No heartbeat at 6 week ultrasound

Hello. Yesterday, I went for my first prenatal visit with my first baby and had a vaginal ultrasound. The OB saw a fetal pole and a sac and measured the age of the pregnancy as 6 weeks, 1 day. While I do not have a reliable date for my LMP, we thought we were closer to 8 weeks along. In addition, the OB did not see a heartbeat. I have a follow up visit in one week, but would really appreciate any insights in the meantime. The OB was very unoptimistic about the chances of this pregnancy surviving.

[Elaine Brown, MD]

Hi!
Unfortunately, greater than 50% of viable pregnancies will have a heartbeat at 6 weeks. It is NOT 100% though, so there is still a chance.  With the exception of the missing heartbeat, your ultrasound was perfect.  It is common to be off by a week or two.
A couple of things you could do if you want results sooner than next week.
You could have your pregnancy hormone levels (beta HCG) tested to see if it is rising.
And you could have a progesterone level done.  A falling beta HCG or a progesterone level of less than 10 are bad signs.
I hope this helps, and I hope your OB is wrong.  I actually prefer to be wrong in a case like yours--I love to hear "I told you so"  I hope you get to say it!
Good luck!
Dr B

[crystalwolf]

why was the OB so unoptomistic? I think it is just their job to give you realistic expectations, so if something does happen you don't blame them. they kinda did that to me too. but as with the heartbeat goes I don't think you will hear it till your at least 12 weeks, and you should be able to see it on a u/s at about 9 weeks. It's too early to tell anything at this point if you ask me. Hang in there and be strong. The first 12 weeks for me were grueling.

[woodey]

hey i had a ultra sound at 5 weeks and 6 days and they could not hear a heart beat but i went back today and im 8 weeks and there was a very stronge heart beat soo hang in there it probably is two early to hear it but stay stronge and not stress

[TCH77]

Thanks everyone. I am hoping for the best.

[ryansmommie07]

i was in the same situtution 2 months ago i was 10 weeks and the baby was 4 weeks and there was no heartbeat i aint no dr but from what u have said you probably have to have a dnc

[ladyfreedoms]

So I went to the doctor Wednesday this week, Sept 9th. They said it was showing at 7.5 weeks and I'm supposed to be 8.5 weeks. They couldn't find a heart beat but everything else was looking okay. They wanted to wait another week to see if there is any growth or heart beat. But I'm really concerned that my baby has died. This is my first and I was so excited. I'm scared to have a d and c myself so I'm hoping there is a heart beat next week. I'm also hoping to get some insight in the mean time since I don't go in till next Thursday 9/17.  Best of luck to you!

[Argo30]

Hi i am 23 weeks pregnant now but when i first went to the doctors thinking I was 8 weeks he couldn't hear a heart beat so he did an ultrs sound and he said are you sure you are 8 weeks because boy this baby looks tiny. I had the same fears you are having then he sent me to the hospital for another ultra sound and it said i was 7 weeks so it can be a little off and things still be ok. They had me go back in a week to make sure the baby was growing but he is doing good. i hope everything goes well for you.

[Dada84]

Hi, everyone I'am in the same situation I have irregular cycles my last lmp was 6/14/09 I'm suppose to be 13 weeks right now had my first prenatal visit friday the doc could not hear a heart beat i have a u/s this friday the doc told me that since I have irregular cycles that I could be less then what my lmp is telling me he also told me that everything was fine but I'm still a little worried ow soon should the doctors be able to hear a heart beat with a doppler I has a u/s about 2 wks ago it showed that I was 9wks 1 day with a heart beat of 175 please give me some advise I'm so worried

[Argo30]

It is very scary when you can't hear the heart beat but I have been told that it is normal. Some can hear it at 8 weeks my sisiter couldn't hear it till she was 15 weeks and the baby was fine. I hope everything goes well for you.

[audra30]

i'm actually the sister that argo mentioned in her above statement. i have been pg 4 times and my average is around 10-12 weeks until they can find a heartbeat and yes with my fourth, i was 15 weeks along before they could hear anything. they wouldn't even do ultra sound until 14 weeks. so i definitly understand feeling like somethings wrong and i would never lie, theres a always a slight chance that something is wrong but for the most part i think everything will turn out fine. good luck and please keep us posted

[ladyfreedoms]

Hello to everyone, your comments are all very helpful to me. While I wish that no one had to go through the same thing its comforting to hear I'm not the only one scared and worried. I'm pretty sure that I'm accurate on my dates but I was on birth control for 5 years before trying to get pregnant so I honestly don't know if I'm regular or not or when I actually ovulated (even though I felt a lot of cramping after my last period).

I know that usually you can't hear a heart beat at 8.5 weeks but from all the books I've read and research I've done you should be able to see a heart beat at this time. Plus the fact that my uterus, bladder, and all that was measuring at 8.5 weeks but the baby was not was what really scared me. I'm trying to prepare for the worst in case my appointment on Thursday shows no growth or heart beat but there is still this hope inside me. I've had pretty normal pregnancy symptoms up until the appt. Then after I started having lower back pain that went through my leg which I'm afraid is a sign of miscarriage. Strange that I didn't have this till after my appointment though. I wonder if the ultra sound triggered the miscarriage? Some times I feel okay with this and some times I break down crying. Its all I can think about even though I'm trying not to stress about it.

The only thing I keep thinking is that when you do miscarry this early its due to a chromosomal abnormality and there was nothing I did wrong. While I would be very sad to loose this baby I'd prefer that my baby be healthy and happy. I've also heard that after having one miscarriage that you have a 70% chance of getting pregnant again and that most pregnancies after a miscarriage go on to be normal and healthy. I hope this helps some and good luck to everyone. I will keep looking on here to see what everyone else ends up doing.  

[audra30]

i know i said everything should be fine but i am starting to worry for u too as i just read that the doc should be able to see heartbeat by 6 weeks, however there is always a chance that this baby is just special.i've had alot of family go thru very scary things like this and everything turned out and i've also watched alot of people go thru this loss. but one of the main signs of loss would be that if u were feeling sick and tired and all of a sudden became unsick and energetic. not all women who have lost a baby have needed intervention. a d and c is more common in later losses. the doc usually gives your body time. i'm going to be thinking about you and wishing u the best.

[ladyfreedoms]

thank you so much for everything, my symptoms haven't completely disappeared and I think I'm so sensitive to everything I feel that I may be over reacting. Today is the day I go in to find out if there is any growth and or heart beat. I'm just terrified even though I've tried to prepare myself for the worst. Last night I was getting the feeling that things would be okay but today I don't feel very confident. I know that whatever it is there is nothing I can do to fix or change it but I'm still really scared. I've read a lot about d and c's and while there are other options like letting it happen on its own or taking a pill I think the d and c will be the best option for me. I don't think I can sit at home waiting for it to happen and if everything doesn't come out they have to go in any way and clear it. With the pill again I  have to wait for it to happen and from what I've read it can be pretty painful. If I'm already going to be dealing with the emotional pain I don't want to have to deal with a lot of physical pain to. Anyway, your comments have helped and I would love to hear from you again before I go in if you get a chance.

[AAATTTT]

I have had five pregnancys, my first ended in miscarriage, but we knew something was wrong the whole time, my second was a chemical preg as was my third, my fourth they said I was off by a week but I knew when I had my period, so I thought the worst and didnt have much hope, I didnt see a heartbeat until 8 weeks, I ended up having a healthy baby girl. Now I am pregnant again and last week my ultrasound said I was off by a week again, but I went in again and it grew like it should, so just keep your hopes up.

[audra30]

i'm really sorry i didn't see your post till it was too late. i've been thinking about u and really wishing everything went well. please update us as soon as your able.

[Tilami]

I hope you and your baby are doing fine. I understand very well your situation it is very scary not to be certain of what is going on. I had 2 miscarrages my first at 7 wks and my second one i had twins one was gone at 8wks and the other at 12wks this was devastating and now iam 19 and 4 days pregnant. what happen was that my tyroids wasn't working properly but i was not advice by drs to check this matter eventhoug I told them about my 1st loss they told me that they usually check for problems after the 3 loss. So please for anyone who read this make sure to check your tyroids before or in easrly pregnancy.

[ladyfreedoms]

Hello, thank you for your note and I'm so sorry to hear about all your losses. That is so devastating, makes me feel very humble about my loss. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this one goes well. I did end up loosing the baby at 7.5 weeks. I took a pill on Thursday to help me miscarry. The doctor said it was nothing I did and that because of my age and health I should have a 95% chance of having a normal healthy pregnancy next time and I can start trying as early as after my next normal period (just have to see if me and my partner are ready). Thanks again for your comments and I will definitely get my thyroid checked (my mom has problems with that).

[lucachic23]

hello, i know what you are feeling, i am 6w2d myself, supposedly so many things are happening right now, because from my levels in the beginning i was about 3-4weeks, but because they are going off by my last period i am 6w2d, had my first u/s on monday and they said that they could not see anything in the uterus, but they do see a little spec on the edge of my left fallopian tube, but cannot be certain, i did another u/s today and still nothing still see the spec in my left fallopian tube but the doctor says that there is no sac of any kind, but my bhcg has gone up since then i went from 957-2221, the doc says that that is good, but still no luck in seeing the baby, so they want to wait a couple more weeks, and asked if i was in any pain, because they may also think that i may be having an ectopic pregnancy, but i said i do not feel no pain, no bleeding, no pain in the shoulders, or any signs of an ectopic pregnancy, so they say that is a good sign for now, and now i have to go in friday give another hormone test, and then another one monday, and see the doctor that monday, to do another u/s and see where my hormone level is at, and if it has gone up, they are hoping to finally see something, but if not, they may have to wait another week to determine or give me that shot to kill the pregnancy, as it may be a tubal one, but i have faith, i am not sure if anyone has ever had this feeling, but what i am feeling right now is the thought of craziness but i am glad i landed on this site, if anyone has experienced anything like what im going through please let me know what the outcome was..thank you

[T392]

Hi i was so scared right now..I've been married for 2years and no luck for baby..Until i found out i was 6weeks pregnant..then the Bleeding started..Just a spotting thuo brownish tiny bloods..But i went for ultrasounds they cant find a heart beat..Now my doc told me to wait for 2weeks and take a med to help the baby..but i am scared my friend told me she have it too and it turn out to be ectopic pregnancy..We wanted the baby so badly..Now i dont know what to do..I am almost scared to go to the hospital for my blood check..Can somebody help me to understand how can it be happening..Or anyone who been in this position..Pls pls

[0766]

Im 5 week pregnant and the dr told me that my babys hear rate dropped between 60-80 last week the heart beat was 100. Im scared i might have a miscarage I go back to the dr on wed wish me luck

[Gin210]

A related discussion, To make other people feel better.. was started.