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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Can anyone help? No heartbeat detected at 9 weeks :(

27 replies

PollyCazaletWannabe · 07/01/2017 17:57

I went for a scan today and was told that the baby looked small for 9 weeks and that there was no visible heartbeat :( however I live in China and so the system is not as organised. The doctor who did my scan was a gynecologist not a sonographer and she didn't do a doppler or give me any indication as to the exact dates the baby was measuring etc. I have been asked to come back next Saturday for another scan with the sonographer, but the doctor didn't seem hopeful. Honestly do you think there is any hope or should I prepare for the worst? I have had no bleeding or cramps.

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pinkcandyflossy · 07/01/2017 18:08

Didn't want to read and run how awful you must be feeling. You go for a scan expecting to be reassured and come away more unsure. Do you think you may have your dates wrong and are much earlier along than the 9 weeks you thought?

Otherwise I suppose there is a chance the person doing the scan was not knowledgable enough. Or maybe you didn't drink the required amount of water and so there was no clear picture/heartbeat etc?

Original poster

PollyCazaletWannabe · 07/01/2017 18:11

Thank you for your reply pink. Sadly I was tracking my cycle and so my dates are definitely correct, and I drank loads of water beforehand :( I am sort of clinging to the idea that the doctor was a bit incompetent but tbh I think it's unlikely :(

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Original poster

PollyCazaletWannabe · 07/01/2017 18:12

There didn't seem to be a clear picture though so maybe she just wasnt doing it right? I don't know, I think I'm clutching at straws

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Whatsername17 · 07/01/2017 18:25

I'm really sorry you are going through this. I've been there - no hb detected at 11 weeks. There is no harm in hoping, but prepare yourself anyway.

Original poster

PollyCazaletWannabe · 07/01/2017 18:27

Thank you whatsername. Can I ask what the eventual outcome for you was?

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Waterfeature · 07/01/2017 18:30

Same happened to me, except I'd had a bit of bleeding which prompted the scan. They said baby was small and they couldn't see a heartbeat and asked me to come back in two weeks. About 10 days later I had a MC.

At the first scan they said it was about 50/50 whether it would be OK or not.

I'm really sorry.

Original poster

PollyCazaletWannabe · 07/01/2017 18:32

I'm sorry for your loss waterfeature. It's so hard waiting to find out for sure :(

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ConvincingLiar · 07/01/2017 18:46

If you're certain about dates then it sounds like bad news
I've been wrong about dates twice though.

Original poster

PollyCazaletWannabe · 07/01/2017 18:47

I'm definitely not wrong about the dates, convincingliar :( I wish I were!

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Whatsername17 · 07/01/2017 18:48

I lost the baby. It was clear on the scan that the baby had stopped developing. I was forced to have a 'natural' miscarriage because it was Christmas and the hospital short staffed. The miscarriage association website was very helpful during this time.

Original poster

PollyCazaletWannabe · 07/01/2017 18:50

Oh whatsername, I'm so sorry. How awful for you. that must have been so hard over Christmas :(

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Whatsername17 · 07/01/2017 18:58

Miscarriage is horrendous. This time last year I was waiting to miscarry still. I'm lucky enough to be 38 weeks pregnant again now. I really hope you get good news.

Original poster

PollyCazaletWannabe · 07/01/2017 19:02

Thank you so much and good luck with your lovely new baby so pleased it worked out for you :)

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Waterfeature · 07/01/2017 19:14

I think early scans can be v misleading. The day before my "small for dates" scan I had a private scan where they told me my uterus was completely empty! (And even offered me a scan pic )

Original poster

PollyCazaletWannabe · 07/01/2017 19:16

Hmm waterfeature so do you think there might be a chance it's wrong?

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arbrighton · 07/01/2017 19:19

I don't think Doppler can be used that early? I didn't get any Doppler at my dating scan last week but DH saw heartbeat on screen.

Wait and see if it has progressed by next week and try to relax, I know it will be hard

Waterfeature · 07/01/2017 19:23

I think there is always a chance. I was hoping and praying during those ten days... I also found some stories online of cases where there had been "no heartbeat" and a couple of weeks later all was well. In my case, there was a big gap between the measured size and the expected size given that I was sure of my dates. So it really was doomed but I didn't accept that until it was obvious.

Sorry, that might be v unhelpful.

Original poster

PollyCazaletWannabe · 07/01/2017 19:24

Really arbrighton? Oh :( I thought I might be able to hear the heartbeat. Thanks for the info

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Original poster

PollyCazaletWannabe · 07/01/2017 19:26

Thank you waterfeature. I think the problem is the lack of accurate info - I don't know exactly what size the baby is measuring so it's hard to be certain of the gap, if you know what I mean.

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Waterfeature · 07/01/2017 20:11

I feel for you.

I'm 7 weeks myself, have had a tiny bleed, but after last time am just not going to have a scan which will most likely be inconclusive. All will become clear quite soon. Hope it's the best news for both of us.

harleysmammy · 07/01/2017 20:26

I had a scan at 9 weeks because of bleeding and although the doctor found my sons heartbeat, he was literally a blob. Honestly he looked smaller than the top of my baby finger. I really dont think they can get any definite sizing at 9 weeks, at 12 weeks my son looked like a proper baby and no longer a blob! It was clearly easier to get a measurement at 12 weeks because they could actually see how big he was and you could actually see everything in proportion. Even at 12 weeks they get the edd wrong because they got the measurement wrong. It could just be that at 9 weeks your baby is too small to find a heartbeat, it is definitely too small to do a doppler (they dont do th doppler until 24 weeks in the uk because it is so hard to find before hand). I would hope for the best x

Original poster

PollyCazaletWannabe · 07/01/2017 20:36

Good luck to you too waterfeature- hope all goes well for you. And thank you harleysmammy- that's encouraging. I'm very small myself (5'1'') so maybe it's just that the baby is small like its mum :) I'll try to keep a tiny bit of hope alive x

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ConvincingLiar · 07/01/2017 20:36

In this pregnancy I've had scans at 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 20 weeks, in 3 hospitals/clinics and with different sonographers every time. There's only been a day's discrepancy on dates. I know that you didn't have much confidence in the scanner though so perhaps accuracy is an issue.

Original poster

PollyCazaletWannabe · 07/01/2017 20:38

Wow convincingliar that's a lot of scans! I take your point about dates. Think I had better just keep an open mind until next Saturday and try not to obsess about it too much... Easier said than done though!

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ConvincingLiar · 07/01/2017 21:23

5 7 and 9 were all for bleeding, 11 was private for nifty and 12 and 20 were standard NHS. Good luck distracting yourself

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