No heartbeat :( pls help..

[meme1988]

last week at 8w1d i had vaginal ultrasound there was no heartbeat seen. i freaked out the next day i went to an ultrasound specialist and he used the doppler and confirmed that he heard the heartbeat i had hcg checked 50,000

today i went to my regular dr, fetus measured 9w1d right on schedule. still no heartbeat seen, he did not use the doppler. my hcg level dropped to 37,000,
when i showed him the other drs report he said that its not true, and it must be my heartbeat!

i cried in his office, he said i had a 50 50 chance of continuing this pregnancy.

plus i have no bleeding at all

do i still have a chance? anyone been through this or knows someone that did?

[mindy5667]

the EXACT same thing is happening to me! at 9 weeks and 1 day my hcg level was 100,000 and at 9 weeks and 3 days it had dropped to 89,000. i have an abdominal u/s at 9 weeks and 1 day and she said there was no heartbeat but the baby was measuring at the correct size. when i went back for a second u/s at 10 weeks and 1 day, she told me that she would not do another ultrasound because she was "too busy to waste time on a dead baby"!!!!! i was so angry that i stormed out and cried in my truck! how in the world does she know that my baby is "dead" without even taking a second look?!?! i am now 11 weeks and i have not have any bleeding or cramping. i have an appoinment on monday with another doctor to either confirm the first dr was correct or that she is a quack!


i hope with all of my heart that everything turns out well for the both of us! i will keep you and your family in my prayers. please keep me updated!

[JoyRenee]

As Nickie said, it is normal for your levels to begin to drop from 9 weeks on up. However a baby and a heartbeat should be easily detected via sonogram (even abdominal) at this stage, especially with your HCG levels being that high. Is there a reason they had such a hard time?

[meme1988]

Yes when he used an abdominal ultrasound see saw an empty sac! So he recommended the vaginal one .. Thats when i saw my baby and he heard the heartbeat

thank you so much!

[nickieb85]

Well I would say that the baby is too small to hear with an abdominal ultrasound and if your baby grew there was def a heart beat. Find a different doctor and get a second opinion! I really hope that it turns out well for you and yours =)

[meme1988]

The second dr used a vaginal ultrasound when he heard the heartbeat.. It took a while he didnt even let my husband in the room so he could concentrate. And he finally found it! He saidit couldnt have been my heartbeat since the baby's heartbeat is much much faster. But a week later i went back to  my first dr(i know stupid) he said that its not true and it was my heartbeat! I am confused!  

[nickieb85]

Well if the baby grew from 8w1d to 9w1d then obviously there had to have been a heartbeat because without a heartbeat the baby would have stayed the same size. At about 8-9 weeks it is completely normal for the hCg levels to level out and even drop because the placenta is starting to take over and your body doesn't have to produce the hormones on its own to sustain the pregnancy. At 8w1d it is usually too early to hear a heartbeat on a doppler unless it is a super sensitive doppler (usually doctors don't use a doppler until 10-12 weeks). I would say that you definitely need a SECOND opinion, and if your doctor is unwilling to put your mind at ease then definitely find another. Some ultrasound machines are so old that it is really hard to detect a heartbeat before 10 weeks or so. But your baby grew and that is definitely a good thing =)  I hope that all turns out well for you!