yet another no fetal heartbeat question - if you can stand it!

Hi
I tried to read all of the previous postings to see if the answer was present before I bugged everyoen with same question!
But - I had my ultrasaound fri  (I am IVF so it was 4 weeks and 2 days post transfer or 6 weeks 6 days lmp)  NO heartbeat.  Doctor was very unoptimistic about viability.  Everyone I've seen or talked to said that they had a heartbeat at 6 weeks.  So I am worried - I saw a poting here from someone who celebrated the 8 week heartbeat  (but i couldn't follow if there was a problem before that)  So anyone with comments, please, if you had no heartbeat at 6 weeks and it meant doom or if you had none and then one appeared late.  We are trying to nopt worry and pray - but this week of waiting till the next ultrasound will go faster if I hear from people with experience
thanks

[Debra_Maine]

You may have been referring to my 8 week h/b. I was celebrating because I had a m/c in July. I had seen a h/b at 6 wks 3 days but m/c at 10 weeks with the baby dying at around 7 wks and I had no idea. So my 8 week h/b was getting farther than I did the last time. But there is a website that you may want to look at. There are tons of stories on there about women who didn't hear the h/b right away and were told they were going to m/c only to have the h/b show up on the next u/s. Check it out:
http://home.earthlink.net/~misdiagnosed/
Good luck to you.
Debra :o)

[momttc]

I wouldn't worry yet.  6 weeks is early.  only 86% of fetal heartbeats are detected at 6 weeks.  but if you don't see it next week i wouldn't imagine things will work out.  stay optimistic.  Drs ALWAYS lean toward the negative?  I guess just to protect themselves.  It's not as important to them either that this pregnancy continue... after all it's  not their family, body or life that's involved.  But I guess it would be hard to do your job if you did get completely attached to every baby and pregnancy.  hang in there.

I'm starting my 9th week this week and I'm nervous.  I hear of sooo many people having their babies die and then not finding out until a month later.  ugh  it's So hard when you can't physically see what's goin on in there!!!  I want my own ultrasound machine :)  I think I'm going to have to rent a doppler machine....

We'll keep you in our prayers!  love momttc

[carolyn55806]

From what I have read and heard, if you can see the gestational sac and the embryo, but no heartbeat--- that is probably bad. If you can't yet see the embryo...then there's much more hope that they just missed it or that it was too early. Good luck to you!

[jennimom]

I had a hb at 6 (111 bpm) weeks 4 days and at 8 weeks 4 days (146 bpm).  But I think the earlier ones depend on what they can see.  If you are 6 weeks barely I think that affects this.  I'd wait and see if they will redo the u/s in a week.  Sometimes drs are just trying to prepare you and have no idea how negative they are sounding.  Jenni

[gonza]

Hello.  I had an ultrasound done when i was 6 wks.  I work at a College where we teach Sonography/Ultrasound and they could only see a sac.  They say 6 weeks is really early to see or hear anything.  I didnt even go to the doctor until 9 weeks because my doctor wanted me to miss 2 periods.  I would not worry.  I had my doctors ultrasound at 9 weeks and they said not to get upset if we didnt hear it then.  Fortunately we did, but my point is, dont worry.  You dont need the extra stress.  :)

[mgi]

thanks
all of these replies are really helping
I didn't see anything about heartbeat on that earthlink sight but I didn't know how to search by word or topic either!

[jennyleightay]

Reading all of the comments to you has also helped me a lot.  My first 2 ultrasounds revealed a heartbeat, but it was weak.  I have been convinced that this means I will miscarry, or that there will be something wrong with the baby.  But the comments to you make me think that maybe the doctors DO put the fear in us, and maybe we ARE worrying too much.  It is still very early, and it sounds like there are MANY happy stories of low or no heart rate that suddenly appears and turns out fine!  Good luck!  My next ultrasound is in 3 days, and I am still a nervous wreck, but trying to be optimistic.  It is so scary to wonder if I could have already miscarried and not even know it, since I don't feel anything!   Anyone with any comments on that?.....

[KrissyGold]

My sister-in-law saw no heartbeat yet at 12 weeks and my nephew is now 6months old & perfectly healthy.  My baby had no heartbeat at 9 weeks but looked to have stopped growing around 7 weeks.  If there is no heartbeat but the baby appears to be growing correctly for his age, everything could be okay.  Good luck.

[lovinmom]

You are way early.  I would hang in there.  Go to this site for encouraging stories.  http://home.earthlink.net/~misdiagnosed/
I hope that all goes well!


Krissygold,

Could you post your story on the misdiagnosed site?  That your friend did not have a heartbeat show until 12 wks and your baby not until 9 wks?  We need to hear a lot of encouraging stories like that!

[candy80]

I went to the hospital and the doctor did an u/s he came in and said there was no fetal heart beat I was 7week and 2 days pregnant.  I went back three days later to get another u/s and they found a heartbeat of 103bpm but were not sure if it was the babies or mine.  They said i would probably miscarrriage i have not had any pain or bleeding i feel fine.  I do not know what to think at this point could my baby be ok?  has anyone had similar experience how late can the heart beat be picked up?  please write me back.

[nikkicole827]

It's hard to say... I was told in an er that I would likely miscarry because my baby's heartbeat was low at 6 weeks... in the 80s I think.  That is how I came to find this site.  When I went back to my auctual doctor, he told me he preferred not to even check for it until I was past 8 weeks.  When I did go and have it checked out, there was a healthy heartbeat.  It can go either way really, it's an awful waiting game I know but try and be patient.  

[elliebelly2009]

My LMP was Sept 13.  I got a positve on a home pregnacy test on Oct. 10.  I went to get an u/s on Nov 27.  The dr said that the gestational sac was small for my dates and it could go either way.  I went to another u/s 6 days later.  This time they saw a yolk sac but no fetal pole or baby.  He said that the gestational sac had grown. He said I might have a blighted ovum. I feel really sick and pregnant and have had no bleeding or cramping whatsoever.  Any positives out there because I'm really freaking out!!!!