Understanding an Irregular Gestational Sac at 6 Weeks | Pregnancy Health

Question
Hi there I am 24 years old and 6 wks 2 days pregnant. This is my 2nd
pregnancy, the first was an ectopic treated by methotrexate on 8/7/08. I
went in for an ultrasound today and they saw the fetal pole and a heart
beat. The dr told me that I have a slightly irregular sac and said some
about 6.1 or 6 and one instead of 7.1. Am I going to lose this baby too? :(
what causes an irregular sac? I go in in 6 days for another scan. Thank
ypu for your time.

Answer
Dear Shawna,

An irregularly shaped gestational sac on ultrasound can indicate a few things. It may be that there is some bleeding that is adjacent to the pregnancy that has caused the distortion, sometimes there has been compression by another pregnancy that is not developing (vanishing twin), or often the early placenta is not forming correctly, leading to a "collapse" of the sac. Getting additional hCG levels to make sure they are doubling in a 48-72 hour period is typical as a good indicator of the health of the pregnancy. A follow-up ultrasound also sounds perfectly appropriate.

It sounds like your OB doctor is right on top of the issue. I would not jump immediately to the conclusion that the pregnancy will be lost at this point. All other signs have indicated a healthy fetus.

I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well and a Merry Christmas.

Brenda