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6 weeks preg., no embryo seen and worried

by bethanne, Jun 04, 2003 12:00AM
This is my first time on here. I found this website while looking for some information about my pregnancy, and I am very excited to know there is a place like this with people going through some of the same things.  I am 25 and pregnant with my first child. I went for my first ultrasound on May 23rd thinking I was 6 weeks by my LMP, (however my periods are not regular).  All they saw at this visit was the gestational sac and said that I was probably just 5 weeks or so.  Well, I went back on June 2nd for what should be my 6 week visit ( and I know I am at least 6 weeks going by the earliest point you can have a positive preg. test) and the gestational sac had grown and they saw a good yolk sac but were unable to see a fetal pole or hb yet.  This worried me bc everywhere I read it says that almost always at 6w. you should see the fetal pole.  Has anyone else definetely been 6 w. but unable to see the baby yet.  Should I be worried?.  I have also had some cramping similar to period cramping in my lower back with light spotting, sometimes reddish and sometimes brownish. Has anyone had this as well and yet everything be ok. I have to wait  a whole week to go for another us, and it is just so hard to wait and not know if any of this is normal. Please give my your honest opinion. I dont want false reassurance. Thank you very much, Beth
Member Comments (29)

by capermom, Jun 04, 2003 12:00AM
Hi, I'm really not familiar with u/s, I've only had them done at 20 weeks and that's it. Did you ask your Dr if there was a problem? I think he would of gave you some indication of what is going on. Good luck to you.

by Geneva108, Jun 04, 2003 12:00AM
To: bethanne
Hi welcome to the forum. We are here to support and help eachother when we can. I am going to be 7 weeks next Monday 6/10 and when I went to the doc. for u/s last sat. he saw the sac and tiny yolk but ask me to wait at least to be 7 weeks to come back for another u/s for the heartbeat!!!for me too  this is a long week so now we at least two  + husbands!! patience we must have!!

take care   good luck to us

keep us posted

Geneva

by me-2, Jun 04, 2003 12:00AM
try not to worry. i went for u/s at 5 to 6 weeks, and they saw the sac/yolk but did not see baby, it was just too early. and also if they are using older equipment (u/s) they won't see things as quickly as with the new u/s machines. try to relax. i too, had bleeding at about that time also, started out bright red, and then went brownish, even seemed jelly like at times, it was never that heavy though, my ob dr. told me that it was probably just implantation bleeding, and some women do have cramping with that too, i did. now i am 15 weeks, and besides a slight placenta previa, which should correct itself, everything is fine.  if your cramping gets worse, or you start bleeding real heavy you should get it checked. hope i have helped.

melonie

by borntoadorn, Jun 10, 2003 12:00AM
I seem to be in the same boat as you!  Just came home from the doctor with my husband and we were mortified by what she said.  I am 6 weeks possibly 7.  The ultrasound tech saw the sac and fetal pole but no heartbeat yet.  My doc sent me home with a container like I was going to lose the pregnancy.  My husband and I were so fumed at her insenitivity and negativity and decided it's time to find a new doc.  We are keeping positive thoughts in our mind and hope to see a heartbeat next week - at a different docs office.  This is my 7th pregnancy, but I've not been pregnant in nine years and this would be considered "high risk" because I'm 37.  I am hearing more and more how common this spotting is in the first trimester, so let's both just stay positive and hope for the best.  I have one opinion and that is that everyone ovulates at a different time, which can cause your expected pregnancy length to be shorter than thought.  So maybe you are 5 weeks and you will see the embryo next week and maybe I'm a little earlier than 6 weeks and I'll see the heartbeat next week!   So glad I found this site.

by Teej, Jun 16, 2003 12:00AM
To: bethanne
I found out about 4 weeks ago that I am pregant after having a tual ligation about 8 years ago.  I started out having mild cramping with no bleeding, I went in to the ER just to check and make sure that everything was okay, only because I heard that there was a risk of an ectopic pregnancy because of the tubal ligation.  My HCG levels had risen, I was given a u/s and told that there was a perfect egg sac in my uterus and that I was about 6 weeks along, that news gave my husband and I a sigh of relief.  The head of OB came in and I was then told that I would probably miscarry.  She told me to come back in a couple of days to review my levels, once I returned I was told that my levels had risen but had not doubled, "this is not a viable pregant and you will probably pass this baby in a couple of days", she said.  I went in a week later, I was given another u/s and was told that the sac was empty and should pass the tissue over the weeked.  Needless to say,I am about 8 weeks preganat today and have not had cramping or bleeding yet.  My husband and I are trying really hard to remain positive and keep our heads up, there is a higher power, please do the same.

by mb797, Jun 19, 2003 12:00AM
I suppose I'm also in the same boat...I'm 33 and it's my first pregnancy.  I went for my first ultrasound yesterday.  The doctor's original due date guess put me at 8 weeks...however, the baby only measured 6 weeks and 2 days.  She said that the fetal pole was present but that there was no heartbeat and suggested that I go ahead and schedule a D&C...she said that they normally see the baby's heartbeat at 5 weeks.  After the initial shock wore off, I called another doctor and they told me that they felt this doctor was jumping the gun a little and that they don't normally see a heartbeat until 7 weeks or later.  I am going for another ultrasound with the second doctor next week...I've been looking online to try and find some clear answers as to when the heartbeat should be present...but there doesn't seem to be a clear answer.  Has anyone ever had this happen.

by sheshrink, Jun 29, 2003 12:00AM
Hi gals,

I also went in at 6 weeks and no fetus was seen. Had occasional small brown discharge so as you can guess I was extremely worried. Anyhow, docs and nurses explained that light discharge is relatively normal and very common in first trimester. I am scheduled to go on Tues ( 8 weeks 1 day)for a 2nd ultra because doc thought 6 weeks was just too early to see the fetus and that many docs dont do them that early. All the best, and keep us posted.

by Marisa14, Aug 02, 2007 04:08PM
I just went for my first ultrasound because i just found out that i am pregnant. My periods are off all the time and sometimes i don't even get it for months. For the passed few weeks though i have been feeling very tired and my breasts are a little sore. In the ultrasound they told me that the sac looks at about 5 weeks because of the size, but they still didn't see any embryo inside. I asked the doctor and he said that it was too early to tell. I went to my family doctor today and she is sending me for another ultrasound in 2 weeks to see if everything is growing the way it should be...is this normal? I've been a little worried but trying not to stress myself out...has anyone had any similar experiences?

by Jenny100, Aug 02, 2007 06:56PM
To: bethanne
Hello, my experience was a lot like yours;
I went in for an ultrasound at 5 weeks 6 days---only a sac was seen, nothing else. I was told I would most likely miscarry. 2 days later I bled enough to cover a panty liner and thought, Oh Boy, here it is. But then that was it. No more bleeding and no cramping. Then I went in at 8 weeks and saw my baby with a great heartbeat!! I had brown spotting for 4 more weeks, but at 12 weeks everything was completely normal and healthy. The bleeding was caused by my placenta lifting up at the edge a little. This is fairly common and usually everything turns out okay.

So, there's one story. No false reassurance---it really could turn out to be just fine for you!!! Like it did for me and many others on here. Early ultrasounds are a curse in my opinion. There are just too many variables in super early pregnancies.
Best of luck to you!

by Kim1989, Aug 02, 2007 10:31PM
i felt the same way.. and everyone on here was tellin me it is prob just too early. and it was. in a week we saw a hearbeat....the little shrimp. and now its growing a lot. so dont worry i was really worried and the doctor had me all worried about it. worried for nothing! so dont worry. i stopped worrying and everything turned out ok

by Kim1989, Aug 02, 2007 10:42PM
however i didnt have any cramping or bleeding