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| | eMedicine - Embryonic Demise : Article by Faye C Laing, MD (Site not responding. Last check: ) |
 | | Although a variety of terms are used to describe early pregnancy failure, in the presence of clear-cut sonographic evidence that a nonliving embryo is present, the term embryonic demise should apply. |
 | | Using vaginal ultrasound, one study (Goldstein, 1994) showed that if a gestational sac was visible, the embryonic loss rate was 11.5%; with a yolk sac it was 8.5%; with an embryo less than 5 mm in length, it was 7.2%; and with an embryonic length of 6-10 mm, it was 3.3%. |
 | | Some women with embryonic demise will be asymptomatic, and in these patients the diagnosis may be suggested based on subnormal uterine growth, inability to auscultate fetal cardiac activity, or failure of the hCG level to increase at the expected rate. |
| www.emedicine.com /radio/topic242.htm (3947 words) |
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