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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

7 weeks scan and no heartbeat - help anyone?

25 replies

floweringcurrant · 01/04/2010 18:13

Had a transvaginal ultra sound today at 7 weeks and could see sac, yolk and 3mm embryo. Doc said embryo too small to see heartbeat and have to go back next week. Am I right in thinking this does not look good for me and that 3mm is small for 7 weeks. I know my dates are correct. I wondered if anyone had experienced anything similar?

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vickyob · 01/04/2010 18:31

I had an early scan with dd3 they said the same thing but I didnt have another scan till 12 weeks. She is now 2 and wrecking my lounge with her siblings.
I dont know what she measured at the time. sorry.

Did the Dr say anthing else to make you think its too small to be progressing ?

DomesticG0ddess · 01/04/2010 18:34

I don;t have anything similar but I have read loads of posts which suggest that embryos grow at very different rates and so there isn't a hard and fast rule. I hope it is good news for you.

Bleatblurt · 01/04/2010 18:35

Are you sure of your dates? You could have ovulated later than you think and aren't as far along as you thought?

Good luck for your next scan. xxx

Original poster

floweringcurrant · 01/04/2010 18:44

Thanks everyone just have to sit it out I guess. I think the doc said that it was measuring 6 weeks. I am pretty sure of dates though so here's hoping its just a a slow starter!

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solo · 01/04/2010 18:48

I had a scan with my first pg at 10.5 weeks and there was no heartbeat(baby had died at 6.5 weeks).
I had a scan at 7 weeks with Dd and you could clearly see a heatbeat.

I hope your dates are wrong and that everything is fine for you and your lo.

nbee84 · 01/04/2010 18:49

I was sure of my dates too and at a 6 week scan (had an early scan as had some pelvic pain and they wanted to rule out ectopic pregnancy) they found just what they have with you. I was asked to go back 2 weeks later for a scan and this one showed a heartbeat. Ds was 10 days late by my dates, but didn't show the late signs that late babies have - dry peeling skin, long nails etc. So even though I knew exactly when my last period was it looks like I ovulated late that month.

Original poster

floweringcurrant · 01/04/2010 19:14

Thanks i really appreciate hearing your experiences. I just don't know what to think-its such a rollercoaster.
I had my first scan at 5 weeks ( early scan due to mmc at 12 weeks last april) and it didnt show anything other than thickening of the endometrium - they thought it could be an ectopic so second scan done two days later which suddenly showed sac and yolk. So I know things got off to a slow start and things can chance dramatically in the space of 48 hours at this stage.
fingers crossed.

OP posts:

solo · 01/04/2010 19:18

The only thing that you know for sure at this stage is that you cannot change anything. I know that is cold comfort, but having had 2 definite and very different MC's and possibly a 3rd very early one, I do know it is true. It's just a waiting game now and all you can do it hope and pray for the best result. You have my prayers too.
All the very best.x

watersprite · 03/04/2010 02:46

Hello, I had a similar experience only I was 4 weeks and they said they thought it was a no show pregnancy but at 7 and half weeks showed a sac and yolk and heartbeat

My mum had similar experiences in her pregnancies and this is because she had a tilted womb, so this could also be a factor and the heart beat didn't show till 9 weeks.

Hope all goes well x x

gemcgem · 03/04/2010 10:09

hi! i had a early scan with dd5 at 8 weeks an was told i was only 6 +5 waited till 12 weeks for next scan an i was right with my dates ! my womb had tilted an caused the image to look smaller be rather back .

an dd2 had scan at 6 weeks with just a sack to see went back 2 weeks later an there was ababy with a little flashing heart beat!

good luck !

PrivetDancer · 03/04/2010 10:28

Hi flowering, I'm in a v similar situation.
I had a scan last friday when I was 6+5 and they couldn't find a heartbeat (or even a clear shot of anything really). She did measure the sac but didn't tell me how far along it was measuring, and I didn't think to ask at the time.
I go back today for a follow up, I'm now 7+6 in theory, so if they still can't find anything then that's that I guess.
You have my sympathies, it's been a long week! And now the scan is imminent I actually don't want to know, might be better living in ignorant bliss!

At least you know that there has been progress since the 5 week scan though, so if you were measuring a bit behind then, it's perfectly reasonable that you still are so that sounds fairly positive to me.

It's good to hear that other people have been in similar situations and it's turned out ok.

Have you got your next scan booked?

Good luck!

electra · 03/04/2010 10:50

I've posted about this before but my view is that these very early scans often cause unnecessary worry, and that doctors sometimes diagnose a miscarriage wrongly because it is just too early to tell.

For dd2 and dd3 I had transvaginal scans and in both cases I was told I had probably had a miscarriage because not enough could be seen. No heartbeat was seen at all and in the case of dd3, at 6 weeks nothing could be seen at all. The consultant had it all worked out - I had had a miscarriage because of X Y and Z, but what she was saying didn't ring true to me. I decided to wait to see what happened and both babies were fine at my 12 week scan.

I would urge people not to be rushed into a d&c - my experiences show that doctors are sometimes wrong. And all women are different - I have a retroverted uterus which makes me much more difficult to scan and none of my babies had a visible heartbeat until 10 weeks plus.

Don't let anyone rush you into anything.

Original poster

floweringcurrant · 06/04/2010 21:38

Just wanted to thank everyone for these positive messages. I have my scan tomorrow and don't know which way its going to go.
Privetdancer I so hope everything went well for you on Sat x

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WilloughbyWallaby · 06/04/2010 21:51

The exact same thing happened to me - I was scanned because of pelvic pain and bleeding, they said I whould have been 6 weeks, but there was no heartbeat. I knew when I ovulated too, as I'd been doing ovulatiuon tests.

I was even sent home with the instruction to think about whether I wanted to wait for a natural miscarriage, or have an 'evacuation' (as i think they put it).

Anyway, a scan a week later showed a heartbeat. DD was born 11 days late and, like an above poster, showed no traditional signs of being a late baby. She was tiny!

I think embryos do develop at different speeds, and early scans really don't help your state of mind. Some doctors can be incredibly insensitive, too.

Good luck tomorrow x

Original poster

floweringcurrant · 06/04/2010 21:58

Thanks Willoughby i have everything crossed

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PrivetDancer · 07/04/2010 10:52

good luck for today flowering!

My scan did pick up a hearbeat on saturday, I only measured 6mm, so 6w and 3 days, so it all fits with ovulating later than I thought or being slow in early stages.

WilloughbyWallaby · 07/04/2010 15:28

How did it go flowering?

Original poster

floweringcurrant · 07/04/2010 16:10

Not good news for me. The embryo had grown to 4.5mm but Ive have been told that it is too small and that the pregnancy is not viable.
I have to go back next week to discuss a d and c if I don't start bleeding before. So two missed miscarriages in a row... i can't believe it.

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rosieposey · 07/04/2010 16:21

Im so sorry to hear that, i had one two years ago and a chemical pg last month but two mmc in a row is shit Be kind to yourself and i hope its all over really soon for you so you can rest and take care of yourself.

PrivetDancer · 07/04/2010 16:41

oh I'm really sorry to hear that, flowering.

Surely if it's growing though, that has to mean something? There would be another scan before a d and c wouldn't there? (just bearing in mind electra's post)

louisnearlythere · 07/04/2010 17:19

so sorry, Floweringcurrant, been there too.
thinking of you x

Bleatblurt · 07/04/2010 18:36

So sorry. xxx

WilloughbyWallaby · 08/04/2010 10:34

Oh, I'm really sorry to hear that and hope that you're being very kind to yourself. xxx

S999 · 08/04/2010 11:34

Hi there, am sorry to hear this floweringcurrant, fingers crossed another scan might show something better.

I am in similar situation. I think I ovulated later and that first scan was at 6wks which would be too early for heartbeat right? Well, they didn't find anything. I have to go back next weds, when I will be 8weeks.

Last time I did this there was no heartbeat at 9 weeks and i had a D&C.

whirleywoo72 · 08/04/2010 14:04

aww so sorry for you been there 5 times, till i struck lucky, i had afew D and C, hope it doesnt come to that, maybe they can do something for you, if the baby keeps growing.
good luck xx fingers crossed

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