility treatments and a long road to conceive, it's difficult to put her pregnancy in doubt, and that Dr. should be ashamed of himself!!

Jennifer

This sort of dr. makes my skin crawl.

A friend of mine had the same situation. At 8 wks her dr. ordered
an u/s. He said the baby was small, she would probably miscarry, so let's just go ahead and do a d and c. My friend told him that since there was a heartbeat, she was not getting a d and c. Her baby was born perfectly healthy (caught by another DR.)

My friend's SIL was told the same thing after an early u/s, trusted the DR (first preg) and had the d and c.

In my opinion,some Dr.s treating high risk patients may be so worried (paranoid) about a poor outcome and litigation that they believe they must terminate pregnancies that don't meet perfect "textbook" criteria.

I had an emergency u/s at nine weeks with my last pregnancy (possible ectopic) and was told baby was a week younger than dates. I was sure of the dates but told I must be wrong.
Healthy baby was born at home in the water VBAC at 42 weeks 1 day according to dates and 41 weeks 1 day according to u/s.

Hugs to your friend. I would find another caregiver.

Ultrasound is notoriously inaccurate at detecting the size of the baby. So it is certainly possible that this whole thing is just being blown out of proportion. I too wonder why an ultrasound at this early in the pregnancy. What did her doctor hope to gain?

I can tell you what I have told other clients in the past when faced with possible miscarriage. Suggest to your friend that she talk to her baby and tell her how much she is loved and wanted.I know that baby's body isn't capable of hearing yet but her soul is. If nothing else it is good therapy for mom instead of holding it all in trying to be strong.

She could start drinking red raspberry leaf tea as well. This is a uterine tonic that will help regardless of the outcome. I will post the details below. I wish you and your friend the best.

Toshia

RED RASPBERRY LEAVES (Rubus spp.)

Brewed as a tea or as an infusion, raspberry is the best known, most widely used, and safest of all uterine and pregnancy tonic herbs. It contains fragrine,
an alkaloid which gives tone to the muscles of the pelvic region, including the uterus itself.

Most of the benefits ascribed to regular use of Raspberry tea through pregnancy are traced to the nourishing source of vitamins and minerals found in this plant and to the strengthening power of fragrine - an alkaloid which gives tone to
the muscles of the pelvic region, including the uterus itself. Of special note are the rich concentration of vitamin C, the presence of vitamin E and the easily assimilated calcium and iron. Raspberry leaves also contain vitamins A and B complex and many minerals, including phosphorous and potassium.

The benefits of drinking a raspberry leaf brew before and throughout pregnancy include:

~ Increasing fertility in both men and women. Raspberry leaf is an excellent
fertility herb when combined with Red Clover.

~ Preventing miscarriage and hemorrhage. Raspberry leaf tones the uterus
and helps prevent miscarriage and postpartum hemorrhage from a relaxed
or atonic uterus.

~ Easing of morning sickness. Many attest to raspberry leaves' gentle relief
of nausea and stomach distress throughout pregnancy.

~ Reducing pain during labor and after birth. By toning the muscles used
during labor and delivery, Raspberry leaf eliminates many of the reasons for
a painful delivery and prolonged recovery. It does not, however, counter the pain of pelvic dilation.

~ Assisting in the production of plentiful breast milk. The high mineral content of Raspberry leaf assist in milk production, but its astringency may counter
that for some women.

~ Providing a safe and speedy pariuntion. Raspberry leaf works to encourage the uterus to let go and function without tension. It does not strengthen
contractions, but does allow the contracting uterus to work more effectively
and so may make the birth easier and faster.

This information is taken from:

www.susunweed.com

Herbal Allies for Pregnancy Problems
By Susun Weed