No fetal heartbeat during transvaginal ultrasound at 8 weeks 4 days

[worried_mom_to_be]

I had a transvaginal u/s last Friday, adn the fetal crown to rump length showed 8.4 weeks. Hoewever, we couldn't find a heartbeat. I am due back for another u/s in 10 days time.

My menstrual cycle had been acting rather irregularly from the way it has otherwise done since the first time I had a period in my life - in the sense that my period always starts 5 days EARLIER from the last time, but the last couple of times, it came 5+ days AFTER the last time instead.

I haven't had any bleeding or even spotting whatsoever, and still have morning sickness, hunger etc.....

What are my chances of seeing a growing foetua with a normal heartbeat when I go for the follow-up ultrasound next week (in 10 days time from the last u/s - expected foetal age should be about 10 weeks on that day, ie if my menstrual cycle period can be relied on at all) ?

We are both extremely disappointed at the outcome of the last u/s and wish we could look forward to some hope of having this baby - inspite of all this history ...... so please advise

[Marybeth]

My thoughts and prayers are with you - We had a situation last summer where our ultrasound showed a fetus at 8 weeks (with a slow heartbeat) but 10 days later (at the 2nd u/s) we were told of our eventual miscarriage (no heartbeat was detected and the yolk sac was empty). I also had some spotting and cramping - none of which you described - so, hopefully things will work out for you.
You're in my prayers.
Mb

[Sonia]

I had a m/c last August and the same thing happen to me.  My cycle was very irregular and I did not know how far long I was.  I went for u/s to get a due date and the u/s showed that the fetus was 8 weeks and no heart beat.  My doctor said I had a m/c and I got a D/C done.  You will be in my prayers, hopefully this will happen to you.  Have you had m/c before? or is this your first?

[dawnna]

I had a m/c in dec,03.But with my frist u/s at 6 wks 5 days we saw a heart beat.Then about a week after that i started to spott a little but had no cramping.Went to doc he put me off my feet for 3 wks then the spotting stoped.So the doc let me go back to work, and on my second day back i started bleeding so i went back to doc they did another u/s and said baby had stoped growing at around 6 wks 5 days,about the same time as frist u/s. And i started bleeding relly bad and had to have d&c two days latter. I know what i went through is not the exact same as what is happening to you,I just thought you might want to know. I will keep you and your DH in my thoughts and prayers.I know how hard it is not knowing what is going to happen.I hope evrything turns out just fine.

(((((((HUGS))))))))
Dawnna

[gpereyra]

When I was about 6 weeks, I had spotting and pretty bad cramping.  The transvaginal ultrasound indicated a fetus of 8.5 weeks (which did not seem right to me), but NO heartbeat.  The doctor recommended a D&C.  I was devastated, having already told everyone, incuding my 9 yr old I was pregnant.  I insisted on a second opinion at a different ultrasound facility.  The doctor agreed but told me I was in denial and not to expect anything different.  After a week of hell, with painful cramping continuing, I went for the 2nd ulrasound and there was a strong heartbeat, the fetus measured about 6.5 weeks.  I am now 29 weeks! Cramping and spotting went away around 10 weeks. It was obviously the end of my relationship with the original docor!  After the first ultrasound, I talked to alot of people who knew someone whom had experienced a similar misdiagnosis.  I know what you are going through, it was the worst week of my life.  I was trying to decide whether to have the D&C or wait for a natural miscarriage.  My thoughts and prayers are with you in this difficult time.

[msklar]

Sorry for using this thread, but no others are open..

I just wantedx to answer your question about the vaginal u/s.. No  it doesnt hurt, it it just kinda strange..
Its a probe they insert into the vagina, but they put that gel on it so that it doesnt hurt...

I have always been lucky and had female doctors do this procedure on me, it made it much less uncomftorable.. (not physically)

But this early on its the best way to see anything..

Why are they doing one? HAve you had problems in the past?

[mmg9603]

Thank you!!! They told me we would get to hear the heartbeat!! This is my first pregnancy and I asked what to expect and that is what they told me!!!

[capermom]

I wanted to mention that doctors are humans and they make mistakes, some more then others and more then they should. Don't opt for a d & c unless you are totally positive you are farther along and there is not heartbeat, make them check 5 days later. Two or three days to the beginning of a pregnancy is a very long time and lots happens in that time. If they are off by a week and don't see what they expect, a d & c is performed and just maybe it was too early in the pregnancy. I wish you all the best, I know how hard this is. Just wait it out!!!

[Sonia]

Please let me know how it goes with your u/s.  I keep wondering if my doctor was also wrong because my period was irregular at the time I got pregnant.  I am sure everything will turn out fine.

Sonia

[worried_mom_to_be]

Thanks a lit for your advise and comments, as well as prayers and good wishes. While there is not much I can go right now about the baby except wait and hope, even the few rays of hope that some of the responses showed have lifted my spirits and made me stronger.
Thanks again until my u/s next week ..........

[babygirl22]

I had no cramps or spotting either, and my baby had passed - at about the same gestational age.  I hope that's not it for you.  Good luck.

[pregnant and scared at 16]

I'm 16 and pregnant for the first time. I had my first vaginal u/s today and the doctor saw an enlarged yolk sac but no baby and no heart beat and I am 8 weeks along. I'm still having pregnancy symptoms i.e. morning sickness and hunger and haven't spotted, bled, and no cramps. I read about women whose babies didn't show up until 10-11 weeks pregnant and my doctor told me that I'd miscarry for sure but I am going for a second opinion. Am I being too hopeful??? Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated!!


pregnant and scared at 16

[EM98]

Hi i had a internal scan at 4/5 weeks and they saw the york & sac but no baby, when i went back at 7wks i was scared there would be no baby but they said that because i had terrable morning sickness that was a good sign of pregnancy, unfortunaly it was'nt for me as the baby had no heartbeat and they said i would m/c, i waited two weeks to see if i would m/c and it did'nt happen so i had another scan but things were still the same so i had a d&c. But i refused to give up hope up untill that last scan, i hope things work out for you xxx

[pregnant and scared at 16]

Hey. Thanks alot. I went in today for a second opinion and that doctor said I was pregnant and I had a baby they just didn't know where the baby is. And I thought I was 8 weeks but I am only 7. I went in the hospital due to terrible morning sickness on Saturday night and all my blood work looked fine. The first doctor said there was no baby at all that I had already lost her but I still have morning sickness and all that. The second doctor said I was 10 weeks not 7 which didn't make sense as I didn't have sex until June 29th so that is around the time I got pregnant which would make me 7 not 10 weeks. Anyways he said the baby stop developing at 6 weeks- 4 weeks ago yet she is still alive and I haven't lost her yet. He said it isn't uncommon not to see the baby/heartbeat at 7 weeks but is concerned because my hormone levels are dropping. I have another hormone test tomorrow and if they go up or don't drop anymore then I am still pregnant and can still carry the baby. If they drop I am going back next week for another hormone test to confirm a m/c before I have a d and c done because I want to make sure i can't carry her full term before I abort her. Both the doctors I've seen don't make any sense to me. I heard once you had a miscarriage morning sickness goes away yet I still have it right now. One says no baby at all the other says a dead/or/dying baby. I don't get it. How could the baby be dead/dying at 6 weeks 4 weeks ago according to him but me not know it and I haven't passed her out yet. I still have morning sickness and hunger and all that and I still feel pregnant. I want this baby more than anything in the whole world. I am willing to go on complete bed rest miss a year of school and have a c section I just want to give birth to the baby. Everyone keeps saying it's God's plan and all that but I don't feel like I am gonna m/c my baby. Everyone thinks I'll be happy if I do because my life will return to normal and I can do cross country and take chemistry and all that but I want to keep my baby. I may only be 16 but I'm ready for the baby and I want it. I don't know what's gonna happen because they can't find a baby or heartbeat and I'm not sure yet where my hormone levels are. And they think the baby may be under the yolk sac and I've heard cases where the mom's baby was under the yolk sac and they had bed rest and still had the baby. I wanna be like that. I want them to know she is under there and that I can go on bed rest and keep her. I know you know how hard it is to loose a baby and I just don't wanna go through that. I'm holding out hope even though the doctors say not to because my counselor said that maybe I am a wierd case and they will find her heartbeat and all and I'll be able to carry her full term or at least til 6 months so they can c-section her and what not. I just want her so bad. And my friend is 1 month pregnant and if I miscarry it'll make me sad as she gets bigger and finally has the baby. Please pray for me to have her/him....Thanks alot..

[pregnant and scared at 16]

I went to the hospital today ....hgc levels are fine now....am still pregnant...am not having a m/c....having an abnormal pregnancy so I have to go see a specialist..prayers please and thanks.

[mandiblue]

this is my 3rd pregnancy and i'm so scared.i can't be happy about it until i know everything is ok.i first got pregnant in october of 2006.went to the dr and that day i started spotting.i called and they told me if was possibly because of the exam,so i blew it off and figured it would go away.it never did and i had a miscarriage on christmas day.i got pregnant again in may of 2007 and i started spotting about 1 wk before i was supposed to start my period so i figured my period was coming,but i just kept spotting so i went to take preg test and it came back positive.my spotting never stopped and my dr did several u/s but never saw a baby or a heartbeat and my blood levels were high enough to have shown a baby so at 8wks i had dnc done.now i preg again and im spotting again.im trying to be hopeful and positive but its so hard.i have 2 children already and i had no problems with them.i don't know why this is happening to me.my birthday is coming up and im scheduled for an u/s in about 2 weeks.it seems to me i'm m/c on days that i can't forget about (christmas, fourth of july, and now maybe my b-day)i don't know why i'm being tortured like that.i'm a wonderful parent.i don't understand how monsters that kill their kids are given the chance to be parents and i'm not, even though i already have 2 kids i really really really want this baby.i also have hypothyroidism so this might be caused by me not taking my meds like i should.i started taking them now, but i wasn't when i got pregnant so i'm wondering if i'm causing myself to not carry a baby full-term since the same thing happened the other 2 times.the reason i wasn't taking my meds was because i was on the pill both times when i got pregnant so i didn't think it was that important to take my med.and this 3rd pregnancy, since my dr said it usually takes 3 months for someone to get preg after dnc, i didn't think i would get preg again til oct or nov.well i was wrong.dr said that i'm very fertile.and i will never know if i could have prevented a possible m/c this time by just taking my med everyday like im supposed to

[MoM2BENYC]

I am so thank full for all the  people that  take the time time out to post their experience on this web sit.  You are all giving me hope.  I am 9 week pregnant and today 9-21 I went for a U/S and they told me that there was no heart beat so Ive decided to go for a second opinion in hopes that they can clarify thing for me.  I don't understand any of this how can at one moment I have a heart beat and a week later nothing?  Please pray for me I feel like I'm loosing my mind?  

[Ursy2]

I should be about 8wks pregnant but my doctor says I appear 5 or 6 weeks and there is no heartbeat pregnant.
I am very upset and besides myself.

[scared_mommy]

I am overwhelmed with sadness right now.  After 5 years of trying to get pregnant I finally found out that I am.  I'm 8 weeks now and @ 6 weeks pregnant they did a viability u/s and found my baby's heartbeat.  When I went for a check up today they couldn't find the heartbeat.  I can't stop crying just thinking that I may not have this baby.  I have another u/s next week and I am praying to God that they find the heartbeat.  We really want this baby.  Especially my 5 year old.  Please keep me and my little one in your prayers.

[PrincessMargo]

Scared_mommy--I will pray for you 2night. I am sort of in the same boat. I have been to 2 doctors. Not sure when my LMP was, but could have been late July, which would put me at about 9 weeks. Have no idea though, since I was graduating from graduate school that month, relocated, and was running a lot. My gestational sac size and hormone levels indicated last week that I was 7 weeks pregnant. The embryo looked like it was in Week 6. There was no cardiac activity. Both doctors have been very solemn--even though one has said dating through sac size is not a perfect science and the other said he regularly disregards LMP's because people often bleed normally during pregnancy. Both doctors have brought up D & C's, though they have not discussed this with me at length. I am starting to think of being more conservative in my approach and to stop going to doctors for a couple of weeks. All I am hearing is negativity and I don't see how waiting is really going to hurt anything. What is the big deal if my sac shows seven weeks and the embryo looks like it's six weeks?
Scared_mommy---Maybe your baby turned around (maybe that's possible). Who knows? I am not putting my faith in anyone other than God at this point. Doctors ARE humans. When I first found out I was pregnant, all these hpt's told me I was. The same day, I had a clinic tell me I wasn't pregnant (based on a urine test). Two days later, I called a nurse's line and recounted the conflicting tests to the on-call nurse. That on-call nurse told me I was certainly not pregnant and would have a period in the next couple of days. I hung up and actually had a blood test done. I was definitely pregnant!
I just got off the phone with my friend. We talked about how many times she ended up in the emergency room with horrible bleeding and cramping. She was bleeding through pads like crazy. Doctors kept telling her she would miscarry. Her son is two now and talking. Doctors can't tell the future--even if they act like they can--only God knows what is to come. I try to look for Him for comfort, not doctors, not tests.

[mAw783]

I went in for my first u/s on Thursday 9/27/07.  According to my lmp I was supposed to be 8.6 wks (i'm rarely irregular), but the embryo only measured 6.1 wks.  Also, the fetal heart rate was only 60-65 bpm.  My doctor only said that "this is not normal, but it is not uncommon & that it should resolve itself by the next ultrasound" which she has scheduled for 10/11/07 (next thursday, 2 wks from the first).  Everything I have read about others who have gone through this type of situation has made me nothing but nervous and scared, since most of it has been bad news.  I feel like I have lost my pregnancy symptoms already.  I would appreciate any input/information on outcomes anyone has, as this is my first child. Thanks!

[Reckums]

mAw783- I am facing the same situation as you are. I went in for my second ultrasound yesterday (first was last week where u/s showed twins at ER but one has been lost)   and according to my lmp, I should have been 6 weeks and 6 days but the doctor says I'm only measuring 6 wks ...and I'm very regular. The heartbeat was also  slow at 60 bmp. My doctor did seem optimistic though and said that the heartbeats start off slow and should speed up as development continues. A heartbeat is a good sign.  My next ultrasound is next Friday and that should be able to determine the outcome. The waiting is almost unbearable so I am with everyone on that! If I lose this, it will be the fourth baby we lost within one year and the only we have ever heard a heartbeat for. Please report back about Thursday. I did find this forum which is optimistic in regard to early pregnancy dating and outcomes: http://www3.fertilethoughts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=434194

[all boys]

Thats amazing.I started spotting 5 days ago, 2 day before me 12 week u/s. In the u/s it showed a sack and placenta but no baby. I was dissapointed but not in morning as there was never any baby. dr said to wait for my body to do its job as i am already spotting. That was 5 days ago. I am still only spotting and have no cramps. I wish it would hurry up because every min that goes by i am hoping that they were wrong. I dont want to be dissapointed all over again. 12 weeks is a bit far along to miss anything, dont u think? I stillthink I can feel it moving sometimes, slight twitching to my lower left hand side of my stomach. Maybe Im in denial. ( I have 3 healthy boys already)

[Dovshi]

same thing happen to me. I had my first ultrasound sept 20,2007 when I thought I was 7-8 weeks. I started having some light pink discharge. HCG level is not that high. I saw my baby's heartbeat at 128 bpm and measured only 6 weeks and 5 days. I started bleeding last Wednesday Oct 10 I should be 9 weeks and 3 days...went to my OB and didn't heard any heartbeat using the doppler. So I was asked to go for another ultrasound. The technician didn't find any heartbeat. but I saw my baby there like a small small person just the heart not beating. I'm still bleeding and was told to wait until it comes out by itself but this is like torture... Should I go for a d&c or just wait?

[mum2b4]

I lost my first child at 4 months last year. My husband and I tried for 7 months to conceive and finally did.   We are (what Ithought to be) 8 weeks pregnant.  However, last week (after some spotting) I went to the doctor who advised that he believes that I had an ectopic pregnancy.  He sent me for the hcg test and an ultrasound.  My hcg turned out to be 2950 and my ultrasound said that I was 5 weeks (just a sac).  The technician told me that it was too early to tell.  The doctor asked me to do another blood test two days later and the hcg was 3500.  He said that was positive but wanted me to do another hcg and one more ultrasound.  My Hcg  (3 days later) was 5860 which was exciting and I am starting to feel really naucious in the afternoons.  I have my ultrasound on Thursday (that will be 8 days from the last ultrasound) and I can’t sleep or seem to think about anything other than this child whom I already adore.  Is it possible that my dates are wrong?  I don’t think so because I had been tracking so closely.  Maybe I am only 6 weeks and not 8.  Has this miscalculation happened to anyone else?
Signed,.
Thankful for others like me.