6W + 3D ultrasound - no fetal pole, any hope?

[Alon789]

Hi ladies,
I had my ultrasound today (6w+3d) and it seems like the HcG levels are good and the gestational sac and yolk sac are in the right size. However, the doc couldn´t see a fetal pole or a heartbeat, is it game over? Is there still a chance the pregnancy is viable?
I would love to hear some of your experiences, as I am pretty devastated. The doc also didn´t seemed too optimistic.
Thanks.

Is the 6w3d the measurement from the scan or from LMP?
Could you have ovulated late so you're not as far on as you think you are?

If you’re sure of when you ovulated then it’s not looking good, but so few people are completely sure.

As a rough measure, if you count back 24 days from when you got your bfp and then plug that date into an EDD calculator it will give you the earliest that you could be (assuming you got a bfp on 10dpo) and if that is under 5.5 weeks then there’s still a chance things could develop.

Fwiw in my last pregnancy I was measuring behind at 6 weeks with certain dates. 2 weeks later there was 2 weeks worth of growth and a heartbeat but still behind. Doctors were very positive but I knew my dates and it wasn’t good. It ended in Mc at 8 weeks. Best of luck.

I went for an early reassurance scan with my 1st. I thought I was 7w2d but she put me as just turning 6w as all you could see was a sac even on my scan photos couldn’t see anything just the sac but when I went for my 12 week scan I was 12w4d (from when I thought I was from my flo app) and I was actually 12w6d they were measuring me at so i wouldn’t worry. I never went off my early scan dates.

You could always go for another scan when you are about 9w when the baby was grown Abit more if you are still concerned

@sel2223 @Ifyouknowyouknowyouknow The pregnancy is a result of IVF, so unfortunately the dates are accurate :/ The doctor said that she expects to see the fetal pole by this stage, so I guess there is not much hope.

@Butterflygirl23 Thank you so much for you message and words of encouragement. I am happy that things worked out for you. I guess I just need to keep my fingers closed for a miracle. I will have my next ultrasound on Friday (6w + 6d) and if nothing is shown by then, I guess it´s game over for me.

I have my fingers and toes crossed for you!! Please keep us updated

do you have any bleeding?

@Butterflygirl23 Thank you :) I had a very minor bleeding yesterday afternoon but nothing since then.

You said your hcg levels are good so surely that’s a positive still?

Ah I’m so so sorry @Alon789 - I think it’s better to be realistic at this stage, since you are certain of your dates and have had medical advice on this.

Sadly I’m a bit of a veteran as I’ve had 6 miscarriages. 3 of them were missed miscarriages so no bleeding, still good hcg levels, symptoms etc. In the last one there was even a heartbeat but it was measuring a week behind.

You will find lots of threads on here with people talking about inconclusive early scans and growth that “caught up” but those will be down to either or both of inaccuracies around ovulation dates and/or poor quality scans (at commercial scanning places), neither of which applies to you. Growth in the early days is fixed and linear when a pregnancy is progressing as expected.

The limbo period is worst of all and I found the false hope to be the worst aspect of it. Wishing you all the very best.

@Butterflygirl23 Indeed, just got my hcg levels from Monday morning and it was a bit over 18,000, the doc said that it´s growing as it should be. But it makes me ever more concerned that she couldn´t see a fetal pole during the ultrasound yesterday.

@Ifyouknowyouknowyouknow I am so sorry to hear about your repeated miscarriages, I can´t even start to imagine how hard it must have been, sending you hugs. Yeah, I am starting to realise that realistically the chances are very low. I still hope for some miracle, maybe the fetal pole was just not visible in the US, maybe its growing slowly, whatever, but I guess it´s just wishful thinking. I will have my next US on Friday (6w+6d), if the doc will not see anything, game over I guess.

@Alon789 I’m so sorry you had this experience. Was it a positive outcome for you. The fact it was ivf is also devastating as I know how gruelling the process is through being part of the infertility community for years. I’ve had a surprise natural conception after a year of medicated cycles (next step ivf) and I went to my 6weeks 1 day scan yesterday to find a Gestational sac, yolk sac. But no fetal pole. Nurses seemed optimistic and that I just got my dates wrong. I know I didn’t. I know when I ovulated and I also got my BFP early at 9dpo so not much wriggle room at all. Anyway, I know your post is 7 months old now but I so hope you had positive news

I had a scan at 6w 2d and only saw the the egg sack. Scanned again 2 weeks later and a lovely heartrate. Just sending some hope!