Miscarriage Diagnosis Guidelines Questioned

There is nothing more painful than waiting for a miscarriage diagnosis from a doctor. Medical professionals routinely use an ultrasound in cases of bleeding during pregnancy to measure the size of the gestational sac in relation to the size of the fetus in order to determine if there is a miscarriage. The diagnosis can oftentimes require follow-up ultrasounds to further search for sac growth. A new report claims that this process is flawed and could lead to an incorrect diagnosis.

The most disturbing aspect of this recent report in the international journal of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology is the fact that many fetuses could have been mistakenly aborted due to these insufficient diagnostic techniques. The study authors say that the current criteria used when comparing the size of the gestational sac to the fetus is flawed, based on old, unreliable evidence. They were able to show that many healthy pregnancies could exhibit no sac growth in the seven-day period commonly used to determine a miscarriage. Tom Bourne, lead author of the study says, "Currently there is a risk that some women seeking reassurance with pain or bleeding in early pregnancy may be told they have had a miscarriage, and choose to undergo surgical or medical treatment when the pregnancy is in fact healthy." In addition, the study also found a 20% variation in measurements of the sac in the same pregnancy among different doctors, a problem that could lead to an incorrect diagnosis.

The findings will come as depressing news to women who've undergone dilation and curettage (D&C) after being diagnosed with a miscarriage, but could provide hopeful news to pregnant women waiting to learn if they've lost their babies. Study authors believe that this report will lead to tighter parameters for medical professionals diagnosing miscarriages going forward.

Miscarriage Diagnosis Guidelines Questioned [ScienceDaily]

Have you ever heard of an incorrect miscarriage diagnosis?