how many weeks should you DEFINITELY expect to see a heartbeat?

[Christelle2207]

Hi
Am currently 6 or so weeks, am considering paying for a private scan just before Christmas when I will be somewhere between 7+2 and 7+5, so that we can tell our parents on Christmas day. However I would not want to be unneccessarily worried if for example the heartbeat could not be seen yet.
Do you think I could be reasonably confident of seeing heartbeat by then (if there is one, of course!) or should I wait a further week or so to give us a better chance of seeing it. Understand that it could be "there" from about now but can be difficult to trace in early stage. I would have to pay £100, obviously would not want this wasted if possible, though I am bearing in mind that it could be "bad" news at any time.
I am going to see gp tomorrow to enquire about possibility of early nhs scan, but not very confident! First baby and took over a year to conceive so am extremely anxious. Thanks.

I saw a heartbeat with DS at 5+5, and dd at 7 weeks. Both were abdominal scans as well (and I'm a size 14, so not a skinny minny!).

I saw one at 6 weeks however your dates could be out by a week or more as its so hard to tell when you actually conceived. I wouldn't go for one as I there is no hb you will be left worrying for perhaps no reason. Wait another week and do it in the new year?
I had an early scan with my first as was going on a big family holiday and wanted to tell them. No hb at scan so had to wait a whole week of agonising worry before could be rescanned.
Really hard but think its better to wait and just enjoy Christmas with your lovely secret.

If you have an internal scan I'd say by 7 weeks. I saw one trans abdominally at 7 weeks with both and I'm a fatty

I had an early scan at what eventually turned out to be 7+2.
There was the beginning of what they called a fetal pole (not that I could see it) but I was able to see the regular rythm of a heartbeat. But I understood from the sonographer that it was lucky - because all can be well and not see it.

I waited until 9 weeks to be absolutely certain. Mainly because I knew by that stage that if there wasn't a heartbeat it definitely wasn't going to end well. I'm not a patient person so being in a situation where it was going to be 'come back in a week and we'll see' would have been too much. I'd rather wait that week and know for certain coming out the ward.

I wouldn't have a scan until at least 8 weeks. I've had so many early scans and lots of them were very worrying (thinking I was 7 weeks and expecting a heartbeat for example and seeing nothing at all but an empty sac - that was a big low. That 7 week old embryo is now 10 weeks and totally fine so there was nothing to worry about) and conversely seeing a lovely strong heartbeat at 7.5 weeks then losing the baby a week later. The longer you can hold out (unless you have obvious concerns, like bleeding etc) the better. Its a very imprecise science and the later you leave it, the more sure you can be that what you can see is what you've actually got IYSWIM. Good luck!

thanks for all replies. am fairly sure on dates as I was in clomid and scan on cd 12 confirmed one very large follie about to pop! nevertheless think best to wait until 8-9 weeks to avoid unnecessary extra stress over xmas!

I would wait until 9 weeks. At that stage if all is well then you are highly unlikely to miscarry. Unfortunately you can see a heartbeat at 6 weeks and then go on to discover a few weeks later that the pregnancy is not viable after all. This happened to me once and I wished i hadn't had the earlier scan (although didn't think I was only six weeks at the time).

If you are confident of your dates then wait till 8 weeks preferably 9. At 9 weeks you see a little teeny alien person rather than just a blob so the scan is nicer anyway.

8-9 weeks is what my EPU recommends. After seeing a heartbeat at that stage, the chance of miscarriage is really small (less than 5-10%). Good luck!

Think I will try and wait till 9 then to be sure x

just wanted to update this thread - I saw a hearbeat (very clearly) at what turned out to be 8+3.
Am now 39+3!!!!

That's lovely Christelle, congratulations

I am 17+4 now and we had our first scan at 5+4 and saw the heartbeat.

Congratulations OP.