The signs of an empty pregnancy are generally similar to the signs of a normal pregnancy. It's just that in an empty pregnancy, pregnancy cannot continue until the birth of the baby. In other words, an empty pregnancy will end in miscarriage. So, what are the signs of an empty pregnancy?
Empty pregnancy is a condition when a woman is already pregnant, but the fetus or embryo does not develop after the fertilization process occurs in the uterus. This condition usually occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Pregnancy begins with the fertilization process. Normally, the fetus will form in about 2 weeks after conception, followed by the formation of the amniotic sac at 5-6 weeks of gestation.
However, in an empty pregnancy, neither the embryo nor the amniotic sac is formed, so no fetus is found in the womb, even though the woman experiencing it has experienced signs of pregnancy.
An empty pregnancy can be caused by various things, such as genetic disorders, poor quality of sperm or egg cells, interference with the fertilization process, abnormalities in the uterus, side effects of drugs, to hormonal disorders, such as the hormone progesterone.
Empty Pregnancy Signs
The signs of an empty pregnancy are generally not much different from a normal pregnancy, namely:
- Late menstruation
- Nauseous
- Throw up
- Breasts feel tight
- Light bleeding from the vagina
- Mild cramps
In addition, an empty pregnancy can also give a positive result on a pregnancy test withtest pack. This is due to an increase in the pregnancy hormone hCG, when in fact no fetus is developing.
However, the perceived signs of pregnancy will disappear as pregnancy hormone levels decrease in the following weeks. If the signs of pregnancy can be felt throughout the pregnancy, the signs of an empty pregnancy usually last a short time.
How to Ensure a Normal Pregnancy and an Empty Pregnancy
Because the signs of an empty pregnancy and a normal pregnancy are similar to each other, both conditions need to be confirmed through an examination by a gynecologist.
To determine whether the signs of pregnancy that you are experiencing appear due to a normal pregnancy or an empty pregnancy, the doctor will perform an ultrasound examination. Ultrasound can be done through the abdomen or through the vagina (transvaginal ultrasound).
A pregnancy is said to be empty if the results of the ultrasound examination show that there is no fetus and amniotic sac in the uterus.
If the examination was carried out early or before 6 weeks of gestation, your doctor may recommend that you return for an ultrasound a week later. This is done to make sure again that there is no fetus developing in the womb.
Empty Pregnancy Handling
Generally, an empty pregnancy will end with the appearance of signs of miscarriage. There are even some women who do not realize that they have an empty pregnancy, so they assume that the signs of miscarriage are caused by menstruation.
However, if the signs of an empty pregnancy have been confirmed through an examination by a gynecologist, the doctor may take the following steps to treat an empty pregnancy:
Waiting for the network to collapse by itself
In some cases, doctors may not perform special treatment and only monitor the condition of women who have an empty pregnancy while waiting for the miscarriage to occur on its own.
Using drugs
To help remove embryonic tissue that failed to form properly, doctors can give drugs. Usually the administration of these drugs is done in a clinic or in a hospital. When receiving the treatment, the patient's condition will be monitored by doctors and midwives.
Undergo dilation and curettage procedures If you experience signs of an empty pregnancy and are worried, don't hesitate to consult a gynecologist for proper examination and treatment.