Is there any way of finding out if baby is OK without having to wait until 12 weeks for heartbeat?

[Carinx]

Is there any way of finding out if baby is OK without having to wait until 12 weeks for heartbeat? 40 yrs so already high-risk, 4 weeks now. I took 2 immodiums to clear up travellers diarrhoea, 3 days later a sleeping tablet to get through a longhaul flight, 3 days after returning had my wisdom tooth taken out, local anaesthetic, with tooth still throbbing and 4 pregnancy test-kits later & too much web-surfing has freaked me out. its feeling like a long weekend til I can see a doc in the week.

Private scan?

How far along are you because early scans often don't tell you much?

You could ask for an early scan. At 4 weeks it's too early to hear a heartbeat and even a scan won't pick up a heartbeat but by 6-7 weeks WILL be able to.

Unfortunately it's a waiting game but hopefully all will be well. I used to be a community midwife and cannot tell you how many women came in for booking and anxiously confessed to ingesting/snorting/drinking X, Y and sometimes even Z before realizing they were pregnant. In the vast, vast majority of cases it made no difference. Pregnancies went well and babies were born healthy.

They can pick up a heart beat at 7 weeks with an internal ultrasound, it just shows the sac and a heartbeat at that point.

Meant to add congratulations too. Is it your first?

You can pay for a private scan, in my area they are about £70 (ish) for a 5 minute scan to check for a heartbeat. I would wait til at about 7-8 weeks for this so you can be sure to actually see the heart beat.

Crikey, I've never joined a forum before, and am overwhelmed by quick and helpful response, thanks all. Thanks JollyP - is my first... am somewhat reassured, and now focusing energy positively, a private scan in a couple of weeks time looks like a good plan for me to calm my concerns.

Welcome to MN Carinx - stick around as there are some really good antenatal threads going.