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Pregnancy

no heart beat at 12 weeks

18 replies

george1976 · 18/06/2012 18:38

Hi everyone,

Just come back from a routine 12-week scan, having found out I have twins, but they could not find a heartbeat in either. Another sonographer at the hospital reviewed the scans and concluded no heart beat also. The babies are 10.5 weeks old. They have booked me in this friday for surgical removal.

Obviously we're gutted, but need some advice. Quite a few of the posts on mumsnet say that you have to go back in another 1 week to confirm with a 2nd scan.
Should we be careful, and have the second scan in a week to confirm no heart beats? Or will this just delay the pain?

The hospital did not suggest a second scan, and they seem so convinced.

We have an option to go private and have the scan for £125 also.

Any advice ?

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lifeisfuckinggreat · 18/06/2012 18:49

Oh George, what an awful thing, I'm so sorry to hear your news. IME the only reason they would want to scan again one week later is if you were between 4-6 weeks and they were worried you had the dates wrong. If you have the dates wrong at this stage its possible the heart hasn't started beating yet. This wouldnt apply at 10 weeks I shouldn't think.

I've lost a few at 10 weeks and have never had a rescan.

I do know that you can phone and speak to them before Friday and request another scan immediately prior to the surgical removal for your peace of mind.

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mrsbugsywugsy · 18/06/2012 18:59

George I'm sorry you've had such awful news.

The heart should start beating at around 6-7 weeks I think, so your dates would need to be four weeks out.

However, if there would be any doubt in your mind at all then I would have the second scan so you can be sure.

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DowagersHump · 18/06/2012 19:34

I'm so sorry to hear that - that's how I found out about my loss and it's absolutely awful :(

I don't think you need a second scan medically, especially as a 2nd sonographer has reviewed the scan but you may want to have one as mrsbugsy said, to put your mind at rest.

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DonkeyTeapot · 18/06/2012 19:40

George I'm sorry. I had my 12 week scan today, and I too found out that my baby had died at 9 weeks. The first thing I asked was how sure they were, as I didn't know how soon they could detect a heartbeat. They told me they can normally detect a heartbeat when the baby is only 6mm long, and my baby was 24mm. I did have the option to wait a week and have a 2nd scan, but I decided not to, I knew it was over.

Again, I'm so sorry. x

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Wolfiefan · 18/06/2012 19:44

So sorry for anyone going through this. My first pg ended when a 13 week scan revealed no heartbeat. Totally gutted and felt like the bottom had fallen out of my world. Please be good to yourselves ladies and allow yourself to grieve.
Would it help to know I now have 2 healthy dcs? If not then I'm sorry but if so I hope you can consider it a glimpse into a possible future.

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batteryhen · 18/06/2012 19:58

So sorry for your news :( I had a first mmc with twins at around 8 weeks. I did ask for another scan as the sonographer said he couldn't be sure if they were triplets or twins, or wether one had a hb or not, so I had another scan a week later.
My last MC was picked up at 12 weeks. The baby actually measured 12 weeks too, and the lady said the baby had died within the last 48 hours. I didn't ask for a re-scan with this - she was so sure, and I saw the screen and I could also see there was no HB. If you feel unsure or would just like to be absolutley sure in your self, then ask for another scan. xxxx

donkey sorry for your bad news today too :( xxx

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StateofConfusion · 18/06/2012 20:00

I am so sorry for your loss.

I had the same result of my first scan at 13wks in december, I didn't go for the second scan as the baby was around 8-9wks so they would have found a HB, for me I needed it over I couldn't cope prolonging the what if, so had the erpc. For me it was the best option.

However if there is one ounce of doubt in yours or your dhs mind get another scan x

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tasmaniandevilchaser · 18/06/2012 20:09

so sorry george . Last November, I found out at my 12 wk scan that the baby had died at 10wks. I felt shattered by it, I'm shedding a tear now thinking about it.

I think if there's any doubts in your mind, then you need to put them at rest. My sonographer got a 2nd opinion and showed me the screen. I could clearly see there was no heartbeat and when she said the baby was only 3cm long, I instantly knew there was no hope. I have a DD and she was 6cm at her 12 wk scan and I was sure of my dates with this one.

donkey so sorry for your loss as well. Both of you be very kind to yourselves, take some time to grieve and be looked after.

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DonkeyTeapot · 18/06/2012 20:25

Thank you everyone. As soon as I saw the screen I thought "there doesn't look like there's anything there." I had the medication and have to go back on Wednesday for the pessaries.

Sorry to hi-jack your thread George, I do hope you are doing ok.

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randomimposter · 18/06/2012 21:00

I'm so sorry. I have had 3 MMCs around the 12/13 week mark and I know just how devastating it is :(

The first one at 12+6 (baby measured 11+6) and the sonographer was taking ages without really saying much, and it suddenly dawned on me, and I asked him "you can't find a heartbeat can you?"... That was at Kings, and their policy must have been to get a 2nd doctor in (as a failsafe I guess). The next 2 were at my local hospital and they didn't do that.

But never was a re-scan on another day arranged or suggested, and I think as has been said it's only if really early and dates could be wrong.

The ERPC (I have had 2) is nowhere near as bad as I feared, and physical recovery is quick. Emotionally of course it takes much longer :(

I wish you all the best x

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DonkeyTeapot · 18/06/2012 21:09

Sorry, what is ERPC? I know MMC is missed miscarriage, is that what I've had? The doctor called it a "silent" miscarriage which I thought was a stupid statement to be honest.

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Loislane78 · 18/06/2012 21:16

I'm really sorry George (and all the other ladies who've had similar experiences). Take care of yourself.

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EvenIfYouSeeAPoppy · 18/06/2012 21:18

I'm very sorry for the loss of your twins, Donkey.

ERPC stands for (sorry) 'evacuation of retained products of conception' - horrible term. 'Missed' or 'silent' miscarriage means simply that you had no conventional symptoms of threatened miscarriage such as cramps and bleeding, but the mc was discovered at a scan (for example).

If you are sure of your dates, you are unlikely to 'need' the second scan, but I might, IIWY, request one for your own peace of mind. I had my fourth (not consecutive, thank goodness) mc last week, after a week of repeated, initially inconclusive scans (had an enormous haematoma, which made seeing anything very difficult). I had a very thorough scan the day before the procedure and a final one the following morning, both of which found a baby with no heartbeat, and because I absolutely knew beyond doubt that I was coming up to 9 weeks, I was able, very sadly, to let go and have the ERPC.

Ask for a scan before you have the procedure. They should be happy to accommodate your wish.

Much strength to you for this horrible time.

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EvenIfYouSeeAPoppy · 18/06/2012 21:19

argh, sorry, I mean George. Am very sorry for your loss too, Donkey. Take care of yourselves. :(

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DangerMousey · 18/06/2012 21:48

I am so sorry for both of you :( if you google the miscarriage association they have some good leaflets on their website you can read, with simple honest information about the different choices you can make, when your scan shows the baby has died (ie eprc or non medical management etc).

They also have an illustrated leaflet about how miscarriage can make you feel, which I found an enormous comfort when I had my early MC in January this year.

Thinking of you both x

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DangerMousey · 18/06/2012 21:50

Ps - if you look at the miscarriage/pregnancy loss boards in the 'body an soul' section of mumsnet talk, there are some lovely supportive women in there who've been through this, who you can lean on. You can ask them the questions you can't ask anyone in real life.

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DonkeyTeapot · 18/06/2012 22:14

Thanks again folks, I've started a thread.

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george1976 · 19/06/2012 22:40

thank you everyone for your support. It really means a lot. We did have a second scan in the evening - we paid and went to a private clinic recommended by our midwife. If we had read your replies in time, we probably wouldn't have gone.

It cost £100, but we did find out a bit more info about why it may have happened - as they told us that the twins were in the same sac and identical, which we were told makes them more likely not to survive. That made me feel a bit better.

Anyway, just want to get this week over, and get the ERPC done this friday, and get back to normal. Thanks so much again to everyone x

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