how early can you see the heartbeat on ultrasound?

[lanismum]

thats it really, i am about 7 weeks pregnant, and have been having some spotting, im going to the gp later to ask for an early scan to check if everythings ok, and just wondered if it would be too early to see the heartbeat? (assuming the baby is ok)

If it's a vaginal scan they can sometimes (but not always) detect it from 6 weeks.

hi,

I had an internal scan at about 6/7 weeks and we could see the heartbeat, but the doc did say beforehand that it might be too early so not to get concerned if we couldn't see it. But it was really quite clear.

Hope your gp gets you in for an early scan; the reassurance is what you need. Good luck...x

Six weeks is minimum, I'd say. I went for a scan at 6.5 weeks and twin sacs were visible, but only the heartbeat in one sac. Consultant said that even a few days were crucial at that stage and we would have to wait to see whether one twin was developing just slightly behind the other. They might advise you to wait another week before scanning just to be sure it could give you a conclusive answer.

thank you all for the replies, its as i thought, and although im sure its 7 weeks from my last period, obviously i have no idea when i actually conceived, so the baby could only be 5 weeks, so they probably wouldnt see the heartbeat even if things were ok oh well, suppose ill just have to wait and see, i doubt i would get the scan this week anyway, so hopefully by the time i get one, ill see a nice strong heartbeat. thanks again for the replies

I had some spotting at this time in my last pg, and went to the early pregnancy unit at my hospital. They found a heartbeat on an external scan, so it is possible, but had warned me beforehand that not finding it doesn't mean there is a problem, just that it's not detectable IYSWIM.
Good luck.

I had some spotting at this time in my last pg, and went to the early pregnancy unit at my hospital. They found a heartbeat on an external scan, so it is possible, but had warned me beforehand that not finding it doesn't mean there is a problem, just that it's not detectable IYSWIM.
Good luck.

thanks jasnem, thats good to know, i had spotting with my dd at exactly this stage, and shes 17 months now, i really hope this is the same thing. it would be great if i could escape an internal scan too!

I had a scan yesterday- I'm only 5 and a half weeks pg and the heartbeat was as clear as day. I even got a piccy to prove it!

I had a scan done at 6 weeks and you could see his little going like the clappers on the scan. Good Luck x

good luck. at 5w6d i saw a sac, then at 6w3d i saw a heartbeat. x

aww iv just seen this thread revived, was rude of me not to post the results of my scan, all was well, saw a little heartbeat, my dates were put back by nearly 2 weeks though, but am 8 weeks on thursday, and so far everything is fine

well thats me booked mine for next thursday - 7 weeks. fingers crossed!!!