Empty Gestational Sac After IVF

Question:

Hello, Dr. Ramirez,

Does In Vitro increase the odds of an empty gestation sac? I am 6 weeks pregnant and had an ultrasound with no heart beat detected. I bled just before the ultrasound but there was no bleeding before that.

Two frozen embryos were implanted but only one sac is visible on the ultrasound after the bleeding. The sac is round and empty. What do you think?

Answer:

Hello,

I'm sorry about the news. The answer to your question is no, IVF does not increase the risk of genetic abnormalities in the fetus. An empty gestational sac is due to the lack of development of the fetus. That occurred AFTER implantation, and therefore, after the IVF. It probably occurred due to a genetic defect in the embryo that implanted. It is considered a form of miscarriage, which can occur in up to 40% of pregnancies whether natural or IVF.

Many women who get pregnant naturally are not aware that they are even pregnant before they "lose" the pregnancy. Because we test and ultrasound IVF patients soon after transferring the embryos, they have the opportunity to learn if their pregnancy is proceeding or not proceeding earlier than most. This is not necessarily a bad thing, since actions can be taken to prevent miscarrying in subsequent IVF cycles.

Good luck and keep trying!

Sincerely,

Edward J. Ramirez, M.D.
Executive Medical Director
The Fertility and Gynecology Center
Monterey Bay IVF Program
http://www.montereybayivf.com/
Monterey, California, U.S.A.