Declining resting heart rate/pulse at 9 weeks pregnant

[TweedieBean82]

Hi all,

This is my first ever post on here after reading many, many useful threads over the last few fraught weeks.

So, as the title suggests I'm fretting terribly about my heart rate /pulse. I discovered that in pregnancy heart rate should naturally increase and indeed mine did. Prior to pregnancy I sat around 58-64 but also relatively low with a constantly low blood pressure. When I found out I was pregnant my pulse was around 78. Through weeks 6-7 it went to 70-73, week 8 around 68+ and worryingly now its sitting at 62 at best.

I had a scan yesterday at 9 weeks because I've had no pregnancy symptoms at all and I was fretting (see a theme here!) and baby was there 9+1 heart beating away. You'd think I'd be reassured but today I wake up and pulse has dropped again so I'm again fearing the worst.

Gp wasn't overly worried. Said unless I'm bleeding, not to worry but obviously a mmc wouldn't show that. My poor partner is losing it with me because my anxiety is so high all the time. I'm 39 and this is an ivf baby so I'm dreading the worst all the time. I know that if something was to go wrong, I couldn't change it but I'm so upset. I wanted this pregnancy more than anything, you'd think I'd be overjoyed but lack of symptoms and not having textbook readings is very distressing.

Just wondered if anyone else out there had a normal pregnancy where their resting heart rate either declined or didn't raise much?

Had a tough year so far having lost my dad and never been pregnant before so please be gentle in your responses as I really am an amateur at all this.

Thank you in advance for your time.

Xx

Please stop checking your pulse
Maybe see the GP about anxiety as it can really heighten in pregnancy

I've spoken to my gp 3 times in the last week. They've told me that once I see a midwife (in 2 weeks) they should be able to refer me to some mental health care. Not very helpful at the present time. It's very upsetting feeling like I'm wasting doctor's time :(

Please stop checking your pulse.
You can self refer for help for mental health

I don't feel mentally unstable. Just very anxious about my BP /RHR. Just feel quite alone really in all this. None of my friends have kids and mum is no longer alive. Guess I'm just not sure what to expect.... Sorry If I've come across a bit unhinged.

Stop checking your pulse OP, you aren’t helping yourself and unless you come from a medical background, you probably don’t really understand what you’re interpreting.

I’m 39wks pregnant and up until recently I had crippling anxiety over this pregnancy. Everything signalled a disaster to me so I do totally understand being overcome with worry. However, I’ve learned to accept that I haven’t been given anything to worry about and (finally) started to enjoy the pregnancy and looking forward to my baby coming.

Leave your pulse alone and accept that the scan you went to showed everything is fine :-)

I wouldn’t use your BPM as a reliable source for how the pregnancy is going. Here is why…..

I was pregnant and got a smart watch for a valentines present. Several weeks later I lost my son at 18 weeks, there was no significant change in my BPM to have indicated anything was wrong with the pregnancy.

Still wearing the watch I later fell pregnant with twins, again there was no significant change to my BPM to indicate there was any pregnancy, let alone a twin one.

I’m now 33 weeks with said twins, and do you know what I did? I stopped wearing the bloody watch as it too was giving me anxiety so my advice to you is to do the same and try and relax and enjoy your pregnancy, totally easier said that done, I know! But do try.

I don't know what my pulse rate was but I always had low blood pressure when it was checked. I never had any pregnancy symptoms either in all 3 normal pregnancies. Honestly the best thing would be to get rid of whatever you are using to check. I would try to keep busy and think about something else. Sorry you're feeling like this, anxiety is horrible.

Stop checking your pulse! Why do you need to? It's just making you anxious.

@Lillygolightly I'm so very sorry to hear about your son. Any loss is absolutely dreadful. And I appreciate you using your own very sad personal story in an attempt to calm crazy me down! Massive congratulations on the twins. Such a blessing! Truly hope all continues to go well and sending all the best wishes to you x

Thanks everyone. I know you are all perfectly right of course. I guess naturally pre pregnancy I was a bit of a control freak. So for me, when I don't have symptoms, this is one thing I can keep doing that gives me some control. I know in truth you cannot control pregnancy. What will be, will be. I just struggle with that concept.

That said, I do really appreciate everyone taking time out to discuss and share their own journies with me. I really must try to put the monitor down.

Pregnancy is something we have very little control over so I’d suggest doing the things you do have control over; e.g., take folic acid and vitamin D, eat well and whatever else that will keep you and your baby in tip top condition.

Checking your pulse all the time is causing you stress, which isn’t good for your blood pressure, which isn’t good for you, so put it to one side and do things that are good for you! I’d argue the monitor isn’t giving you any control at all, if anything, it’s taking your control over your own peace of mind away.

@elenacampana strangley enough, stressing and panicking seems to make not a jot of difference to my blood pressure! I'm that odd! It still stays very low. Suppose I should be thankful for that but I absolutely take your point. I am making a conscious effort to do what I can. Taking a pre natal vitamin etc and having a walk each day. Its just very difficult to try and control the emotional side. I might see if I can get the midwife to bring forward my appointment as waiting for things seems to stress me more.

You make some very valid points. Thank you.

I'd recommend not checking your pulse. I get it - I am newly pregnant with an ivf baby (I've had multiple losses prior to this) and the anxiety is really hard to manage. During my tww I took my resting heart rate off my display and tried not to check it. I was absolutely convinced our ivf had failed because I accidentally saw my rate at 7dp5dt and it was my normal and I felt devastated. But I am pregnant so I'd upset myself for nothing.

Pregnancy after infertility is so so hard. Try and do the things that help you (and checking your pulse doesn't help). Focus on what you can control. Sending love 💜

they are never very accurate those wrist worn monitors anyway

there is such truth in just taking off your smart watch (if that's where you are getting it from)

I am really busy and people used to send me messages on facebook and I only ever used to look at it once a week if that and then I'd get really arsey messages saying 'you never replied to me' 'you missed my event' etc. etc. so I deleted facebook and honestly, my life was so much better afterwards!

if it's a smart watch, take it off, or disable the heart rate part of it and you will immediately feel so much better!

also @TweedieBean82 I wouldn't try and control your emotions - acknowledge that you feel scared. It's understandable that after IVF and losing your dad that you're feeling a bit more vulnerable than you might normally do. You're being incredibly hard on yourself.

Please try not to worry about your pulse, I really don't think it is overly indicative of the health of your pregnancy. I've had a few miscarriages and was so anxious during this pregnancy. I kept taking my heart rate on my phone and googling what I thought it should be for pregnancy. It didnt match up. However I am now 20 weeks pregnant and the health of my baby is fine as far as I know.

I know how tempting it is to cling onto every little thing and attach meanings/diagnostics to it but you really will just worry yourself sick. Maybe go for a private scan?

@AwaAnBileYerHeid I've actually had 3 scans! One routine fertility clinic one at 7 weeks, a private at 8 weeks and one at the hospital yesterday at 9 weeks. Because of my age and high risks they seem to think it's ok for me to have them. I'm not I'd be able to hold out to 12 weeks otherwise. I really hope your wonderful pregnancy continues well x

Your pulse is not a good indicator of whether a pregnancy is going to be successful. One of my pregnancies I had an insanely high heart rate and ended up with a loss. My two successful pregnancies the heart rate didn’t go up too much.

Seeing a heartbeat at 9 weeks is a good sign, stats says that rate of miscarriage go down drastically once a heartbeat is seen

@VenusStarr thanks for your reply. It really does help to hear everyone's inputs. As a fellow Ivf warrior, I'm sending best wishes from this pregnancy camp to yours x

@KiaOraWasTheBest thanks for your thoughtful words. The monitor is actually a blood pressure monitor that you wear on your upper arm. It also monitors pulse. I wish it wasn't in the house to be honest!

And I totally get the Facebook thing. I deleted mine back in feb and haven't looked back since.

@Motherofcats007 thanks so much for that. My fertility clinic actually told me about the reassuring stats but it's like everything isn't it, someone has to be unlucky I guess. We all want our babies so very much so its just one pressure after another. I'm really sorry to hear about your loss. I don't have the words really but I know a loss of any kind is absolutely devastating so you have my thoughts x

[quote TweedieBean82]@VenusStarr thanks for your reply. It really does help to hear everyone's inputs. As a fellow Ivf warrior, I'm sending best wishes from this pregnancy camp to yours x[/quote]
@TweedieBean82 ❤️❤️