Fetal heartbeat is present, but dates are off!

[JLJ]

I wrote 2 weeks ago because I was so worried.  At 5 weeks 5 days, there was no yolk sac or fetal poles. I had some really wonderful & encouraging notes back -- thank you!

I had another vaginal u/s this morning (i.e. 2 weeks later), and there was a yolk sac and heartbeat! My concern is that they measured the gestational sac as being 6 wks 3 days, when I know I'm 7 weeks 5 days! The dr. told me to stay optimistic and come back in 2 weeks.  This is so frustrating.  I don't know whether I should get excited or not! Also, the heartbeat was very slow at 111 beats per minute.  I guess at the early stages it can be slower.  Has anyone dealt with this before??

[cinnamonheart]

Your still very early.. Lots of girls had heartbeats of 100 or so.. I actually didnt go for a u/s until i was 8 weeks but i never worried about stuff like that as long as I seen a heartbeat I was fine,.I think you can worry yourself to death..
Im sure all is well Just too little to see..

[Myah's Mom]

111 isn't all that low-I have heard that over 100 is a good sign, and at least you have seen the fetal pole and sac now. I would be encouraged, too!
I also wouldn't fret too much about the dates being off. The important thing will be that in 2 weeks time, the US shows 2 weeks of growth. A radiologist explained it to me like this: machines have a margin of error of 2-4 days. If you also are off on your dates by a few days, then one  week isn't that big a difference at all, now is it?
I know this is stressful-I went through a similar situation before miscarrying, but I will qualify that by saying that the fetal pole was never big enough to measure, and the sac was apparently empty, AND no hb was detected (at about 6 weeks), So, I would continue to be positive, take those vitamins, and be good to yourself!

[mgi]

hi
My u/s this am measured fetal age at 6wk four days  (last tues it was 6wk  2 days)  she kept moving the wand to try to get numbers she liked better.  I as so worried at first then I remembered that her comments had me worried for the last 6 days due to heartrate.  So, while I will talk with the fertility specialist and try not to worry.  the heart rate increased and the baby grew!  Good luck

[lovinmom]

Wow!  This is great news.  I have been reading a book by a OB/GYN.  He said that on u/s, a fetus will show 2 weeks earlier than the number of pregnancy weeks.  For example, if a woman is 10 wks, her baby will be 8 wks on u/s.  This is due to the baby being dated from ovulation rather than lmp.  I wish you well with this pregnancy.  It sounds like things are really perking along.  Congratulations!  


http://www.misdiagnosedmiscarriage.com/forums/

[JLJ]

Thank you so much for your encouragement! I can't imagine going through all of that uncertainty for such an extended time period.  What, in the end, was the "odd" growth? Was it the twin? That all sounds so unbearable!  

As soon as I have my next u/s on 5/9, I'll post here again.  I am anxious, but hopeful since the fatigue and morning sickness continue.  This wait is endless. I always thought that once you have the heartbeat, everything is going to be ok.  So, needless to say, this has been rather emotional and surpising.

[kylaroy]

Hello!  I read your posting and couldn't help but write to you because I have been exactly where you are.  We had an u/s at 6 weeks because I had violent morning sickness and they wanted to be sure that pregnancy wasn't ectopic.  The heartbeat was 111 but, we had a normal, healthy pregnancy 3 years prior and it never crossed our mind that anything might ever be wrong.  I remained violently sick when, at 12 weeks we had another u/s and the heartbeat was gone.  I underwent surgery to remove the baby and we were devastated.  6 months later I got pregnant again and once again, was violently ill, and at 6 weeks the heartbeat was 115 (still low) but, they also found something "odd" in the u/s and didn't know what it was...we spent the next 6 weeks not knowing what was happening - being told not to get our hopes up and continuing to wait and see.  2x a week we went and got ultrasounds and on last Christmas Eve, we finally got the word that the baby was growing however, this "odd" structure was growing in my uterus at the same rate the baby was and if it continued, the baby would likely be "strangled" or "deformed" because of the room it was requiring.  We also found out at 16 weeks that there was another sac and there and that this second twin had died.  So, we spent the next 26 weeks going to perinatologists 2x a week and by some miracle, our baby boy was born healthy and happily 7 weeks early via emergency c-section on July 2, 2004.  Every doctor that was involved in the pregnancy agrees that this baby is truly a survivor and was just meant to be.  I just wanted to give you hope because as I sat right here in front of my computer everyday during that time, I searched madly for stories with happy endings.  I hope all is well with you and will keep you in my thoughts.