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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Chances of MC or MMC after seeing a heartbeat in an early scan...?

24 replies

chocciechip · 29/01/2011 15:46

In the past I've had a MMC (picked up at 10 weeks, baby died at 6 weeks), and a MC at about 6 weeks. I am nearly 40 and pregnant again and this will be my first DC if all goes well. But I am scared.

I had an early scan: it was at exactly 6 weeks and this time the scan picked up a heartbeat. I know lots of people have MCs and MMC later than 6 weeks, but I was told by the nurse that seeing a heartbeat reduces the risk.

Is this true?

Apart from swollen breasts, I am symptomless (as I was in both my other PGs) - and this is really worrying me.

I am scheduled for another scan in 3 weeks, when I will be 9weeks, but the worry is weighing on me and I'm considering a private scan earlier just to put my mind at rest.

Can anyone give me facts and stats about this to help sleep better...?

Also, info online keeps mentioning the heartbeat rate; should this have been measured at my scan, or should I ask for this? How important/relevant is it to know the heartbeat rate.

Many thanks.

OP posts:

OrangeGloss · 29/01/2011 16:23

Hi Choccie, so sorry for your losses. I'm afraid I can't help much except to wish you the best of luck and some statistics from mc association below. I'm sure ladies with more knowledge will be along soon, it's such a difficult, nerve-wracking time I hope you get the answers you need to reassure you

If the scan picks up a heartbeat and the baby appears to be the right size according to your dates, this can be very reassuring. Research has shown that if you see a heartbeat at 6 weeks of pregnancy, the chances of the pregnancy continuing are 78%. A heartbeat at 8 weeks increases the chance of a continuing pregnancy to 98% and at 10 weeks to 99.4%. So things could still go wrong, but as long as there is a heartbeat, the risk of miscarriage decreases as the weeks go by.

jellybeans · 29/01/2011 17:34

According to the miscarriage association, 'Research has shown that if you see a heartbeat at 6 weeks of pregnancy, the chances of the pregnancy continuing are 78%. A heartbeat at 8 weeks increases the chance of a continuing pregnancy to 98% and at 10 weeks to 99.4%. '.

I am very sorry for your losses. I can sympathise as i have lost 4 myself and had bleeding in all my pregnancies. 2 of my losses were after 20 weeks and 2 before 12 weeks. I happily also managed to have 5 living children from 4 pregnancies despite having several conditions that all cause miscarriage. So hopefully that gives you some hope as well.

I don't think heartbeat rate is relevant at this stage to be honest but i am not a specialist. If you have had no bleeding that is a good sign. I have paid for private scans in the past as it is so hard waiting.

Also regarding symptoms, I didn't have any with some of my DC and did with others so you cannot always tell by that.

I truly hope everything is OK, there is every reason that it will be (the odds are definately on your side) and these weeks fly by for you and you can be reassured as soon as possible.

Loopymumsy · 29/01/2011 17:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Besom · 29/01/2011 18:07

I suspect they would have told you if the heartbeat rate was slow or weak or anything. If they said it was OK, and she said your risk was reduced then this is a good sign.

I'm another one who was not sick at all in my successful pregnancy so not necessarily a problem that.

Fingers and toes crossed for you.

Original poster

chocciechip · 31/01/2011 12:36

Thanks everyone for the feedback and information. My dh is reassured by it, but I have to admit I can't get the worry out of my head. I'm thinking an 8 week scan might help, but will see how I get on this week. No spotting, so I am taking that as a good sign.

OP posts:

HaveToWearHeels · 31/01/2011 12:43

Very sorry for your loses, I had an ectopic and know the next time I was pregnant I analysed everything, so it is only natural. Only thing I can offer is that I had NO symptoms with the second pregnancy and didn't find out until I was 10 weeks as I was waiting for period to return after Ectopic. Slight nausea was my only symptom at about 10 weeks. Best of luck, let us know how you get on.

HaveToWearHeels · 31/01/2011 12:44

Oh forgot to add I had my DD at 39 so don't let the age thing worry you :)

monkeybumsmum · 31/01/2011 18:07

Hi choccie Well done you! Hope you don't mind me coming on here, but I was so pleased to hear your news, have been thinking about you lots and wondering how you were doing.

IME, a heartbeat at 6 weeks exactly is fantastic. That's the earliest I think you could possibly hope to see one, and so it's a really good sign! I think the heatbeat rate is something to be thinking about perhaps nearer the twelve week scan, unless is is unusually slow which would probably be pointed out. I had one like that, and it was clear the pg wasn't going to end well, but with that pregnancy they couldn't locate a heartbeat until 7 1/2 wks. I really do think it's a hugely positive sign that you've seen the HB so early on.

I have everything crossed for you, and am sending you lots of love xxx

monkeybumsmum · 31/01/2011 18:09

it is

Soph96 · 12/05/2017 22:22

I wouldn't worry, I'm 6 weeks and saw heartbeat yesterday, they're happy, I had two miscarriages last year, one natural and one complicated I had to have medical management and two surgical managements, I've never got to a point of pregnancy where I have had the baby grow enough to get a heartbeat so this one is very reassuring for me, I completely understand your worry though, I'm constantly on edge, especially for the next six weeks, good luck everyone and take care 💚

MaryShelley1818 · 12/05/2017 23:51

Zombie thread!!!

Bethany1990 · 14/02/2019 08:20

Iv had 2 misscarages and I’m 6 weeks pregnant today I’m off for a scan due to bleeding again so I’m a bag Of nerves my first pregnancy I has a Mmc seen a heartbeat and the lost the baby at 7 weeks on next scan but I was bleeding constantly so if u arnt bleeding don’t worry my second mc was no heartbeat at 6 weeks went back at 8 weeks and still no heartbeat... my pregnancy now has been fine but bleed 2 days ago and I just know in my heart Iv lost this little peanut to ... do not worry if there is no bleeding you will b fine get a private scan at 8 weeks for reassurance and try and relax I wish u all the luck in the world x

Bethany1990 · 14/02/2019 08:28

6 week scan today after bleeding again I’m so scared after 2 misscarages and I feel like it’s happening again the first pregnancy I had a heart beat at 6 weeks start bleeding again went back and baby had died week 8 .... second miscarriage there was never a heartbeat at week 6 and week 8 . I hav my scan at 10am I’m scared incase I see a heartbeat then have another missed misscarage n I’m scared in case I don’t see s heartbeat ... i was gutted when I started to bleed the world could of s

Karigan195 · 14/02/2019 08:31

I’m sorry for your loss but this may help

datayze.com/miscarriage-reassurer.php

Karigan195 · 14/02/2019 08:34

There is an article on the Internet that says that heartbeat rate should be between a certain bracket and if lower there is a greater risk but i believe it would show up obviously slow and prompt measuring from what I read. If it looks fine you’re probably going to be fine. There is more chance of that baby being born than not

Rgillis · 19/07/2019 16:04

Hi everyone, I had light pink spotting at six weeks, went for a scan and saw heartbeat. They told me it was implantation bleeding. Now I'm almost 8 weeks and when I wipe myself I have dried brown blood, also found some on my underwear. I'm very scared I'm having a miscarriage, any advice??

ELW85 · 19/07/2019 18:53

@Rgillis - you can also have hormonal bleeding, which happens around 4 and 8 weeks and mimics your AF. After the placenta takes over, it stops, but if you’re worried, ring your midwife or the EPU; I don’t think anything else will put your mind at rest.

EPSpartyof3 · 19/07/2019 19:43

Does anyone else have the hardest time waiting? This is my first pregnancy- and everything we have ever wanted and I am no 7 weeks and 4 days, we did the scan at 6 weeks and there was a heartbeat. I have never been so nervous for anything, we are so happy. I have very little light spotting brownish this week, is this normal? Hard not to be worried about the future. Days go by so slow. I truly believe this is a blessing. I have ENDO and was told it would be hard to get pregnant. We even went to the IVF clinics and did all the testing but it was $50,000 out of pocket. There was no way we could afford it. So we said if nothing happens in a few years we will adopt. Then this miracle... Can anyone relate?

EPSpartyof3 · 19/07/2019 19:44

@rgillis- the same exact this is happening to me.....

Rgillis · 21/07/2019 11:51

I'm not bleeding, but when I wipe myself out comes light brown dried blood, also on under wear. It can't be Implantation as I have had that already. Shld I be concerned of miscarriage???

Mlui · 12/09/2019 02:03

I'm bleeding at the moment with quite abit of clotting. Yest we went to ob for scan and detected a heartbeat but growth is a week behind. Ob has asked me to go back for weekly checkups and if serious cramps to go straight to emergency.
I have had a previous early miscarriage but had no bleeding. This time round, heartbeat but have had brown discharge and now fresh blood. :s

Mlui · 12/09/2019 06:39

@rgillis would be interested in your update on your pregnancy.

Larabelle6 · 12/09/2019 11:28

Hi,

Sorry for your losses. Following my mmc (where I’d seen the heartbeat at 8 weeks) I was an absolute anxious mess with the next pregnancy. I had almost weekly scans from 7-16 weeks, we have a window to the womb local to us and it’s £59 for a reassurance scan which was totally worth it for me. The anxiety didn’t stop after that but it has got better now I can feel her moving about. Good luck! If extra scans will help you relax a little, even for a day or two then go for it xx

Jippymcnish · 26/09/2019 11:02

@Rgillis I also had some dark brown blood at about 6 weeks (fairly similar to the very end of a period) I, of course, was worried so called the midwives. I'd had a little pain so they called me in for a scan just to be sure.
I know implantation bleeding can be similar but what I had was a haematoma, this is basically a bit of trauma in the womb from the placenta attaching itself making a patch of blood that slowly releases from your womb. It's nothing to worry about and my bleeding stopped after a week. The scan the following week showed the haematoma had gone and baby's heartbeat was going strong!!
I think basically, brown blood means it's not an active bleed so it's not as much to worry about.

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