No heartbeat at 11 weeks

[Jobean]

Help - I went to the docs about something unrelated and he said ohe you're 11 weeks today hop on the bed and we'll try and listen to hte heartbeat. After much poking and prodding about nothing although he said he could detect something faint.

Next minute he's on the phone booking me an early scan - this I can't have for another week.

This is my second baby and now I am extremely worried to say the least - is this normal should I be worried - I don't think I can wait a week its going to be agony.

Also I have had an overactive thyroid since birth of DS1 now four, it has been under control using carbimazole and i have recently come off the tablets once I realised I was pregnant - has anyone had experience of this too

Oh Jobean, am thinking of you - is there anyway that you can push for an earlier scan than next week?

After the 9th or 10th week after your last menstrual period, you might be able to hear your baby's heartbeat at your prenatal appointment. Your obstetrical practitioner probably uses a Doppler instrument for this purpose, which bounces harmless sound waves off the fetal heart. The way the sound comes back is affected by motion, so a beating heart creates a change in the sound that can be picked up by the receiver in the Doppler. Whether you actually hear the heartbeat at 9 or 10 weeks depends partly on luck-the instrument must be placed at just the right angle. It also depends on the position of your uterus, and if you're slim or heavy. By the 12th week, the heartbeat can usually be heard consistently, using the Doppler instrument for amplification.

I've just copied this from another site, but hopefully it may ease any worries in that he didn't know what he was doing.

oh jobean,please dont worry,it might just be that the baby wasnt in the right position for the doctor to hear it.

i hope your scan goes ok.but like bellie says,cant you ask for an earlier scan?if you explain how worried you are they might bring it forward.

I would push for a sooner scan as well. TBH if you got along to your epu they should scan you there and then. Thats my experience anyway.

Also tbh I was NEVER allowed to listen to the hb in the 1st trimester as I was always told it was to soon to hear it..Usually it's undetectable or not as clear until around 20 weeks. With dd and now with ds2b a mw never used a heartbeat device until I was around 20 weeks.

I know gp's are good at what they do BUT somtimes as they don't deal with pregnant women as a "main" job they don't always have the most upto date or correct info.

I have just been for a gtt as booked in from 12 weeks (now 28 weeks) BUT last week due to back pain I saw my gp, he noticed sugar in my urine and was concerned I have gestational diabetes..! . Told me NOT to miss todays appointment etc. My mw today said, there could be a possibility I have but you can't tell from one urine sample. I just get the impression that gp's can be overcautious and don't always know the ins and outs of maternity care iykwim.

Sorry to ramble...Hope things work out for you, let us know how you get on. Hope baby is fine xx

Thanks Furball, that makes me feel alot better.

I will just have to try not to worry between now and then as worryong ios not going to change the outcome whatever it may be x Fingers crossed it will be a good one - I will let you all know

look at this thread

FWIW... i was not offered the opportunity to hear my babies until 16 weeks...even then i was warned might be impossible to pick up...11 weeks seems terribly early..and now you are worried for probably no reason at all.....

I think it is quite unusual for a heartbeat to be detected by a doppler at this stage. Apparently most MW dont even try to find it until after week 16.
I had my own doppler during my last pregnancy, and I wasnt able to hear anything until week 15.
Also there were many times i couldnt hear a thing.

I think your GP is probably erring on the side of caution.

Does your hospital have an Early Pregnancy Unit ? If so give them a call and explain the doctors concern. Usually you they open at around 8.00 am and you just have to sit and wait your turn.

This is why I love this site - thanks to everyone and for that link which was ver reassuring.

I will just wait and see and go from there.

Feeling loads better now everyone

Went for scan today and unfortunately for me it is not good news. I have miscarried in the womb - I am absolutely devastated, fortunately my sister came with as DH couldn't but now I cannot gt hold of hjim til 4 to tell him - now I wish he had his mobile.

I have to go back Thursday to have a D&C (?) and then its back to the drawing board. I won't give up though I have had one healthy baby and I am determined to have another - this one was just not meant to be x

So sorry Jobean

very sorry to hear that jobean.......xx lots of support on the miscarriage thread to...xxx

Sorry to hear that Jobean.

(((((hugs)))))

Thinking of you jobean.

Just read this thread and i'm so very sorry for JoBean. I know what you are going through and will be thinking of you.

Good luck for the future. x

Message withdrawn

hi jobean
i am so sorry i know that doesnt help at all but i know what u are going through, i have no children yet but had missed miscarriage in march i am now pregnant again only 6 weeks and scared it will happen again but hopefully not, dont worry about the d&c its not pleasent i know but for me it wasnt painful although obviously emotionally it was, when i came home i really didnt think i would get over it but it does get easier, take care x x

Thanks everyone, its encouraging to hear from you who have gone through the same thing and went on to have babies.

I just want to get on with the D&C so we can get cracking on trying again.

It was truly awful and I am at work feeling sad when I thought I would be staring at a piccy of my scan and now all I feel is that I am carrying something which has died and I although I thought well if goes wrong I will just try again - I didn't think I would feel like I am in mourning.

I just wish I hadn't told anyone, now I have to tell them this and I don't want anyone to give me that sympathetic look and not know what to say to me if you know what I mean.

I will stay positive and keep you all posted should I have some good news in the future XX

oh jobean I am so sorry. Take the time to grieve and be with your family