Frozen (non-developing) pregnancy in the early stages: symptoms, causes

Many couples dream of having a baby, but for some reason their dreams fail to come true. One of these reasons is frozen pregnancy.

Not only the mother, but also the father may be to blame for this pathology, so it is important, even at the planning stage of pregnancy, to have a full examination and start leading a healthy lifestyle for both partners.

According to statistics, frozen pregnancies are not recorded so rarely, in 15 - 20% of all wanted pregnancies.

Types of frozen pregnancy

There are two types of non-developing pregnancy:

• Anembryony is when there is no embryo in the fertilized egg (a round formation surrounding the fetus during normal pregnancy). There are two reasons for the occurrence of this pathology. In the first case, the embryo is not formed from the very beginning, in the second, its development stops at an early stage (before the 5th week of pregnancy). At the same time, the cells of the fetal egg continue to multiply, and hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin, “pregnancy hormone”) is produced as in a normal pregnancy. Therefore, the results of pregnancy tests and hCG tests will be positive.
• Death of the embryo - initially, the pregnancy develops normally, but then, due to the presence of certain negative factors, the fetus dies.

Reviews

I was very young when I first became pregnant. I was ashamed to admit to my parents and didn’t go to the doctor. A friend advised me to take a hot bath to induce a miscarriage. After 25 minutes in the bath, I realized that I was starting to lose consciousness, my heart was ready to jump out. I barely got out of the bathroom and made it to bed; I didn’t have the strength to get up, my stomach hurt like crazy. The parents immediately called an ambulance. I had to admit my situation to them. To my surprise, they didn’t scold me at all, they supported me and took me to the gynecologist. The time was short, so I managed to have a medical abortion, which passed without complications. Now I understand that I got off very lightly, but I could have done something wrong.

Lydia

Abortion is an expensive proposition, so I decided to try folk remedies. I brewed a tansy decoction and drank it several times a day for 2 days. The pregnancy was only a couple of weeks, but no miscarriage occurred. Minor bleeding and nothing more. After I went to the doctor, I found out that the embryo came out in parts, so I had to clean it with a vacuum.

Julia

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Immediately after the first day of the delay I took a test, it turned out to be positive. For the next two days, I drank wild rosemary tea, went to the gym, and did everything to provoke a miscarriage. I really didn’t want to go for a medical abortion. After 3 days I got my period. Either traditional methods of disposal helped, or the first test was false positive.

Anna

Causes of non-developing pregnancy

The main reasons why a pregnancy can freeze can be divided into several large groups:

1. Congenital and acquired anomalies of the uterus.
2. Pathologies of the endometrium (inner mucous membrane of the uterus).
3. Acute infections.
4. Genetic/chromosomal disorders.
5. Hormonal disorders.
6. Pathologies of the blood coagulation system.
7. Other reasons.

Congenital pathologies of the internal genital organs include :

• bicornuate uterus (an anomaly in which the uterine cavity is completely or partially divided by a septum into two parts - horns);
• complete duplication of the uterus (a woman has two uteruses and two vaginas, each uterus has only one fallopian tube);
• unicornuate uterus (only one half of the uterus is developed and there is one fallopian tube);
• saddle uterus (the uterus has an almost normal structure, but there is a depression in the center of its fundus).

Congenital pathologies of the uterus are detected in approximately 10-25% of women with frozen pregnancy. Acquired anomalies are often diagnosed in patients who have undergone curettage (gynecological curettage of the uterus, during which the top layer of the mucous membrane is removed). They can also be a consequence of a previous frozen pregnancy. Acquired anomalies of the internal genital organs include :

• isthmic-cervical insufficiency (premature dilatation of the cervix during pregnancy);
• submucous myoma (benign neoplasm that develops from the muscular layer of the uterus);
• the occurrence of intrauterine adhesions.

Pathological conditions of the endometrium can cause unsuccessful embryo implantation or malnutrition of the fetus. This leads to the fading of pregnancy. The most common disorders due to which the fetus dies are chronic endometritis and endometrial regenerative-plastic insufficiency syndrome (a condition as a result of which the uterine mucosa atrophies).

Acute infectious diseases do not always cause fetal death; more often they cause the development of congenital anomalies in a child (deafness, heart defects, mental retardation, etc.). And yet, in some cases, even ARVI can cause pregnancy to fail. And the most dangerous infections for the fetus include rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes, toxoplasmosis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea.

Genetic and chromosomal disorders often cause pregnancy failure in the early stages (up to 8 weeks). In some cases, the fetus dies later - at 13-20 weeks, but this happens much less frequently. As a result of genetic and chromosomal abnormalities, the fetus may develop a karyotype (chromosomal set) that is incompatible with life. In this case, there is no point in further development of the embryo, and it dies. Pathological genes can be transmitted both from the father and from the mother (and sometimes the anomalies are caused by the incompatibility of the genes of a woman and a man), and chromosomal abnormalities arise directly during the process of cell division after fertilization. They can be qualitative (defects in the structure of chromosomes are observed) or quantitative (there are more or fewer chromosomes than needed).

Hormonal disorders may appear due to the presence of diseases of the endocrine or reproductive systems or autoimmune disorders in the expectant mother. Pregnancy can freeze in two cases:

• with a lack of progesterone (the hormone responsible for preparing the uterus for embryo implantation);
• with an excess of male sex hormones in a woman’s body.

Pathologies of the mother's blood coagulation system can cause failure of the process of implantation of the fertilized egg, damage to the uteroplacental vessels or dysfunction of the placenta. All this can lead to pregnancy fading.

Sometimes the reasons for a non-developing pregnancy remain unknown. Possible factors influencing the death of the fetus in such cases include genetic incompatibility of the child’s parents or the presence in the mother’s body of alloimmune antibodies that can cause Rh conflict.

What can cause a fetus to “freeze”?

The causes of frozen pregnancy are very numerous. They can be divided into several groups:

Chromosomal and genetic abnormalities

This is one of the largest and main etiological factors of a failed miscarriage. If an embryo inherits an extra chromosome or a pathological gene, then during development it develops multiple malformations that are incompatible with life and in this case the pregnancy is terminated. The action of natural selection is evident - nature decides that producing an incapacitated baby into the world is unprofitable and depletes the strength of the mother’s body, and therefore stops the progression of pregnancy.

But a genetic anomaly can arise precisely during a given pregnancy, when exposed to any harmful external factors (radiation, drug addiction, drinking alcohol, smoking), or it can be inherited from parents, for example, when a malfunction occurs in “predisposition genes.” So, if the fertilized egg “accepted” the “thrombophilia gene” from its parents, then during its implantation in the uterus and the chorionic vessels grow into the mucous membrane, microthrombi form in them, which leads to disruption of the nutrition and blood supply of the embryo and its death.

Infections

Infectious diseases play a huge role in the genesis of both spontaneous abortion and frozen pregnancy. First of all, these are viral diseases of the TORCH infection group. These include rubella, toxoplasmosis, herpes and cytomegalovirus infections. Primary infection with these infections during pregnancy is especially dangerous.

In the early stages, this leads to the “fading” of pregnancy, in the later stages to the formation of developmental anomalies. Sexual infections (gonococcal, chlamydia, ureaplasma and others) also do not lose their importance. Even common colds (flu, ARVI) in the early stages are the cause of a failed miscarriage. The death of the embryo is caused by three mechanisms.

• On the one hand, infectious agents, having penetrated the placenta, have a direct effect on the fetus.
• On the other hand, the infection triggers the production of prostaglandins in the mother’s body, which either have a toxic effect on the embryo or disrupt the microcirculation between the fetal membranes and the endometrium, as a result of which the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the embryo stops.
• And on the third hand, a chronic inflammatory reaction in the uterus disrupts the normal implantation of the fertilized egg and leads to a deficiency in its nutrition.

Hormonal disorders

Lack of the most important pregnancy hormone, progesterone, is often one of the factors of miscarriage. High levels of androgens or disruption of the hormonal function of the thyroid gland also play a role.

Autoimmune pathology

Autoimmune diseases are characterized by the formation of antibodies in the mother's body that fight not foreign agents, but their own cells. Since the embryo inherits 50% of its genes from the mother, maternal antibodies begin to attack the cells of its body, which leads to a frozen pregnancy.

For example, with antiphospholipid syndrome, the mother has antibodies to phospholipids in her body, without which the construction of new cells is impossible. During pregnancy, these antibodies attack the developing embryo, which leads to its death.

Teratozoospermia

The failed father of the child may also be guilty of stopping the development of the embryo and its death. A pathology such as teratozoospermia more often causes infertility of a partner, but pregnancy in some cases, although it can occur, will most likely end in a failed miscarriage. Teratozoospermia is a pathology of sperm, which is expressed in their abnormal structure. Anomalies in the structure of sperm cells can manifest themselves in the form of a short tail, an irregularly shaped head, vacuolar cells present in the head, a missing chromosome, a bend in the tail or its thickening.

Teratozoospermia is said to exist if a man's ejaculate contains more than 50% (usually 80%) abnormal sperm. Conception is either completely impossible, for example, due to a short tail, sperm motility is low, or fertilization of the egg occurs if the sperm has abnormalities in the head, which leads to improper development of the embryo and the cessation of pregnancy progression. After examination (see spermogram transcript) and treatment of the man, many couples are forced to turn to assisted reproductive technologies, for example, artificial insemination.

Wrong lifestyle

Of course, the occurrence of a frozen pregnancy can be affected by diet, daily routine, occupational hazards, and bad habits. We should also not forget about the dangerous side effects of medications taken during pregnancy, especially in the early stages. The age of the woman is also important. The older the expectant mother, the higher her risk of developing a non-developing pregnancy (35 years or more).

Other factors

Constant stress, sudden climate change and other factors can lead to a non-developing pregnancy. In addition, numerous abortions in history cause endometrial failure, which leads to disturbances in nutrition and oxygen supply to the embryo and the development of the described pathology. After IVF, cases of frozen pregnancy are also common, but the causes of this pathology are due to the diseases that forced the woman to turn to assisted reproductive technologies.

Risk factors

There are risk factors, the presence of which increases the likelihood of miscarriage. They can be uncontrollable (that is, they cannot be eliminated) or controlled (they can be eliminated or compensated). Uncontrollable factors include:

• Age. The older the woman, the higher the risk of pregnancy not developing.
• Severe stress.

Among the controlled factors:

• Previous abortions, miscarriages, missed pregnancies. The more there are, the higher the likelihood of fetal death;
• Wrong lifestyle. Bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol, caffeine abuse) and an unbalanced diet during pregnancy can negatively affect the condition of the fetus;
• Chronic diseases of women, both gynecological and pathologies of internal organs and systems (severe diseases of the cardiovascular system, liver and kidneys, diabetes mellitus, polycystic ovary syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus);
• ECO. For reasons that have not yet been identified, among the frozen pregnancies there are more those that occurred as a result of in vitro fertilization. In this case, the fetus usually dies before the 12th week;
• Diseases of the reproductive system in men;
• Multiple pregnancy;
• Significant deviations of a woman’s body mass index from the norm (too little weight or severe obesity);
• Exposure of the expectant mother’s body to toxic substances (for example, inhalation of fumes from hazardous industries);
• Taking certain anti-inflammatory drugs in early pregnancy. An expectant mother should definitely consult a doctor about any medication she plans to take.

Often the fading of pregnancy is provoked by several factors at once.

Folk remedies for abortion

The most popular home method of getting rid of pregnancy is preparing a decoction and infusion of abortifacient herbs. The recipes for such products are quite simple, and the ingredients for them are available at any pharmacy.

Anise decoction

Anise herb can cause uterine bleeding, and thus help get rid of the fetus. To prepare anise decoction, you need to take two large spoons of chopped herbs, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water over them and boil for several minutes. Then remove from heat and let steep for another 30 minutes. The finished broth is filtered through a sieve. You should drink this product 20 minutes before meals, 50 ml.

Tansy infusion

Tansy flowers are very toxic to the human body. They provoke strong contractions of the uterine muscles, which leads not only to the death of the fetus, but also to its removal. To prepare such an infusion, just 2 teaspoons of dried flowers are enough, which are poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for 2 hours. Afterwards the infusion is filtered. You need to drink it before meals, 3 tablespoons 3 times a day.

Water pepper decoction

Water pepper is a popular plant in gynecology; doctors often prescribe it to patients after childbirth and surgical abortion. This is due to the fact that this remedy promotes contraction of the uterus and its subsequent cleansing. To prepare such a decoction yourself, just take 2 tablespoons of dry ground herb and pour 500 ml of boiling water over them, and then leave in a water bath for 5 minutes. You can take the decoction 2 tablespoons 3 times a day.

Water pepper tincture is very poisonous. It must be taken carefully and in no case exceed the permissible limit.

Decoction of wild rosemary

Marsh wild rosemary is a toxic herb and should be used with caution. To prepare the decoction, you need to take 1 teaspoon of chopped herb and pour a glass of boiling water over it, then boil in a bowl for a minute. Leave the decoction for 2 hours and drink 1-2 teaspoons 3 times a day.

Infusion of gentian tricolor roots

Gentian can contract the uterus and is often used as an abortifacient. Its roots are crushed and poured with 500 ml of boiling water, then left for 3 hours. Afterwards, the broth is poured into a container, separate from the extraction. It should be drunk 2 teaspoons 3-4 times a day.

Aloe juice

Aloe juice is another folk remedy for pregnancy. It is available to almost every woman who grows a plant at home. To interrupt, you need to take the juice of one medium-sized leaf 4 times a day. It is possible to chew the leaves. Aloe promotes the expulsion of the embryo.

Symptoms

Sometimes a non-developing pregnancy does not make itself felt by any manifestations, and the woman learns about the pathology after a routine ultrasound. In other cases, symptoms such as:

• Pulling or aching pain in the lower abdomen, in the back;
• Spotting bloody discharge from the vagina - from pinkish to brown;
• In the early stages - a sharp disappearance of signs of toxicosis, if any;
• A sudden decrease in basal temperature (the lowest body temperature at rest, measured in the rectum);
• General malaise: weakness, headaches, nausea, chills, etc.;
• Changes in the chest area. In the early stages of pregnancy, breast engorgement stops and pain disappears. The breast becomes soft. In the later stages (after 22 weeks), on the contrary, the mammary glands can swell during a frozen pregnancy. Sometimes the breasts leak milk (not colostrum).
• Lack of fetal movements. During the first pregnancy, movements usually begin after 22 weeks (maybe a little earlier), during the second - after 18 weeks. If there are no tremors within the prescribed period, you should consult a doctor.

If there is a focus of inflammation in the body, a slight increase in body temperature may also be observed.

The above signs do not necessarily indicate a frozen pregnancy. It is quite possible that the fetus is developing normally, and the symptoms that appear indicate the presence of completely different, not so terrible, disorders. But if you have these signs, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

How to avoid frozen pregnancy in the early stages?

It is possible to prevent anembryonia. First you need to figure out why pregnancy stalls in the early stages. Also, expectant parents need to undergo a full examination before conceiving. A woman needs to undergo a smear test for vaginal flora and be tested for TORCH infections. The threat of fetal death will be minimized if destructive habits are abandoned in advance. Folic acid will help you bear a healthy baby. Signs of a frozen pregnancy in late or early stages are inextricably linked with a woman’s diet (it must be healthy).

Diagnosis of frozen pregnancy

First, a general and gynecological examination of the patient is carried out. The following signs will indicate to your doctor that your pregnancy is not developing:

• low uterine tone;
• low temperature in the rectum;
• discrepancy between the size of the uterus and the timing of pregnancy.

Then an ultrasound and blood test for hormones are performed. According to the results of ultrasound during a frozen pregnancy, the following can be detected:

• absence of an embryo in the fertilized egg;
• signs of chorion detachment (embryopart of the placenta);
• lack of fetal heartbeat;
• unclear visualization of the fetus.

If the patient has certain diseases (sexually transmitted infections, cardiovascular or endocrine system, kidneys, liver, etc.), consultation with a specialist whose competence includes the existing pathology will be required.

Other unconventional methods

Among the folk methods, there are several more that are used as home interruptions.

Other folk methods:

1. Hot bath with mustard. Promotes a rush of blood in the pelvic area, strong pressure on the fetus, resulting in its rejection. For such a bath you will need 2 tablespoons of dry mustard, and the procedure itself takes up to 15 minutes. This time should not be exceeded, since prolonged exposure to hot water has a negative effect on the cardiovascular system.
2. Aspirin. If the dosage is calculated correctly, aspirin can cause fetal death. On average, this dose is 1-2 tablets 3 times a day. This method is the most dangerous of all home remedies, since uncontrolled use of drugs can cause intoxication and heavy blood loss.
3. Physical exercise. To provoke a miscarriage due to uterine hypertonicity, all exhausting exercises are suitable: running, jumping, etc. The best exercises are weight lifting and abdominal crunches.

Despite all the apparent harmlessness, each of the methods can result in unpredictable consequences, so you should approach the choice of means carefully.

Treatment

Treatment can be either medication or surgery. The main goal of all medical measures is to free the uterus from the dead fetus and prevent complications (the occurrence of inflammatory processes, intoxication of the body, etc.). Doctors choose a treatment method based on the stage of pregnancy, the condition of the patient’s body, the presence of concomitant pathologies, etc.

In the early stages the following can be carried out:

• Medical abortion . It is carried out until 6-7 weeks of pregnancy. The patient is prescribed drugs that cause the uterus to contract and expel the fetus.
• Vacuum aspiration. Carried out until the 12th week of pregnancy. The uterine cavity is emptied using a special vacuum suction, inserting the tip of the device into the cervix without installing dilators. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia or general anesthesia.
• Curettage (curettage of the uterine cavity using a surgical instrument called a curette). The operation is performed under general anesthesia. This is a rather traumatic procedure, as a result of which the endometrium is damaged. A dilator is inserted into the patient's cervical canal, and then curettage is performed to remove the top layer of the uterine mucosa. After the operation, the woman remains in the hospital for several days to avoid complications. The biological material obtained as a result of curettage is sent for histological examination - with its help, doctors will quickly and more accurately determine the cause of a missed abortion.

After the fetus is removed from the uterus, antibacterial drug therapy is usually administered.

At a later date, the following measures are taken:

• artificial stimulation of labor;
• C-section.

After treatment, the patient is recommended to undergo the following examinations (to prevent recurrent frozen pregnancy):

• Examination by a therapist to diagnose chronic diseases;
• General blood and urine tests;
• Blood test for hormones;
• Ultrasound of the pelvic organs;
• Genetic examination of both partners (this is mandatory if the missed pregnancy was already the third, in other cases - if the doctor sees the need for it);
• Immunological examination (carried out if the doctor suspects that a non-developing pregnancy was caused by autoimmune disorders);
• Examination by an endocrinologist;
• Study of the blood coagulation system;
• Tests to detect sexually transmitted infections.

Treatment of failed miscarriage

A woman must be hospitalized immediately even if a frozen pregnancy is suspected.

• After the examination (ultrasound, hCG in the early lines and AFP in the second trimester, coagulogram), careful evacuation of the fertilized egg is carried out.
• Expectant management is possible if the embryo is dead for no more than 2 weeks (in the early stages of pregnancy) and there are no signs of an ongoing abortion or infection of the uterus. In this case, the level of hCG in the woman’s body decreases sharply, and the uterus begins to contract, pushing out the fertilized egg. But, as a rule, they resort to a surgical method, that is, to remove the fertilized egg and membranes by therapeutic curettage or vacuum aspiration.
• It is possible to use medical abortion (up to 7 weeks) by prescribing Mifegin (progesterone blocker).

Prevention

The main preventive measure is pregnancy planning, which includes:

• General medical examination, during which you can identify diseases that can affect the course of pregnancy;
• Gynecological examination - for timely diagnosis of pathologies;
• Detection and timely treatment of hormonal disorders;
• Prevention of infections (if necessary, before pregnancy, you can get vaccinated against the most dangerous diseases for the fetus).

When pregnancy occurs, it is necessary to monitor proper nutrition, wear clothes that do not tighten the lower abdomen, try to avoid stressful situations and heavy physical activity, and reduce the time spent working at the computer. You need to be in the fresh air every day. It is recommended to give up bad habits (if any) at the planning stage.

After a frozen pregnancy, new attempts at conception should be made no earlier than 3-6 months later. However, this period is very arbitrary and may vary in each specific case. It is recommended to consult your doctor regarding the timing of planning a new pregnancy.

Threat of miscarriage

The threat of pregnancy failure (or simply “threat”) characterizes a situation where the pregnancy can end at any moment, but it can still be saved:

1. Pain and discomfort are moderate.
2. Bloody or watery discharge is minor.
3. The baby is alive and in the uterine cavity.

The situation requires immediate medical and medication intervention. Depending on the gestational age, a woman may be shown:

• drugs that relax the uterus (Magnesium sulfate, Ginipral, NO-spa, Papaverine);
• hormonal agents (Utrozhestan, Dufacton);
• hemostatic medications;
• tocolytics (to stop premature labor);
• Dexamethasone, Metipred - for immune and androgenic causes of the threat;
• suturing the cervix or fixing the organ using an obstetric pessary.

How to recover after a miscarriage?

The loss of a desired pregnancy is always stressful for a woman. Added to this is concern about the success of future pregnancies. Therefore, it is extremely important to rehabilitate your health and mood before planning offspring (see also the consequences of abortion and rehabilitation).

• For a genital tract infection (if the bleeding is prolonged, for example), the doctor prescribes antibiotics. There is no point in taking them only for preventive purposes during self-abortion. If its completion was stimulated by misoprostol, then the fever on the first day will be due to the medicine and not to infection, so there is no need to worry. During surgery, a single prophylactic dose of an antibacterial drug is usually prescribed.
• If pregnancy loss is accompanied by significant bleeding, you may need to take iron supplements to treat anemia.
• Under certain circumstances, a gynecologist may recommend taking contraceptives. But with an uncomplicated spontaneous abortion at different stages, you can start planning a pregnancy as soon as you are in a psychological mood.
• In case of recurrent miscarriage (3 or more spontaneous abortions in a row), it is necessary to undergo additional procedures and tests.

Myths about the causes of early pregnancy loss

Before the 13th week, termination of pregnancy is almost never associated with the following factors:

• Flying an airplane
• Mild blunt trauma to the abdomen
• Sports activities (adequate)
• One previous miscarriage before 12 weeks
• Sexual activity
• Stress

Read our article about what you can and cannot do during pregnancy.

Discharge after cleansing due to stylus

Vacuum aspiration is a less traumatic method of removing the fetus from the uterus.

All women with this diagnosis are immediately hospitalized in the gynecological department and given the necessary treatment. In the short term, this is a medical abortion; later, surgical intervention in the form of curettage.

If the fetus freezes after 5 weeks of development, cleaning is a more reliable method. Currently, instead of curettage, vacuum aspiration is increasingly being used - a less traumatic method of removing the fetus from the uterus.

How is the recovery phase going and how long do you have to stay in the hospital? After cleaning, the postoperative period is quite easy. A woman needs to stay in the hospital for no more than 5-7 days, in some cases she is discharged on the same day. The pain does not last long; spotting after surgery for 10-14 days is normal. It will take some time until the hormonal sphere returns to normal. Typically this will take several months. And after normalization and restoration of the body, the woman can try to get pregnant again.

Danger

If a frozen pregnancy is not detected for a long time or the woman does not go to the hospital, then the presence of a decaying embryo in the uterus leads to the following consequences:

• Intoxication of the mother's body;
• A bleeding disorder (DIC), which causes life-threatening bleeding;
• Inflammation of the uterus and ovaries, leading to infertility;
• Sepsis.

About the diagnosis of ovarian dysfunction - what is it and how dangerous can it be?

Diagnosis of frozen pregnancy

Remember, to determine this pathology you need to see a doctor, only he knows how to recognize a frozen pregnancy at an early stage. Here's how the diagnosis works:

• First, you need to examine the patient, then you will assess the size of the uterus, the nature of the mucous discharge and determine the basal temperature;
• Analysis of urine. It often happens that the hCG level is within the normal range, even if a frozen pregnancy has occurred. A normal level can persist for two weeks after the fetus has died;
• An ultrasound examination will determine whether the fetus's heart is beating.

It happens that in the early stages even a regular test shows the coveted two lines in case of a frozen pregnancy. HCG levels in urine may also be elevated and consistent with normal pregnancy conditions.

If a disappointing diagnosis is confirmed, a set of measures must be taken to normalize the mother’s condition and prepare her for a subsequent re-pregnancy.

Diagnostics

If the thought of possible fetal fading flashes through your head, and there is a reason to believe so, you need to visit a gynecologist. Ignoring the visit can cause the death of not only the fetus, but also the mother.

Ultrasound

An ultrasound (ultrasound) machine will allow you to determine the presence/absence of a heartbeat, to understand whether the fetus is developing normally, and whether its size corresponds to the gestational age.

It is worth noting that thanks to ultrasound you can see the baby’s head, his movements, and the yolk sac. It is mandatory to record the weight of the expectant mother while it is not yet gaining weight, but it is from this day that close monitoring of this indicator begins.

At week 8, the size of the fruit can be compared to a cherry. On an ultrasound, the specialist will see the movements of the limbs that he makes. The fetus grows by 1 mm every day.

hCG

The likelihood of ST at 7-8 weeks can be determined using a hCG test (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin). When the pregnancy is progressing normally, this indicator increases several times every two days; accordingly, if the pregnancy does not develop, then the indicator will remain the same.

After a pregnancy failure

The loss of a little person is always a great stress, not only emotional, but also physical. A woman definitely needs time to recuperate, the support of loved ones and, possibly, the help of a psychologist.

• To avoid a repeat of the situation, it is necessary to analyze the causes of the miscarriage. If a medical factor played a decisive role, undergo the necessary examinations and treatment.
• If the failure occurred at a short period of gestation without subsequent cleaning of the uterine cavity, immediately after the miscarriage and stopping the bleeding (after 4-6 days), an ultrasound should be performed using a vaginal sensor. The purpose of the examination is to make sure that the uterus is clean and there are no fetal fragments left in it.
• After a miscarriage, hormone therapy is most often not required, but may be prescribed at the discretion of your gynecologist.
• If the failure occurs in the later stages (after the 20th week), the woman most often already has breast milk. In this case, she needs to take special medications to suppress lactation. Breast bandaging is an outdated, ineffective and harmful method.

How to diagnose fetal freezing

At home, it can be quite difficult to determine ST, so all pregnant women, starting from 3-4 weeks, should undergo a number of diagnostic measures:

1. Gynecological examination.
2. Ultrasound diagnostics.
3. Taking tests for infections and determining hormonal status.

The first thing you should do is consult a specialist; during the examination, the doctor may suggest the presence of pregnancy and refer you for additional tests. In case of ST, deviations such as:

1. The absence of a heartbeat or embryo according to ultrasound results is the most important and most accurate diagnostic option.
2. Low growth of β-hCG - normally β-hCG should almost double in two days; deviations from the norm indicate problems with the course of pregnancy.
3. In addition, the presence of such a condition is confirmed by indirect symptoms: a drop in basal temperature, cessation of toxicosis, and pathological vaginal discharge.