Reassurance for daughter?

[freccle]

My daughter has done three positive pregnancy tests. She had her last period starting on Nov 23rd but she was on the pill and took the pill continuously over the Christmas period so that she didn?t bleed whilst her partner was home on leave.

However, just before Christmas, she had that bug and was really ill with it, both sickness and diarrhoea lasting around 4 or 5 days, which I assume meant the pill didn?t work.

Although the baby wasn?t exactly planned, it IS wanted and as she had a miscarriage a couple of years ago, both she and her partner (and I!) would be devastated if she lost it.

She has seen the doctor today for her first antenatal appointment and the doctor can?t find a heartbeat. She?s using a sound device, not an ultra scan and so the doctor says it must be because her dates are off with her carrying on with the pill and actually she?s probably only about 9 weeks not 14 as her last period would indicate.

This is what she told me when she came out of the doctors as I didn?t go with them and I must admit she didn?t seem worried about it but of course now I?M imagining all sorts of things and I don?t want to quiz her too closely in case SHE starts worrying when there might be no reason to.

They?ve told her she?ll get her first scan in about 4 weeks but I don?t know if I can wait that long to find out if everything is ok! If I paid for a private dating scan, would it be able to determine if everything is ok?

Can anyone tell me if this sounds normal?

I'm not sure how early an external ultrasound scan can pick anything up.
She needs to see if she can get an internal scan at the EPU, though if she has had no bleeds or pain it bodes well.
I don't know much about miscarriage so I hope someone will be along to explain mroe soon.
Good Luck to her.

Are you worried because they didn't find a heart beat for what she thought was 14 weeks?

Our midwives won't even try before about 16 weeks here as is a bit hit and miss whether they pick one up at that stage or not.

Also a private scan would be able to date the pregnancy for you, I had one about 8 / 9 weeks this time round and was clear enough to see a baby (very small) heart beat and arms and leg stumps. They also were able to give me a very accurate due date which was confirmed when I had my NHS scan at 12 weeks.

My scan was with an external ultra-sound too.

She should be able to get a ultrasound scan at a EPUC with her history of m/c. I had one at barely 6 weeks and we saya heartbeat.

I hope it works out for her.

saw a heartbeat.

I went to midwife at 10 weeks with Dd and she couldn't hear a heartbeat, its normal at that stage, her dates could be off, but it also depends on where baby is lying too, they are teeny at this stage

Here, they don't even listen now, we get a scan at 12 weeks and have to wait fo that.

It's really hard to pick up a heartbeat before 13 weeks with a doppler (sound) profiler, which is probably why the doctor assumed her dates are out. If she concieved around Christmas time she might be under 13 weeks and just missing the heartbeat. According to my math, conception around the 24th would only make her 11.5 weeks right now - which is often too early for a doppler.

A private dating scan would definitely see a heartbeat by 9 weeks so if you wanted the reassurance for your daughter, that might be the way to go.

Had an internal ultrasound thingy at end of 6 weeks and could see the heart beat. Had been at 5 weeks and they tried but it was too early. Was told 6/7 weeks is best time for accuratly dating the babies conception etc to work out dates.

Really hope your daughter is ok, it must be hard not to worry, you are doing well not putting any of your fears on to her.

My midwife managed to find a heartbeat with a doplar at 12+5 but it took her a long time and she only managed to find it for a couple of seconds before the baby bounced off somewhere else, so she didn't bother to try and find it again. Definitely go for the scan, I had one at 9 weeks and it was easy to see the heartbeat at that stage. I hope everything works out ok for you all.

It doesn't sound all that worrying, 14 week is on the early side to reliably pick up a heartbeat by listening in.

Freccle - If a private scan is an option then trust me it's money well spent. I had an external "viability" scan at my local private clinic at 6+6 after having suffered 2 previous m/c's. After seeing the heart beat and knowing that the fetal measurements were correct I slept for the first time in weeks. I would have paid trice over for the reassurance.

They also found me an appointment on the day I called as by that point I was a basket case and the nice lady on the phone could evidently tell!