7 weeks, and they didnt find a heartbeat?

Question

Im 7 weeks and I went for a ultrasound and they seen the baby, but they didnt hear a heartbeat so they did the other ultrasound (where they stick the camera inside you) and they didnt hear a hearbeat.... Im so scared! I've been spotting but people keep telling me that its normal to spot and they say to wait at least 12 weeks and go for another ultrasound!! Im so scared..please help me

Answer 1

What did your doctor say? That really is the most important thing. If you are actually 7 weeks the likelihood is that cardiac activity would be *seen* by now, by transvaginal ultrasound (the one where they stick the probe inside you) -- did the doctor *see* a heartbeat? I wouldn't be worrying about whether one was heard, but whether one was seen. Cardiac activity can usually be seen by about 6 1/2 - 7 weeks gestational age. If no heartbeat is seen at this time I would fully expect your doctor to want to perform another ultrasound before you hit the 12 week mark -- I would expect s/he would want to do another ultrasound in a week, to see if a heartbeat can be found at that time.

On what basis are you assuming that you're 7 weeks pregnant? If you aren't -- say, if you're 5 weeks -- then it would be perfectly normal and expected that no heartbeat would be seen yet.

I recommend that you call your doctor's office and ask: 1) is your doctor concerned? 2) when should another ultrasound be done to look for a heartbeat? 3) did everything else measure fine and do you appear to actually be 7 weeks? (And confirm that no heartbeat was *seen*, not just that no heartbeat was heard.)

I have known several women for whom a heartbeat was not initially seen and who went on to have healthy pregnancies -- usually the dates were off and they were not quite as far along as they had believed (even if you chart your cycles and/or use ovulation kits, they only provide what amounts to really good guesses as to when ovulation occurs).

I'm sorry you're experiencing this stress -- I've been there, it's awful. Try to take a few deep breaths...and call your doctor. If nothing else, your doctor should be open and clear with you about what this may signify and whether there's cause for concern. You should not be kept in such a stressed state. And please, even if your doctor doesn't seem that interested in another ultrasound in a week's time to check for a heartbeat...push for it (and don't take no for an answer).

Best of luck.

ETA Here is information (excerpted from the Web site of the American Pregnancy Association) that you might find helpful:

"Week 7 - Gestational Age (Fetal Age 5 weeks)

"Generally from 6 ½ -7 weeks is the time when a heartbeat can be detected and viability can be assessed. A normal heartbeat at 6-7 weeks would be 90-110 beats per minute. The presence of an embryonic heartbeat is an assuring sign of the health of the pregnancy. Once a heartbeat is detected, the chance of the pregnancy continuing ranges from 70-90% dependent on what type of ultrasound is used. If the embryo is less than 5mm CRL, it is possible for it to be healthy without showing a heartbeat, though a follow up scan in 5-7 days should show cardiac activity.

"If your doctor is concerned about miscarriage, blighted ovum, or ectopic pregnancy, the gestational sac and fetal pole (if visible) will be measured to determine what type of development should be seen. The guideline is that if the gestational sac measures >16-18mm with no fetal pole or the fetal pole measures 5mm with no heartbeat (by vaginal ultrasound), then a diagnosis of miscarriage or blighted ovum is made. If the fetal pole is too small to take an accurate measurement, then a repeat scan should be done in 3-5 days. If there is absence of a fetal pole, then further testing should be done to rule out the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy."

source of quoted material: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/earlyfetaldevelopment.htm

Answer 2

I thought I was at about 8 weeks and i had a vaginal ultrasound yesterday and the dr. did not see a heartbeat but he thought I was more at 6 weeks than 8. I have to go for another ultrasound next Tuesday (in 6 days). I know exactly how you feel. I am so scared because we had been trying so long to get pregnant in the first place. I am starting to doubt if I still even have symptoms now, my breasts do not hurt as much but I am definitely still tired (never had morning sickness though...). It's an emotional roller coaster but I think it's best to wait it out and see what happens because ultimately, there is nothing we can do in the meantime, right...?

Good luck.
Sarah

Answer 3

If you have had some spotting and they have been unable to detect a heartbeat then I am sorry to say it sounds as though the pregnancy is no longer viable.
I had something similar happen to me at christmas time, I started spotting and when I went for an emergency scan they saw a sac but no baby, I went on to have a full miscarriage at 12 weeks. It took 11 days from when the spotting started to my body rejecting the pregnancy.
Please try to keep positive, there is nothing you have done, it is just one of those things that happen, I am sorry I am unable to offer much comfort right now, my thoughts are with you.

Answer 4

They should be able to detect a heartbeat, especially with the vaginal ultrasound. This ultrasound picks up things earlier than the abdominal ultrasound. Wait until your next visit and see what the doctor says. Spotting is not necessarily a bad sign, but watch for lots of bleeding and/or cramping.

Answer 5

Try to relax sweetheart, I know easier said than done. From my understanding this is common and the babies heartbeat is hard to pick up at this time. My doctor didn't even try until I was 10 weeks along and she reassured me before she even did it that if we didn't hear it that was ok.
Call your doctor and have them explain this to you so you know what is going on. You have a right to know and stress is not good for you or the baby anyway.
Take care and good luck.

Answer 6

You should give it a few more weeks, and then go for another ultrasound. A very common mistake is the mix up of dates, or maybe just a late bloomer. Have faith and give it time. GOOD LUCK!!

Answer 7

My first thought is Do you have a tilted uterus. If you do the baby is not big enough to put enough pressure on your uterus to move it into the "correct" positon (the position doctors expect it to be in). This is what happened with my children, they were not able to hear the heartbeat until 12 weeks =)

Answer 8

it's very normal not to hear the baby's heart beat at this time. at ten weeks they couldn't find my baby's heart beat. Don't worry by your next ultrasound you will be able to hear it.

Answer 9

Honestly i don't know what to tell you..I would be really scared too..i can't give you advice or knowledge but i'll pray for you...good luck