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Original poster

No heartbeat, can sonographer be wrong?

65 replies

Foetushost · 14/10/2014 19:14

Hi

I went for a scan yesterday. From my period dates I should have been 10 weeks pregnant. Sonographer said that foetus looks 8 weeks with no heartbeat.

I know it's a long shot but has anyone had no heartbeat and went for another scan and it was ok? I've had some spotting but definitely no bleeding.

I just want to know whether it's possible that sonographer got it wrong.

OP posts:
MsIngaFewmarbles · 14/10/2014 19:15

It's always possible but unlikely, sorry Sad

TheFantasticFixit · 14/10/2014 19:16

Oh OP. Its very unlikely i'm afraid. I'm so sorry. I hope you have lots of rl support Sad

Thanks
fluffyraggies · 14/10/2014 19:16

Oh i'm so sorry Flowers I imagine it is very rare for there to be a mistake like that. Have you another can booked?

fluffyraggies · 14/10/2014 19:17

*scan

steff13 · 14/10/2014 19:20

I'm sorry. Did they do bloodwork to check your hormone levels? I had spotting with my daughter, and they checked my hormones to see if they were at the right level.

Was it an internal scan?

PumpkinPie2013 · 14/10/2014 19:20

So sorry for you Sad sadly it's unlikely to be a mistake Sad

I hope you have support in RL but do come back if you need to chat Thanks

Romeyroo · 14/10/2014 19:21

I am so sorry. I had a missed miscarriage at 11 weeks, after having seen a heartbeat at 6w. I did ask for another scan a week later, before I began the drugs to trigger my body to miscarry the foetus, just to be sure. But really, unless your dates are wildly out, it is unlikely there will have been a mistake Sad.

TeenageMutantNinjaTurtle · 14/10/2014 19:22

If the baby was measuring 8 weeks and had no heartbeat, it's really unlikely it was wrong. There's always a chance but you'd expect a heartbeat by then. I'm really sorry OP, best wishes to you and your family Thanks

FishWithABicycle · 14/10/2014 19:23

Really sorry to hear this. It must be very stressful for you.

If you are actually 8 weeks rather than 10 it is just about possible that it's a healthy pregnancy and that the baby is just too small to see a heartbeat yet. If you are actually at 10 weeks then if there's a healthy baby in there then a heartbeat would probably be visible, so it's then probably not good news. So, the question hangs entirely on how possible it might be that either your dates are't quite right, or you have an unusual cycle length where you ovulate very late in the cycle. Remember that when HCPs say 10 weeks they mean 10 weeks since last AF so it can be anything between 6 weeks and 9 weeks since actual conception depending on your cycle.

They will do another scan in a week to see if there's any growth or change. Really there's not much you can do other than wait and see.

Wishing you all the strength and courage you will need to get through this.

bakingtins · 14/10/2014 19:25

The procedure is they should ask another staff member in for a second opinion. They would not normally book another scan if the foetus measures beyond the point at which it should definitely have a heartbeat (>7 weeks) but if it is potentially viable but yet to develop a heartbeat (5-7 weeks) they will rescan to confirm no growth, even if dates mean it should measure further on. Unfortunately a missed miscarriage where there are no, or very few, signs that the pregnancy is not developing is quite common. There is lots of support available on the miscarriage board in the body and soul section, including a thread on tips for coping. please come and post there if it would help. I'm so sorry you are facing this. Flowers

LittleprincessinGOLDrocks · 14/10/2014 19:25

Its unlikely, so sorry.
Flowers

grocklebox · 14/10/2014 19:25

they can be but they very rarely are. At 10 weeks a h/b is really easy to see.
Sorry.

silverlace · 14/10/2014 19:28

Sorry but as others have said it is unlikely. I was in the same situation as you regarding dates and spotting. I was booked in for a scan a week later to check but during that week nature took its course.

Take care of yourself, you will get lots of support on the miscarriage boards here if the worst does happen.

PiperIsOrange · 14/10/2014 19:32

Unfortunately I don't think it is possible.

I am sorry you are going through this Thanks

Original poster
Foetushost · 14/10/2014 19:35

Thanks for the replies. Yes I had a second sonographer confirm no heartbeat there and then. It's just that I have not bled really and I'm in no pain. It's just hard to sink in I suppose. I know I'm being silly but I was hoping that someone would say that it's happened to them and they went on to have a baby.

OP posts:
OwlWearingSunglasses · 14/10/2014 19:37

So sorry xx

hippoinamudhole · 14/10/2014 19:39

I had a scan at 6 weeks and was told there was no baby in the sac.

He's 21 at the end of the month

bakingtins · 14/10/2014 19:41

miscarriageassociation.org.uk is very helpful for factual information. Many women are not aware of missed miscarriage until they sadly experience one. Were you given enough information to decide on your options from here? Even if a second scan is not the procedure, I know of people who have asked for, and got, another before medical or surgical management, for their own peace of mind.

grocklebox · 14/10/2014 19:42

6 weeks is very different from 10 and scanners were not as good 2 decades ago. Not trying to be mean but stories like that are really just teasing when they don't apply to you.

bakingtins · 14/10/2014 19:43

hippo with respect, that is entirely different to having no heartbeat at 10 weeks. A few days discrepancy with dates at 6 weeks makes a big difference, that's why at that stage a rescan for viability would be arranged.

Swingball · 14/10/2014 19:45

I'm so sorry. I had a similar experience, it's bloody heart breaking. Flowers Take care of yourself x

PoppyFleur · 14/10/2014 19:50

I am so sorry. The miscarriage website mentioned by bakingtins is a very helpful site. I hope you have some good support in rl.

RaisingMen · 14/10/2014 19:50

Even if your dates are out by two weeks, which is unlikely, a visible heartbeat would be expected at 8 weeks anyway. I'm so sorry, I've had recurrent miscarriages and would hate to give you any false hope x

RaisingMen · 14/10/2014 19:50

Even if your dates are out by two weeks, which is unlikely, a visible heartbeat would be expected at 8 weeks anyway. I'm so sorry, I've had recurrent miscarriages and would hate to give you any false hope x

googietheegg · 14/10/2014 19:51

Op I'm sorry to hear you're having a rough time. My story is the same as yours, scan at 10 weeks with no HB -no bleeding, no pain. It was fucking awful. But six weeks later I got another bfp and my daughter is now 2. I was terrified everytime I went to the loo the whole nine months and did everything by the book for a sense of control. And she's fabulous!

I hope you have a happy time soon xxx