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MedHelp Member's Question

Heartbeat Heard and Miscarriage Percentage

by Niki73, Jun 21, 2004 12:00AM
I read on one of the forums that once a heart beat is dedected you have only a 5% change of miscarriage is that pretty much a true statistic? I know I have read that some mom's have miscarried up to twelve weeks but sometimes I think the fetus dies early on but it's not detected until later. I think I miscarriaged at 10weeks one time and 12weeks a seperate time but when the doctor did the ultra sound they were only the size of 6 weeks which meant the pregnancy hadn't been viable since 6 weeks. Does that make sense? I'm just so nervous I am started my 9 week this week and we have seen the heart beat and I just want everything to be okay....I just thought the 5% was a good statistic and wanted to know if anyone else heard that..thank you, Niki
Member Comments (29)

by cmn, Jun 21, 2004 12:00AM
To: Nicki73
I have heard the same thing from many people, I asked my Dr about this when i went in for my pg confirmation. It sounds very good to me too, i will be 8 weeks tomorrow and can't wait for my early U/S next week. Congratulations on your PG, keep us updated on how your doing.

by kck, Jun 21, 2004 12:00AM
To: niki
I was told after my miscarriage that once you see a heartbeat via ultrasound the chances of miscarriage are lowered, and then they are reduced even lower after it is heard by doppler around 11- 12 weeks.  I can't remember the percentages, but I think the 5% is after it is heard by doppler.  It is more like 10% after just an ultrasound.  As I said, though, I'm not sure I remember the percentages right.  However, even 10% is pretty good odds.  Of course, all of that is assuming the hearbeat was at a normal, healthy rate.  I lost a baby that had a heartbeat around 6.5 weeks, but the hearrate was only around 90.  It should be 120-160.  I hope this helps.

by Niki73, Jun 21, 2004 12:00AM
Thank you your comments were helpful!Cmn we are a week apart! Is this your first pregnancy? Thank you again for both of your comments I like to hear good statitics. We checked the heartbeat with u/s when I was almost 7 weeks and there was a good heart beat. I had an appointment last week which in the past was usually scheduled around 3 months but they told me to go ahead and go in earlier to get all the paper work filled out. This is the appointment they usually like to give you a pap smear well with 2 of my last 3 miscarriages I started to spot pink after the pap so with my fourth pregnacy I told the doctor I'd rather not have one and do it after I deliver and they let me and I had a healthy baby girl so this time around I opted for the same think - I know it probably doesn't mean anything but it was in my head so she didn't do the doppler because I was only 8 weeks so now I will have to wait until July 19 to do the doppler! I hate the wait!

by cmn, Jun 21, 2004 12:00AM
To: Nicki73
I had a M/C when i was 17yrs, and this pregnancy which i'm hoping is going well. I can't wait to see the HB, do they actually do a count of how fast the HB is this early? what was your baby's HB at? The date i gave you is going by my LMP, the U/S should give us a better date.



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by Kassimom, Jun 21, 2004 12:00AM
To: cmn
They can count the BPM with the u/s. OR at least my OB did. My baby's BPM have been around the 150 range each time. With the early u/s AND with the doppler later. Good luck girls!!

by Niki73, Jun 21, 2004 12:00AM
To: cmn
I can't believe how many of us have had m/c's it's sad! The doctor had to time the heart beats because your right the u/s doesn't tell you...he said the hear beat was around 140. Then he told me if we went off the old wise tale that the baby would be a boy! I laughed and said you told me that with my daughter and she was a girl! I guess if the heart beat is 140-150 the wise tale is a boy and anything above 150 a girl! But you can see the heart beating on the u/s! It's the neatest thing. Keep me updated with your progress our babies will be going through the same stages but a week apart!!!!

by Niki73, Jun 21, 2004 12:00AM
To: Kassimom
I wonder if your u/s is a newer one....my doctor said they couldn't do it with there's so they timed it....Did you have girls with a heart beat of 150- just for kicks!!!!Thanks!!!

by kck, Jun 21, 2004 12:00AM
To: niki
My doctor's ultrasound machine can tell the heartrate.  I wonder how old the machine is at your doctor.  With my current pregnancy the first heartrate was 150 and it is a girl.  My first child had a heartrate at 12 weeks of 170 and she is a girl.  But this baby has varied anywhere from 130 -160 and 3 times they have told me it's a girl.

by Kassimom, Jun 21, 2004 12:00AM
To: niki
No my own OB's machine can't time it but he did it himself and counted it at about 150.



When I was preg with DD, her HB was always about 165 and from the first time hearing it, the nurse said it was a girl and said she had only been wrong once in (I think) 20 yrs.



With this baby the HB is 150, so I am hoping that since it is slightly slower that it's a boy! :) Will let you know in about 3 wks!

by Sonia, Jun 22, 2004 12:00AM
To: niki
My last m/c, I heard the baby's heart beat at 6 1/2 weeks and it was at 125 and I had the m/c at 12 weeks.  Right before I m/c I had a u/s and it show that the baby stop growing at 7 1/2 weeks.  I thought it was a good heart beat but god had other plans for it.  Goodluck.

by Niki73, Jun 22, 2004 12:00AM
To: Kassimom
So the wise tale does work! Well you will have to let us know if you have a boy this time! You decided to wait to find out I think that is great I did too with my daughter and I am waiting again with this baby! There aren't too many people that wait to find out these days.... Sonia I am so sorry to hear about your lose. Did they tell you at the time of the u/s that the heart beat was low and that it wasn't a good sign? See I had no idea they could tell that from the heart beat until I started reading some of the comments here.... It makes me very nervous not being able to hear the heart beat again until july 19th I'd just like to have some reassureance. The last time we heard it was at 6 1/2 weeks. Thank you for all of you comments....

by Sonia, Jun 23, 2004 12:00AM
To: Niki
I was told that it was a very good heart beat at 125 at 6 1/2 week.  I read on here that from 120 up is very good.  I truly believe that its all up to god and what out destine holds for us.  Its not going to happen if its not the time.  Goodluck.

by lizanne, Jun 24, 2004 12:00AM
When I went to the hospital at 11 weeks because i was spotting- they did an unltrasound and they said there was a heartbeat... 2 hours later i m/c and it was like my entire insides fell out of me...

so how can that happen????

obviously it was ME and not the baby that had a problem?

would there still be a heartbeat right up to the point of m/c if it were something like progesterone levels? (I don't think they even tested that...)



by Niki73, Jun 25, 2004 12:00AM
To: lizanne
You know I would definately ask they also can give you a hormone that keeps your HCG level high (it is another hormone along with progesterone that helps support the pregnancy. The doctor told me that my body didn't produce enough on it's on so it was not nourshing the fetus and that is why I would miscarry....So far it seems to be working.The only thing is that I thought my doctor said that around 11-12 weeks they usually stop giving the hormone injections because the placenta starts to take over nourshing the fetus and it produces the progesterone. You were right at the 11 week mark....maybe there was something wrong with the fetus and not you???? I would ask your doctor to see what he thinks...My miscarriages without the progesterone were all early on like between 6-8 weeks....I don't know if the fetus could make it to 11weeks without the right hormones????But look into it! I am so sorry for your loss...I know it's hard.