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No fetal heartbeat detectable at 5 weeks 6 days ultrasound

I had my first ultrasound (with the vaginal wand) and they estimated me to be at 5 weeks 6 days. I did in vitro. They confirmed the presence of a gestational sac, yolk sac and fetal dipole, but could not detect a heartbeat. Is 6 weeks or less too soon to see this? They counted 6 weeks back from the first day of my lmp, but they thought I might be running a little small.  I am worried that something is wrong! I have my second ultrasound next Thursday, and have read that sometimes it takes up to 10 weeks to detect a heartbeat. Also, my acupuncturist recommended that I use a heating pad (on low heat) on my abdomen as a sort of "incubator". Now I am worried about the electromagnetic waves being harmful. Please advise! This is my first pregnancy, and after what we went through with IVF (a blessing, but very draining), I am about exhausted with worry! I don't want to be a basket case by the time my next ultrasound comes around!  Any advice you can give would be great! THANK YOU!
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Avatar universal
For my first IVF pregnancy, the ultrasound to check the heartbeat wasn't done until 6 weeks and after. I have been told before 6 weeks is too early. However, seeing the yolk is a pretty good sign. Same thing for my second pregnancy. They would check the heartbeat until after 6 weeks. I'm now 9 wks 5 days. Praying that everything goes well for everyone in this thread.
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I was suppose to be 9 wks but ultrasound measured me at 6 wks 3 days there was a yolk sac but no heartbeat and blood blocked before yolk sac
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This is awful, I had a chemical pregnancy back in May 16. My hubby and I were trying ever since and on Christmas Eve we found out we were pregnant. I went in for an early scan because of previous miscarriage and were told there was nothing there but may have been too early. We went back 2 days later and they saw a sac, yolk sac and a tiny fetal pole. I was absolutely delighted and was asked to come back 2 weeks later which was Friday past. I was so so excited. The sonographer was positive and said everything was still there and not to be worried but that she couldn't see well because it was a really really poor scan quality. She asked someone else into the room and she brought up my precious scan pic. They then changed their mind and said from what they saw the pregnancy won't continue because there has been minimal growth from what they saw. We were crushed and taken into another room where a midwife said that nobody could call it. I explained that the sonographer had said we had lost the baby. She wanted to do bloods as they were 2000 the last time. I called back later that day and was told they were 31100!! That's where they expected me to be. I am now booked in this Friday and the week is torture ! I don't know whether to be hopeful or not !!!! Has anyone had anything like this ??
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Hi I went into hospital last Monday for a scan as had spotting Sunday night (it was nothing really) the scan showed 2 sacs but no fetal pole in either. I was told I would miscarry and to come back the following Monday for a scan to make sure it had all gone.so I waited. I misscarried on the Wednesday night. I went back the following Monday just gone for a scan knowing I had had a misscarriage and hoping it had all gone so that me and my husband could get our heads around  this and start trying again. But when I went to see the midwife after I had had the second scan she said that the 2 sacs were still there and now 1 of them has a fetal pole measuring 4mm.no heart beat though. I was sent on my way again and have to wait for a scan on 17th January 2017. Has anybody had anything like this. I'm looking everywhere for anything like this but can't find anything.
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hi exactly the same day i had scan and exactly the same situation except she told me im 6 weeks
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Im so worried I cant stop thinking about the doc telling me to go for another blood test because the ultra sound said she couldnt see the heartbeat. the nurse at the u.s said it was to early being only 6 weeks but the doc made me feel to worry. i have had spotting slightly only for couple days only when wipe really thats how little, the us showed the uterus in the right place the yolk and bub in the right place just couldnt find heart beat, the level of hormone is just under 28000 and i am so hormonal in nature at the moment eating everything in site and this is pregnancy 4 im showing a belly already, so with all those signs and without a heart beat im stressing whats your opinion through your experiences. please reply
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im am going through the exact same thing and im scared out of my wits. im looking for answers too. but this is my first ivf and first pregnancy. Can anyone shed some light please
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4639702 tn?1357467955
Im going through exactly the same thing, i went to have  my first scan last friday just gone , i thought i was around 2 months, i had the scan but there was nothing there, so she ussd that internal camera thing and seen a yolk sac as she said the baby was there but no heartbeat, i have to go back next fridayand this week is going to be so hard, but theres still a chance there could be a heartbeat, i hope everything works out for you. Its devastating ,maybe were too early to detect a heartbeat x
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My LMP was, if memory serves me correctly, August 6, 2012.  From the doctor's calculations, I should be just at 7.5 weeks.  Please keep in mind my periods vary, from every 21 days to 28 days....lasting from 3 to 5 days.   We went to the ER last night because I thought I had some clear liquid (no blood or even a tinge of blood).  They did an US and said I was 6 weeks 4 days along.  They saw the sak and the fetal pole, but unfortunately no heartbeat.  They try to assure me, as did my doctor that SOMETIMES this is normal.    I am scheduled for another US on Friday.  Will I see any kind of growth in such a short amount of time; or is it just wishful thinking?

Thank you!
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Avatar universal
I wanted to come back and post because I searched this page after i went to my ultrasound and didn't see a heartbeat. I was measuring 5 weeks 6 days. I had an ultrasound so early because I had a bit of spotting at 5 weeks. I went today (7 weeks 3 days) and saw the heartbeat as clear as could be! I was so worried after reading these posts and kept wishing that people would come back and give updates...so here I am with my update :)
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I'm suppose to be 5w6d pregnant after ivf transfer however stll cannot see sack after today u/s. I had u/s today because of spotting. I'll do u/s again on next thursday. Hopefully will see the development. Pray for me and i also pray for u all.
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I had an ultrasound on wednesday and was told im only 2-3 wks gone even thou there was a sack and yoke and fetel pole im so confused
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I've just had an internal scan and my baby measures 1.9mm and has a detectable heartbeat. Was amazing to see, as I thought it was going to be yet another miscarriage. I've had 3 miscarriages to date.
In 2008 I had my 1st daughter after 14 months trying to conceive. Within 9 weeks I was already pregnant with my 2nd daughter! We then began trying 3months after her birth, falling pregnant 3 months later, only to miscarry in the 6th week. The EPAU dept. told me that 1 in 5 pregnancies end in miscarriage (I was shocked). They said it's a one-off and it won't happen again. I was also advised to try again as quickly as possible as new research showed you'd be more likely to fall quicker and be more successful. So we began trying as soon as the miscarriage bleed had stopped. We fell pregnant that cycle. We were thrilled!! All my family were told at 6weeks. At 2 days shy of the 9th again I began to bleed heavily. A scan revealed I had had a complete miscarriage, again. We ere advised to leave it a cycle then begin trying again, which we did. 4 months after the 2nd miscarriage, My husband went in for major surgery and 3days after (he's like a dog on heat everyday lol) we conceived. I had some light brown bleeding every 4 weeks and many scans and blood tests done within the 1st 12weeks. Everything was fine and our son was born also in Jan, just like his sisters, but he was born on my 2nd daughters birthday!!! I had three under 3!!!! I told my husband within a few days I wanted another. We decided because I had some problems with his birth, and ending up having an emergency c-section that we'd wait at least 3, maybe 5 years. Tyat didn't happen. Within 5 months I was pregnant again. At week 6 and 4 days if I remember correctly I miscarried -although with the amount of tissue and matter that came out the doctor thinks I was further along. The scan showed a complete miscarriage again. 8 months later I fall pregnant again, scans x2 tests x4 pregnancy tests I've done x12 (no joke) and I've had some bleeding so far... I don't know what will happen now on but I am so scared of anything going wrong. My children have all turned 4,3and 1 in January and I am so desperate for this baby to make it. I should be approximately 6-7 weeks now (although they gave a measurement of 1.9mm last week, they said it's rough because their picture on the screen is not clear enough to measure accurately). There was a heart beat, but as I've had some light red blood loss since, the hospital have said it's a threatened miscarriage and now it's yet another agonising waiting game, just as it has been fr the past 3.5weeks :(
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Hello I Just Wanted To Let You Know That I Am Praying For You And Ask That You Might Pray For Me As Well. My Husband And I Went In For Our First Ultrasound This Past Thursday And Found That We Are 6 Weeks And 1 Day Along With Our First Child I Find This Impossible As I Found Out I Was Pregnant 6 Weeks And 5 Days Ago. Our Ultrasound Tec Could Not Find A Heartbeat And We Must Go A Week From Now To Give It One Last Try. I Am So Scard That Our Little One Will Be Gone, I Dont Know How To Deal With This As I Have Never Felt This Much Pain In My Life But I Am Trying To Keep My Faith And Trust That What Ever The Out Come That It Is In Gods Hands I Will Keep You In My Prayers And Wish The Best For You.
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last week I was  told that they saw twins but one with no heart beat (6 weeks 4 days) and that basically I'd miscarried one , is this right ? Could it show up later?
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Hello, Just wanted to say to everyone god bless and good luck ..this can be sometimes a difficult process when you stress out. Anyway I went to the doctor and told them I was pregnant and according to my cycle I was approx 8 weeks and 1 day when I did my ultrasound, the doc called me in the day after and insisted that I come in to talk to him, he asked me how I was feeling I said other than being called in and filled with worry I feel fine. He asked if I was cramping or spotting I said nope, in fact my pregnancy symptoms are getting more intense, He was confused with that answer, he told me no fetal heartbeat was found and asked me how far along I was, I told him that according to my cycle about 8 weeks and 2 days now, but I am not 100% sure, he said there should be a heartbeat by now and you will misscarry and I was devastated, he gave me pills to create an misscarriage, but i never took them i was determined that nothing was wrong, and sure enough when my blood work came back the doc office called and told me my hcg levels where real high and they must have miss calculated my date of conception, he never even looked at my file to see that I was only not even 6 weeks when i went to the ultrasound, I wasnt even informed of it either or I would have known. So he schedualed me for another ultrasound but I went to another doc to get a second opinion and he doesnt even want me to go he says its to early that i would not even be 7 weeks and that its to soon and might cause me to worry all over again...so my point is if you need a second or third opinion do it for your peice of mind...god bless *Diane
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I too have been told im miscarrying my twins. One is smaller than the other, no fetal pole but thay are re checking with a scan on Monday.  I think I know deep down I have lost my angels but holding on to a mirracle.X
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Avatar universal
hi guys,

im scared! i went for my second scan yesterday at my GP's and he said my fetal development was too slow. and to add to that he could not get a heart beat. he scheduled me for another scan on Thursday next week. according to my Dr i am 8weeks 2days. but first day of  my lmp was on the 4th of July 2011.on my first scan on the 21 Aug 2011 it didnt show anything and we thought it was too early. 3 days ago i had serious cramps like period pain and now i am normal. i never had any nausea even for my first pregnancy(i have a 5yr old C-section baby) no itchy breast, no cramps nothing. im so worried now.
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Avatar universal
Hi littlewadsworth, I know what you are going through, its not a nice feeling at all, I was 3 and a half months with my 3rd pregnancy when I miscarried, I had a ultrasound and all they could see what the sac but there was nothing in there, I to had a blighted ovum, I was a mess, even though I had 2 little girls at home, no one knows how it feels to miscarry a baby, whether its a blighted ovum or not, my Aunty told me I had a fake pregnancy, I was so upset about that comment from her, I went to my doctor whom told me that it wasn't a fake pregnancy at all, actually there was a baby in there but if the baby dies before 12 weeks they normally dissolve, thats why you can't see it when they do the ultrasound... I have had 2 boys since then and I had another miscarriage, then I had my daughter whom is now 2, my other children are 19 whom she has made me a grandmother twice with 2 beautiful granddaughters, I have a 17 year old daughter and 2 sons, 13 and 12, then my baby whom just turned 2 last month, I had another micarriage a few months ago and I just found out I am pregnant again, my doctor is doing regular blood tests to make sure my HCG levels are rising which they are, but when I had my ultrasound they said they couldn't see anything in there, only that my uterus had a very thick lining which means there is either a pregnancy starting in there or I am going to get a heavy period, but with my HCG levels rising fast, means everything is going good and my baby is growing in there, I am due to have my second ultrasound this wednesday coming, I am not looking forward to drinking the water but am looking forward to seeing it on the scream, which they should be able to see it now, I should be over 6 weeks now they said, I will let you know how it all goes.... I wish you all the luck in the world littlewadsworth and pray you have a little bundle in your arms in the new year, take care and god bless xx
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hi..i had my transvaginal utz yesterday..and heard my bsby's heartbeat..the dr showed me some tracing of it..the utz said i was 6wks 5 days pregnant..but my lmp.was june 2 ..and had unsafe sex at june 20..pregnancy test.showed positive at july 8.....isnt the heartbeats too early??
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Update on my first post:

We went back for the 2nd ultrasound and our worst fears were confirmed. Still no heartbeat and the fetus hadn't grown at all. My wife was given a prescription for Cytotec, which she took last weekend. It's been a very difficult week for her obviously. I hope that those looking here for help find better results on their 2nd ultrasounds than we did. Good luck.

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I am 40 years old and went in for my second u/s today. My periods have been less than normal since I hit this age, but I was convinced I was fertile myrtle. I calculated my ovualtion from lmp and my husband and I tested the theory as we wanted to get pregnant. What I found was that I knew 6 days before my period that I was pregnant.  Technically I thought I conceived on Jan 23. Here in lies the dilemma.  The docs office first scheduled me to come in on what we thought would be 7w. They called and asked if I wanted to come in a week early. I jumped thinking I could see the baby.  Well--all they saw was the gestational sac that measured that I was only 5w6d+/-7days. That was just awesome because now i was worried.  We scheduled a second u/s for one week later (today).  He did not measure the GS but we saw a heartbeat. AGAIN-- the baby measured 4.3mm and had a hb of 77bpm.  Now there is the added stress and worry  that this is a low heart rate. I honestly want to go back and have them do an u/s each day to see if the baby is progressing now because I am seriously worried. He did bloodwork last week as well and everything was normal except my red blood cell count was high. Basically-- can anyone set my mind at easy?  The pros- things have progressed, there is now a baby and a hb.  Cons- low hb, high red blood cells, gestational age does not match conception. I know it's God's will either way, but I feel like it took me a really long time to prepare myself to open up to the possibility of having a baby at my age (I am blessed with a 14y boy) as I thought I was done.  Then I embraced it, feeling invincible and blessed only to keep feeling like the odds are not in my favor. Help--dumber the older I get
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I am pregnant with my 2nd child, and have had quite a journey already. Going by my LMP I am 9 weeks, however, going by my dates I am 5 weeks. Not knowing this, I had a slight bleed 3 weeks ago, and was sent for a scan. I had a transvaginal scan, and only a gestational sac was showing, my HGC levels were over 15000 so I was told to go for another scan in 7 days, the next scan showed an empty sac still, but it had grown, so again was asked to return in 7 days. Today I went for another scan, and this time they saw a yolk sac and a fetal pole but no heartbeat. I was advised that this may be due to it being to early, but they can not guarentee that this pregnancy will continue. I was also told that I have a tilted uterus, which can make scans difficult to see. I have been asked to go back in 9 days for another scan and hope that a heartbeat will be detected. I have kept hopeful due to reading alot of posts on forums like this one, and hop I will have a definate answer next week. Fingers crossed, and good luck to all those experiencing the same situation.
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My wife had her first ultrasound today. We're certain that it's been 5 weeks and 3 days from conception. The doctor spotted the fetus but couldn't detect a heartbeat. Just as others have experienced, we were told that this was most certainly an 'abnormal pregnancy' and that she needs to consider a D/C or pills. We decided to have a 2nd ultrasound scheduled 8 days from today with a different doctor, just to be certain. The fetal pole measured 4.4cm - anything over 5cm and no heartbeat will be ruled a miscarriage, according to the AMA. This is our primary source of hope, that the fetus is just too small for a detectable heartbeat. I'll post an update when I have one.

This is what the AMA says about where my wife is with her pregnancy right now. It's obviously not great news, but there's nothing we can do but hold out hope for a heartbeat next week.

"Week 7 - Gestational Age (Fetal Age 5 weeks)
Generally from 6 ½ -7 weeks is the time when a heartbeat can be detected and viability can be assessed. A normal heartbeat at 6-7 weeks would be 90-110 beats per minute. The presence of an embryonic heartbeat is an assuring sign of the health of the pregnancy. Once a heartbeat is detected, the chance of the pregnancy continuing ranges from 70-90% dependent on what type of ultrasound is used. If the embryo is less than 5mm CRL, it is possible for it to be healthy without showing a heartbeat, though a follow up scan in 5-7 days should show cardiac activity.

If your doctor is concerned about miscarriage, blighted ovum, or ectopic pregnancy, the gestational sac and fetal pole (if visible) will be measured to determine what type of development should be seen. The guideline is that if the gestational sac measures >16-18mm with no fetal pole or the fetal pole measures 5mm with no heartbeat (by vaginal ultrasound), then a diagnosis of miscarriage or blighted ovum is made. If the fetal pole is too small to take an accurate measurement, then a repeat scan should be done in 3-5 days. If there is absence of a fetal pole, then further testing should be done to rule out the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy."

http://www.*****************.org/pregnancycomplications/earlyfetaldevelopment.htm
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