I'm just wondering how normal this is? I have a fetal ultrasound scheduled in a couple of days, but I am overweight and read that its even harder to see a baby that way. Should I be worried there is no baby?
2007-02-21 23:25:45 · 19 answers · asked by Stephanie B 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
Ask you doctor. He should understand what's happening more than us.
2007-02-21 23:30:54 · answer #1 · answered by VietRebel 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
At 8 weeks it could be difficult to see the baby with a pelvic ultrasound. Really, they should have done a vaginal ultrasound.
I was 9 weeks last week and we went in for our first ultrasound. They did a pelvic ultrasound first and barely saw anything. When they started with the vaginal ultrasound, we got to see the baby immediately! We even got to see and hear the baby's heartbeat!
Right now, I would not be worried that there is no baby. In fact, right now if I were you, I'd be a bit ticked off that they went with a pelvic ultrasound when I'm only 8 weeks along!!!
Listen... you definitely have a say in how your medical treament is handled! Give your doctor's office a call and make sure that the next ultrasound is a vaginal ultrasound. Demand that it is, if you have to!
As for being a big girl... I've been a curvy chick with my last three pregnancies. I've never had any problems with not being able to see the babies via ultrasound because of my weight. We have been able to see the baby through the same ultrasounds as thinner women at the same points in pregnancy. There is really no reason why you shouldn't be able to see the baby, provided that everything is going fine with the pregnancy and the techs use the right sort of ultrasound for how far along you are.
Remember, you are a partner in your healthcare. The doctors might have those nice, pretty diplomas on the wall, but that does not mean that they know everything. Take a stand when it comes to your healthcare... that includes making sure that you have the right scan at the right point in your pregnancy. Push for a vaginal ultrasound, it might make all the difference!
Good luck!
2007-02-22 08:08:20 · answer #2 · answered by gonefornow 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I hope that everything is ok, and there IS a baby - obviously I can only speak from personal experience, but I had an internal scan at 8 weeks and was horrified to be told that there was an embryo there, but there was no heartbeat - they thought it might be a blighted ovum (an egg that fertilises, but goes no further) - the silly thing was that I had no medical need for the scan, but I was working as a medical receptionist in a fertility centre and a nurse offered to scan me just for fun - the result was anything BUT fun. Anyway, she scanned me again a week later - and it was a week of hell - and there was the heartbeat. I went on to have a beautiful, healthy baby boy who is now nearly eight. I hope this is what's going to happen with you - your dates are not an exact science, they are only calculated by your last period, and people have different lengths of cycle - you may not BE eight weeks yet, I don't think I actually was. I don't know how helpful your doctor will be, but I would request an internal scan - it's no worse than a smear, they insert a drumstick sized plastic wand inside you and scan internally - it doesn't hurt, it's just a bit undignified. Hopefully at least then you will know one way or the other as, for an internal, your weight is irrelevant and they should get a good picture. Good luck, I'll be thinking of you.
2007-02-22 07:37:47 · answer #3 · answered by f0xymoron 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don't worry, it's all to do with how full your bladder was, where in your uterus the baby is positioned ( the baby is really tiny at this stage, so if it is positioned low down, it could be hard to see ) and sometimes the quality of the ultrasound machine. I had an ultrasound at 11 and a half weeks after a threatened miscarriage, and the machine wasn't the best - it too ages to find the baby and even longer to find his hearthbeat. Your doc or the scan technician would have told you if there was a reason to be concerned.
2007-02-22 07:40:51 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have never had a full bladder at an ultrasound. As a matter a fact, they ask me to pee in a cup first thing at every baby doctor appt.
I am also an over weight mom. When my little boy was smaller (in the first trimester, beginning of the second trimester) they used to have a hard time finding the heart beat.
My doctor says his ultrasound is not strong enough to see what he needs to see of the baby, so he sends me to Hershey where they have better machines to get ultrasounds. The last ultrasound I got was Dec 19 and they could see everything they needed.
I wouldn't panic yet. If his machines aren't good enough to see, maybe he will do the same and send you somewhere else!
2007-02-22 08:15:57 · answer #5 · answered by witchy_csc 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm surprised they did a pelvic. It's doubtful that they would see anything at all that way - overweight or not. A vaginal u/s should show the baby, but even that isn't foolproof. My u/s tech told me that for vaginal u/s, having a full bladder doesn't matter, since you're going at it from a totally different angle.
Don't worry yet. At 8 weeks, there is very little to see. I could see mine, but he was just a little bean on the radar. If the pregnancy test came back positive, you are pregnant.
2007-02-22 08:27:58 · answer #6 · answered by Amanda M 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You need to have a completely full bladder. I went for a scan at 20 weeks and just couldn't keep my bladder full so had the scan when I was empty. The doctor could see enough of the baby but I couldn't see anything. As long as the doctors happy don't worry too much. Good luck with everything
2007-02-22 07:30:39 · answer #7 · answered by sprouticus79 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
u did not mention ur doctors reaction. Any how if u were not pregnant then doctor would have told u.
I have read about a similar case where the doctor could not see the baby but sac so she was asked for second scan in a weeks time when the baby was visible. u could request for another scan to put your mind at rest.
i hope everything will be fine
please let us know
Good Luck!!!
2007-02-22 08:01:10 · answer #8 · answered by sabse-sundar 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What did they say. Referring to that may help if you're worried. If they didn't seem worried, don't worry. I can't help you, that's for sure, because they made me empty my bladder at my 4 week ultrasound and they at least saw a sac (baby was WAY too small to be seen) HOWEVER, I was rescheduled and went back at 7 weeks and we found the baby and saw his heart beating. So, maybe it's just different from you. I wish I could help.
2007-02-22 07:45:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had my first one at 8 weeks as well, they are just an embryo at that stage (just very tiny and starting to look more like a baby.) they also had to do an internal one when I was 5 weeks because the baby is so low(uterus does not rise above the pubic area until after 12 weeks. I know it could be scary, my first one all they told me was they saw a yolk sack and that was it so I was scared and switched drs. good luck to you.
2007-02-22 08:47:32 · answer #10 · answered by jgurl1979 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need a vaginal ultrasound!! that's the only way you will see anything at this stage. At the next early scan demand one!! Then i am sure you will see a very tiny baby in the making!!! good luck x
2007-02-22 16:31:20 · answer #11 · answered by aitchy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋