no heartbeat detected 6 weeks

I discovered I was pregnant and calculated it to be about 7 weeks 6 days when I went to the doctor for my first u/s. The sonographer told me that it looked as though the embryo was about 6 weeks and 1 day. She seemed very concerned because we couldn't see a fetal heartbeat or detect it with the doppler. This is my husband's first pregnancy and we have been very excited and nervous. They scheduled another follow up appointment for 10 days from now, but we are eating our hearts out. How many weeks/days can a fetal heartbeat be detected and should I just be realistic instead of optimistic? I have not had any spotting and I have not had any other indication that there is anything but a viable pregnancy. But, we saw the fetal sac and the embryo, but no heartbeat. Any advice or information would be very appreciated.  Thanks!

[emma10]

How far off can your dates possibly be? Like, do you have a longer than average cycle? Do you ovulate late? Did you know your lmp definitely?  At 7/6days you should see hb yes in most cases but if you're off by even a week, you might just be too early. What is your hcg level? If under several thousand that can affect what they can see too. Was scan vaginal or abdominal?  Vaginal usually has greater accuracy.  Best wishes to you... I've read many cases where people go back and things look better.

[Jewels702]

My period and ovulation are all off track and i am actually vry surprised I am pregnant now 7 week on mon 11/20. anyway i have had some complication like spotting every day for almost 2 weeks this coming wed.

however i was able to see the heartbeat on the 5 week and 6 days. you need an ultrasound i think a littlke closer than 10 days speak to your ob/gyn to see if he could move it up and least 3 days. A week should give you enough time being that you are already 7 weeks.

Julia

[debbieg]

My cycle is not regular, which could be the problem with the actual dating of how many weeks I am actually at. But, I have no spotting and I am still nauseous. The sono was dating at somewhere between 5 weeks, 5 days and 6 weeks and one day. They did blood work, which will be back in a few days. We saw the embryo just fine and we saw the yolk sac and everything else looked totally normal. We just didn't see the heart beat, which my doctor said he has seen before. I just don't know what to think and it is hard to wait the ten days.

[Annice1234]

At 5 weeks 6 days, we did not even see the baby during my vaginal untrasound.  I was only measuring 4 weeks 6 days at the time.   We saw the yolk sac though.  At 7 weeks 3 days, I was measuring a week further along, and we saw the heartbeat.  The tech said the baby may have just been up against the wall the last time....good luck!