7 wks but scan showing 5 wks (3mm)+Hb. what to expect?

[pureequeen]

Following 2 early mc I have conceived & am 7 weeks today. Am absolutely 100% sure of dates. Sonographer did internal scan today & said I am 5 weeks no more. There is a hb which I know is v positive but since I am so sure of my dates ( & my husband was away on business last month- we only tried a couple of times) I simply cannot compute what has happened and am guessing that the embryo has stopped growing & I will mc shortly.

The sonographer didn't really explore what could be happening she acted like I simply was wrong about my dates. Has anyone had a similar experience of a baby that stopped growing but still had a heartbeat?

[annapolly]

In all the scans I have had, and that is many I have understood that it is not possible to see the HB at 5 weeks.

I think it would be very difficult to date a pregnancy at this stage.

If the pregnancy looks viable and has a HB then I would expect everything to be ok.

Good luck

[KTRace]

Are you going back to be scanned again?

I think what is important is that the baby is growing at the correct rate over a set time rather than the size it is, IYSWIM.

Good luck x

[Iggi999]

I had a scan at 7 weeks, hb seen but measuring 6 weeks. Now in my case this subsequently did not work out but I think this was for other reasons. The sonographer and midwives were absolutely positive that the size difference was fine, it had grown appropriately since the 6 week scan.
So, the medical opinion was that the size was not a problem, I was discharged etc. When I mc they were really shocked, so what I am trying to clumsily say is that although of course it could go wrong, those who deal with this sort of thing all the time don't seem to see the size/date issue as a problem at all.
All the best pureequeen.

[kat2504]

I had a scan at what i thought was 7+5, by my dates, which I was 95% sure of being correct. In fact thought was more likely to be around 8+2.
Early scan showed 6mm embryo, correct size for 6+2 weeks so much too small. There was a HB of only 63 beats per minute.
Obviously they told me I must have been wrong with dates but I got a bfp early so I could absolutely not have been only 6 weeks.
When I went for the rescan two weeks later I had a mmc and the embryo had entirely gone.

I did some internet research. It said that at 7 weeks the hb should have been much higher and that if it is under 90bpm, it's pretty much doom. Sonographer did not tell me this of course!
If you have a better heartbeat, and the baby is growing enough between the scans then it should be fine I reckon. Did they say anything else to you apart from the size? I let myself be reassured by the heartbeat being there when in fact the heart rate should have been a dead giveaway that it wouldn't work out.
Really hope that it is better news for you. I know how awful it is waiting after a scan like that and worrying about the worst.

[pureequeen]

Thanks for all your kind and thoughtful messages. I am still kicking myself that I didn't ask more questions on Saturday; the sonographer didn't give me any more info than what I mentioned above. I didn't know about the heart rate aspect - only that it was good to have a heart beat- the sonographer didn't comment on the speed.

I am going to try to go for another scan next week either at the local emergency gynae clinic or the the FMC in London. I am prepared for bad news but what is really getting me down is that my pregnancy symptoms are getting stronger (which I know can be completely deceptive) so I am feeling really rotten and feeling that it's all for nothing (ie I am not going to have a baby at the end of it). Sorry for wallowing.

[Iggi999]

Hi Pureequeen, I think you are being very patient and hope you get through this difficult waiting time ok.
I wasn't told anything specific about heartrate either, I remember asking was it fast enough and being told yes, but no measurement was taken I think.
My pregnancy symptoms were tailing off by then, so (although you are right that it can be misleading) surely you have a good chance that things are going well?
They should definitely have arranged a follow-up scan for you.
And you're not wallowing, it's just such a horrible thing to have to wait and hope/despair.

[theowlwhowasafraidofthedark]

Hi purequeen.
Just to let you know that I was 100% positive on my dates (clomid, OV kits, no b'dancing after suspected ovulation) and my dd was measured 2 weeks later than I thought she should be. She was then born on her due date (by the scan) weighing only 5lbs, so was definitely not 2 weeks over due.
Hope things work out for you

[lucy101]

I had a similar experience - absolutely sure of when we last had sex... but the sperm can survive for up to a week before fertilising. My scans were at least a week behind and they told me that at what I thought was 7 weeks was more like 5 and a bit... and at that stage they can't be perfectly accurate at the scan and I should come back in 2 weeks. All good since and now 21 weeks! Go to the FMC by the way as they are brilliant.

[pureequeen]

Booked in for FMC next Tuesday morning. Even the receptionist sounded competent, kind and reassuring! thanks all x

[blueberryboybait]

Pure when I was first expecting DD 2 I had a scan at what I was sure was 7weeks, embryo was 4mm with HB said I was under 6 weeks and to go back in 2 weeks to see what was going on, I went back 2 weeks later nad there was a little bean measuring 9+1 so my dates were correct. They are measuring something very very small and if the angle of measuement is out or the baby is not lying correctly it can be out. Growth scans are only accurate from 8-13 weeks according to my MW. I hope all is well with you and your next scan.

[pureequeen]

That's both interesting and encouraging bbbb - many thanks.

[kat2504]

I had the scan done privately and they didn't tell me anything about the heart rate but it was written on the notes. It was only internettage that allowed me to find that fact out. Totally agree that they are measuring something tiny, before 8 weeks there is a big margin for error in the measurements.

I lost my pregnancy symptoms at about 8 weeks. So although they can indeed be misleading, if you still have them it may well be a very good sign.

[banana87]

Try not to worry. I had a scan today and measured 3mm as well (with hb) which she said was 5-6 weeks, not 5 weeks period. She said I was coming up to 6 weeks, so you may just be a week out, not 2 weeks out like they said.

[sotough]

it would be quite unusual to see a heartbeat before six weeks gestation, so it sounds like the sonographer may be a bit out, which as other posters have suggested, would be because they are measuring something so tiny. the heartbeat is a very positive sign, though in my unfortunately rather extensive experience, it doesn't mean it will progress, and the apparent slow growth is a negative sign. with my four miscarriages, the growth was all behind where it should be; whereas with this pregnancy, which hopefully is working out, i've been bang on dates at every single scan - and i've had about 15 scans, if not more!
all in all unfortunately it sounds as if you'll just have to hang in there and see if it progresses. the waiting game is horrible, i know. i really hope it's good news for you x

[pureequeen]

Am trying not to think about it but it is so hard - burst into tears in a meeting today because someone mentioned a mistake I had made on a piece of work...quite embarassing. Plus we have just moved house and if one more person comments on the lovely nursery adjacent to our bedroom that is just waiting for a new baby I think I will lose it. Will update you all after the scan on Tuesday.

[Iggi999]

Hope you can hang in there. I couldn't have worked during that time myself, was lucky to be on holiday but if it is getting too much hope you feel able to take a day or so off.
Really hope you get your good news Pureequeen. Feel very postitive about it.

[pureequeen]

Just thought I would post an update: it was bad news this morning. Sometime in the last 10 days the heartbeat stopped so I was diagnosed with a mmc. The FMC was amazing. They referred me to a consultant (at my request) who was great and managed to squeeze me in to his clinic. I have just got back home from an ERPC. Feeling ok but I know I've got a way to go yet.

[kat2504]

Oh purequeen I'm so sorry :(
I know how awful it is when you have seen that little heartbeat and know the little baby was alive inside there for a short while. I'm glad you managed to get your ERPC quickly.
Also good that you got to see a consultant - I can't begin to imagine how hard it is to mc for the third time.
Hope you are getting looked after well at home.

[KTRace]

I am so sorry to hear this. xx

[Iggi999]

Pureequeen I'm so sorry. Really don't know what else to say, but want you to know am thinking of you. It just sucks.
Really hope the referral will lead to something positive though, once you're ready.

[Iggi999]

If I ever get pg again I don't think I will have any "reassurance" scans as they did nothing but give me hope, that turned out to be false. Would have been better never to have known, I think.