6 week scan and no heartbeat

[EllieK97]

My app tells me I am 6 weeks and 5 days, went for an early scan today due to cramping, it was mild but I was worried.

had a transvaginal ultrasound and she saw a gestational sac, yolk and fetal pole, measuring 6 weeks and 1 day and no heartbeat.

im super worried now although she said not to worry yet and she booked me in for a scan in 2 weeks!

just started feeling super nauseous this morning before the scan which she said was a good sign but I’m still in panic mode.

any advice or your own stories would be great.

I would also like honest advice as I don’t want to go into the next scan with false hope.

thank you in advance x

It’s more than normal to not see/hear a heartbeat this early. Please don’t worry 💓 The rate of growth in the early stages is super fast and probably by the end of this week you’d be able to detect a heartbeat but it’s better to wait two weeks to avoid disappointment incase it’s still too early. I had IVF and they did the first scan between 6w+5d and 7 weeks, even then they warned me that we might not be able to see a heartbeat but it is nothing to worry about at such an early stage. My nausea started at 6 weeks… I was so excited but at 15 weeks the novelty had worn off 🫣 Try to eat little and often, don’t let your stomach get empty, it helps with the nausea. Try to relax and enjoy this little miracle!

I so feel for you. I’m going through the exact same except I was measuring way earlier (5 and a bit) and there was no foetal pole yet. The wait is so the worst bit!

I had this with my second DD who is now 3 and currently fast asleep next to me after highjacking my bed!
I knew my dates and they kept telling me I must be wrong and she was measuring behind only to be told on 12 week scan, she was measuring exactly to the date I knew she was!
My first DDs heartbeat was seen at 5 wk 5 days in emergency scan so I just assumed second baby would be around the same and booked one of those private early ones.
And also same as you, nausea came on thick and fast on the day of the scan which I thought was cruel if baby wasn't viable but turned out it was a good sign/symptom.
Try not to worry too much yet, it's good that all the other things were seen on scan such as sac, yolk and foetal pole.

The wait is so tough, I just want to know what’s going on, it’s so hard to get excited when viability hasn’t been confirmed!
hopefully everything will be perfectly normal for both of us at the next scan! X

This made me feel much less stressed! Online can be a bit of a war zone haha, you hear so many horror stories and very few positives, so it was nice to hear this x

I'm only on day 2 of nausea and I’m already done haha

Thank you, it puts my mind at ease a bit hearing that even both of yours were different! X

the nausea is still hitting me hard so as much as I hate it, I’m viewing it as a positive sign haha!

There’s a reason why people don’t normally recommend scans this early!

I simply don’t understand why anyone scans before 8 weeks (2 missed periods) - if it is to ‘set their mind at rest’ it seems to do the exact opposite.!

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

There are many reasons, such as miscarriage history, medication requirements, ruling out ectopic pregnancy. You’re just being too narrow minded, hence your lack of understanding.

Also, “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should” perhaps use this thinking next time you’re wondering if you should respond insensitively on a thread where the OP is clearly anxious about pregnancy loss.

There are lots of reasons, potentially some very upsetting (bleeding and other signs of miscarriage, for example).

I personally had volunteered for a clinical study to help identify and protect women in the future at risk of pre-eclampsia and other life-threatening conditions. The study included measurements of the blood flow in my pelvis which meant they couldn't NOT look at my uterus.

The women commenting on this thread may well be going through some of the most stressful days of their lives. @Awobabobob and @raininginlanzarote, I suggest you think about how your tone may come across - blame is unlikely to helpful in this scenario.

@WeeSoJo - great minds think alike, cross posted there!

I had to have early scans in pregnancy for medical reasons.

At 6+2, DS1 had no heartbeat. Rescanned 2 weeks later, and all as should be. He arrived on his due date.
At 6+0, DS2 had a heartbeat. He too arrived on his due date.

I had a huge cyst causing a torsion very early on into my pregnancy which resulted in an early scan as they thought I was having an ectopic pregnancy. I had to have it surgically removed. The second time around I had pain again so I booked a private scan as it was a Saturday and I managed to get one the same day privately. I did have a cyst again -it wasn't as big or causing a torsion but was referred back to the NHS who scanned me a couple more times until my 12 week scan due to my history. Without the early scan the first time, I could have lost my ovary and potentially the pregnancy.

I don’t think my post had a “tone”, just stating facts with a purpose to hopefully reassure the OP that you cannot say anything for sure this early in the pregnancy. I have suffered multiple losses myself so have first hand experience of this.

I was in the same boat! I thiught it was 6.5 weeks, but measured 5.5 weeks. Rescanned two weeks later and i was 8.5 weeks and had a heartbeat. Im now 32 weeks pregnant.

Just to give you some hope. Babies are sooo tiny at that age x

I had repeated bleeding episodes in early pregnancy.

Never felt sick, never even felt tired. Despite the positive pregnancy tests I told the doctor I could not actually be pregnant as I was having absolutely no symptoms.

Eventually a scan at ten weeks revealed there was definitely a baby there.

Baby is now a student.

Similar happened to me (although couldn’t even see fetus either, just a fetal pole - I was around 6w0d though) like you, they booked me in for 2 weeks time however I did end up getting a private scan at 7 weeks as I knew by then a heartbeat was much more likely and I couldn’t stand the wait after 3 previous losses!

23 weeks pregnant now with my daughter 💗

@EllieK97 how are you getting on? I still have two days til my follow up scan and just willing it to come faster now. I oscillate between feeling positive and optimistic and hopeless and weepy. My nausea and sore boobs still feel super strong which is both comforting and maddening. Hope you are coping ok xx

No luck for me this time sadly.

@Awobabobob @raininginlanzarote I know you probably meant no harm but your comments but it can come across as a little insensitive.

My doctor sent me for one because I was getting really bad cramping on my right side and they were worried it was ectopic, otherwise I wouldn’t have gone for one.

I maybe should have mentioned that in my original post but didn’t think I needed to.

I am aware of how unreliable early scans can be but it does not reduce the worry unfortunately.

I hope this doesn’t come across negatively as I am not offended in any way by your comments I just wished to explained that it was not entirely my choice to go for an early scan, there were medical reasons for it :)

Hi @StrawberryPi, I am so sorry to hear that it didn’t work out for you this time! I am sending all my love and hope for the next one to be perfect ❤️
My scan is tomorrow so I am really hoping everything is ok!

I know I said mild cramps in my original post but that was my interpretation at the time, I have since learned that the level of cramping I was experiencing was not totally normal and was worth worrying about in my doctors opinion.

Thank you! We're still a bit in the mire - they couldn't decide if it might be a molar pregnancy or whether it was "just" arrested development, so I have to go back again on Thursday to decide the management plan after another scan and some blood tests. All in all a bit of a nightmare and I am still feeling rough.

My fingers are massively crossed that you get better news! xxx

How did you get on? @EllieK97 hope everything went OK.