Transvaginal ultrasound at 7 weeks 2 days w/ embryo but no heartbeat

[SEP24325]

I just had a transvaginal ultrasound at 7 weeks 2 days. They found an embryo but no heartbeat.

My doctor said that there is no hope that this is a viable pregnancy and has scheduled a DNC for me on Thursady (10.11.07)

Has anyone else had an ultrasound at this stage? What did you see? Could there be a chance that the heartbeat could be missed at this stage?

[cpatow]

Sep24325, I am really sorry to hear this. I had been going through something very similar, but a little earlier in the cycle. When I went in @ 6.3 weeks they saw no heartbeat but said they would have me come back in one week as 6.3 weeks CAN be too early to tell in some women. I had to then have my HCG levels tested and went back in at 7.0 weeks (maybe 7.1) for another appointment to learn how to give myself an anticoagulant injection daily.

I asked them to not make me wait until the end of that week for the repeat U/S and to let me come in for the repeat while I was already there. They were reluctant but they agreed.

Now, my HCG levels were pretty high (1st one about 34k, 2nd one about 46k) and with levels that high they say you should nearly always be able to see heartbeat and fetal pole (embryo), so lthey were not optimistic they would see anything this time around.

But for me at 7.1 weeks they DID see a heartbeat. I was fully prepared to not see one and then I would come back on that Friday (7.4 weeks) for the confirmation. But at 7.4 weeks if they did not see a heartbeat then that was the sad, painful truth we would accept.

Now, for your own comfort you may want to ask if you can go in for one more repeat u/s prior to your procedure, so this way you are comforted in knowing you are doing the right thing. When I went in at 7.0 or 7.1 (can't remember the day) the ultrasound tech did tell me there was a remote possibility that she still wouldn't see anything, but in my own heart I knew that what we either saw or did not see would be our answer.

Have you had your HCG levels tested? THose are also a good indicator of how things are going when the ultrasounds are too early to see anything.

I know how hard this is. It is really, sad and the waiting is even worse.

[shesherm]

I would have 1 more U/S to be sure and get at least an HCG that shows your levels are going down...I sometimes wonder if I got a DNC tooo early ....but I was 10 weeks and everything was only measuring 7.5 weeks so there should have been a HB by then.  good luck

[stephie4]

are your hcg levels going down?  

if not, or if they didn't test hcg levels INSIST on it.

then redo ultrasound in a week to be sure.  don't do it without hcg levels, i see to many girls on forums that don't see a heartbeat then in a week they do.

just make sure before he schedules surgery.  

[olatwins]

I am having the same here. At eight weeks Went in for transvaginal Ultrasound, nurse saw the sac and she saw no baby. Asked me to come for evac but I refused . Told her I'll rather wait another week or two, miracles still happen and I am having all the preg symptoms. Let's hope in God that all will be well. OLATWINS- LONDON

[olatwins]

I went for the ultrasound this morning by the way and am booked for another visit in two weeks time.

[SEP24325]

Hello All -- THANKS for the words of encouragement!  Unfortunately, I started cramping and spotting this morning and have a DNC scheduled for tomorrow.

Back "in my day" you'd miss a period, take a pregnancy test, and you were either pregnant or not.  If you were, you'd enjoy it until the end, whether it was until birth or until a natural miscarriage.  To know you are pregnant and go in for an ultra sound and then be told nope -- no heartbeat ... and then wait ... questioning everything to the nth degree ... feeling every twinge and think "is this it" ... is just so unnecessary.  It would have been so much easier to miscarriage naturally.  And by that I mean to have been allowed to enjoy my pregnancy until the end.  To start spotting, see the doctor and then have a DNC.  The past week of mental torture was just so unnecessary!  I have experienced both ... I am 44 yrs. I have had 2 healthy children and have had two miscarriages.  I can honestly say that this experience was cruel!

[Zoe2B]

What if you did see a heartbeat at your previous 2 u/s, and then didn't at the last one. I'm at 8 weeks (fetal age shows to be at 7wks 5 days). Today there was no heartbeat. Last week there was. When I asked if there's a chance it will come back, or it just isn't visable right now, the np said no. But the doc will check one more time before the d&c proceedure. Anyone had a heartbeat disappear then reappear????

[cpatow]

Well, I'm a 6.3 week no heartbeat, 7.0wk 133 heartbeat and will go in for my 3rd u/s at 9.2 weeks triple check things. We were so elated to see heartbeat last time around and (as I've stated before) my symptoms are going crazy, but I'm still so nervous to go in for my repeat for just that very same reason...what if....

Sep24325, I agree with you that the torture of not knowing and even being in the situation of not knowing is really difficult. However for someone like me, who's high-risk and has to be monitored, it's teh cruddy part that has to be contended with. I wish I could have avoided these last 2 weeks of anguish and really just relish in the fact that last week we had a healthy heartbeat!

WendyG, I don't know the answer for you, but will be wishing the best for you.

[tmnyc68]

I had two beautiful sonograms at 5& 6 weeks nice strong heartbeat, today week 7 I saw growth and couldn't see a heart beat, but we detected a fait heartbeat at 114 bpm, my doc says to have faith and come back in a week. Has anyone every experienced this before? Can you not see a heart beat but hear it? anyone?