A Blighted Ovum, also called an anembryonic pregnancy, occurs when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus and a pregnancy sac develops, but an embryo does not develop or stops developing very early in the pregnancy. Although there may be early pregnancy symptoms and a positive pregnancy test, an ultrasound may show an empty pregnancy sac. This early type of pregnancy loss can be incredibly painful for families who were already dreaming and planning for their future. 

For many parents, this loss can be especially confusing. There may be a positive pregnancy test, growing hope, and the excitement of imagining the baby they were waiting to meet. Then, during an ultrasound they may learn that the pregnancy sac is empty. 

Even when an embryo never develops, the pregnancy was real, the hope was real, and the loss is real. There was a baby you dreamed of, a future you imagined, and a love that began the moment you saw those two lines. Here, we honor that love and the families who experienced this quiet heartbreak.