No heartbeat at 12 weeks on doppler...

Knottie04976526

Should I be worried that there was no heartbeat at 12 weeks on the doppler? He searched for about 3 minutes and didn't seem worried that he couldn't find it. They scheduled my follow up appointment for an ultrasound 2 weeks out - which is this coming Friday (Jan 9th). I am now 14w1d.

This is my first pregnancy and I am absolutely freaking out. Google is my worst enemy. Can anyone provide some helpful advice? 

Thanks a bunch! 

sschwege

No, I don't think you should be alarmed, though I know it's hard not to worry!  When my MWs use the doppler in the first tri they have always basically made me promise I wouldn't freak out if they couldn't find the heartbeat.  Baby is still very small and moves around a lot at this point. 

Trust your doctor's reaction which is not worried.   

smagglebit

If your doctor isn't too worried about it, then try not to stress (I know that's easier said than done). I'm 12w4d and it took my doctor quite a while to find the HB with Doppler today. Last week he found it for about 2 seconds before the baby moved, and then was unable to find it again. At 12 weeks baby is still pretty small, and the doctor is searching blindly for a very small target. FX that everything looks great for you this Friday!

bim38106

I hate that your doctor is making you wait 2 weeks for an ultrasound! I had my 12 week visit yesterday. OB spent 5-10 mins searching for the heartbeat on the doppler and never found it. I had the same thing happen with my DD2. I have a tilted uterus, so I kinda knew to expect it this time, but it was still very nerve racking!! They did a quick ultrasound and everything is great and right on track. The ultrasound tech mentioned that the way baby was positioned, even w/out my tilted uterus, it would have been hard to find the h/b. FX for you! If the doctor was worried, they would have told you.

kris_tee

I could about imagine how worrisome you could be, but I agree if the doctor didn't seemed too worried then maybe that's a good sign. Especially if everything else checked out okay! Try not to stress yourself out! Hope everything goes well at your follow up appt!

looneyru

We couldn't get DD's heartbeat until 15 weeks or so on the doppler. Try not to worry too much...

shelby407

My baby was in a weird place today and it took her awhile before she was able to find the heart beat... It prob was just the position of the baby : )

alanna7777

They couldn't find my son's at my almost 12 week appt. They gave me an ultrasound. My dr now tried last week at 10 weeks with no luck and I have my ultrasound scheduled this Friday. My son was hard to find until 6 months-the nurse would get it and he would dart away.;) He was always in one spot to find it consistently as he got bigger and you will get to know it. Try not to freak-I am anxious too as I haven't seen anything yet either and with my son I had seen him twice.

kate5all

We couldn't find the heartbeat at my 12-week appointment either. The midwife wasn't concerned and told me that it's hard to pick up the heartbeat anytime before 13 weeks. They won't refer me to get an ultrasound unless they don't hear the heartbeat at my next appointment (16 weeks).

Just try to focus on the fact that you have no spotting or symptoms to tell you that anything is wrong! Good luck!

laurenkoonce

I had my 12 week checkup today too and it took three different people and a total of probably 20 minutes to find the heart beat... My doctor said the baby was completely fine just very deep in my uterus and was behind my blood vessels so it was hard for them to distinguish. Hope this is the case withyou, try not to worry too much until you have other symptoms!!!

bnk2012

I agree with everyone else, if the doctor didn't seem concerned then try not to worry. You are right, Google is your worst enemy! I hope you take some strength & hope from the previous posters & good luck on Friday!!!

sgrho2

Praying for you but all should be well- this happened to us-two days before Christmas no less, but doc was nice enough to give me an on-demand US to ease my concern (and so I wouldn't stress during the holidays).

Sending good vibrations your way-please don't stress!

anfranklin2

fx for you!  I think they should have kept searching, at my appt yesterday(13w5d) it took her about 10 minutes to find the hb.  and as soon as she would find it baby would move away!  That early they're still very low and great at hiding.  Positive thoughts to you!

hullabalou

Fx all is well!

lauralou2210

It took the midwife about 10 minutes to find mine at my 12 week appointment. It sounds more like the doctor may have not been patient enough to search, because she said it's normal for it to take a while. Don't let that stress you too much (easier said than done, of course)

bbbee414

At my 11 week and some days appt ... OB wasn't able to get the heart beat via Doppler either! Then today it took longer then usual to find it ... Try not to worry to much! Fx for you and baby!

Knottie04976526

You all are great! Thanks for helping me ease my mind. It's so nice to know I am not alone! 

I guess I should have been a bit more stern at my last appointment and semi-demanded an US. I am going through this pretty blind, so when the Dr. said everything was OK, I took his word for it. Crossing my fingers that everything is good on Friday. I will keep you all posted! 

Thanks again for the encouragement! 

beepity

I'm sorry! That's so stressful. Today was the first time I heard baby's HB via Doppler and I'm 14w2d.

I know it's not easy but trust your doctor, clearly they have no indication that anything is wrong and we'll have everything crossed for a great US in a couple weeks. 

aerod19

I wouldn't worry. I just had the Doppler last week and while the doc found a heartbeat she gave me fair warning that she might not be able to find it. The baby is still so small at 12 weeks and are bopping all around it there so they can be difficult to find using just the Doppler. The ultrasound should be just fine, plus you'll get to see your little sea monkey wiggling around!

mkrupar

I had an appointment yesterday for an unrelated concern and the doc tried to find the HB with the doppler, and was unable to locate it. She found the baby easily on an US but still want happy with locating the HB so she did an internal US and found baby moving around and saw the heart beat clear as day. I'm 11wk 5 days, so just shy of 12 weeks. Baby is still tiny and I'm overweight, so it can be difficult to locate since it's still early.

Fingers crossed all is well on your next US.

CharlotteVol

The same thing happened to me at my last appointment.  My doctor has ultrasounds on site so she took me straight back there to confirm all was OK with baby.  Try not to stress too much.  It's really common for the heartbeat to be difficult to find with doppler until the 2nd trimester.  Good thoughts for Friday!

MisSmartyPants

It is normal. It is so early it might be too hard to locate the baby and the hearbeat. Good energy your way!!

14141111

This happened to us today at our 12 week appt. Have an U/S scheduled for the morning. FX for both of us!

DocMom9311

I heard the heartbeat at 9 weeks, but today at 11+4, they couldn't find it!  She pulled the u/s machine into the room and the little bean was literally doing flips in there.  No wonder we couldn't find a heartbeat long enough to pick up with the doppler!  Maybe your baby just won't hold still! 

BabysMomma4

When I was at my 10 week apt they had a hard time and she just kept trying and pushing and eventually found it. So I wouldn't be too worried because you're only 2 weeks past that and it took her a good five minutes to get it. If they didn't want to do an ultrasound right away I'd say it must be fairly normal that they don't always find it that early. Keep us updated!

KatD2011

Hope everything's okay!!!

My doc hasn't done a Doppler yet, he doesn't do it until around the 18week mark.

mommabmb

I have a home dopplar. I got pretty good at finding it with my last baby, but even then didn't hear it until 14 weeks. I won't even try at home yet, at 12+5.

Also- I'm not sure of your body type, but heavier women will hear it a little later. Yet another reason it might not be a concern for the doc.

Kbow91

If your doctor isn't concerned, then I think everything should be fine. At my 11 week appointment, it took the nurse 10 minutes to find the heartbeat. It wasn't until after she was done that she decided to tell me its harder to find at 11 weeks!

Katechristine18

I have a Doppler at home, and even though I know the general area where the baby is hanging out, some days it takes so much longer to pick up the heartbeat. First time it took me an hour....second time about 30 minutes, and the more I used it the easier it became, however there are still times when it takes a good 15-20 minutes of probing the same spot for it to pick up the heartbeat. Try not to worry, especially if the Dr is not concerned, and step away from Google!!

Julz81

At my 12 week appointment it took my dr about 10 minutes to find the HB, so I would not worry.  I'm surprised they didn't schedule you for an u/s that day to ease your mind, they have to know you would worry..

Knottie04976526

Haha @Katechristine18 - I will certainly be stepping away from Google! 

I am also surprised they didn't do the U/S that day to ease my mind. I guess I was a little to laid back and maybe should have shown them just how panicked I was! 

FX for Friday (I just learned what FX meant.... I am very new to this, haha!) 

Knottie04976526

Hope your appointment went well today @14141111!! Friday can't get here soon enough for our appointment! 

Forwhatofbarbie9

My ob found the heartbeat at 10 weeks with the Doppler but when I went in at 13 weeks she couldn't find it, so she hooked me up to the ultrasound quick and the baby is fine. She said sometime baby just wants to hide!

briealee

Same thing happened to me yesterday at 11w6d. The nurse warned me they might not be able to find it. The midwife didn't seem concerned but offered to order me an u/s so I go on Friday morning as well. I am a little heavier and have a lot of scar tissue on my abdomen and they couldn't use the doppler over that part (which is right where the uterus is). Fx that all is okay for all of us. I am worried but trying to focus on other stuff.

mommywagner

A good rule of thumb is if your doctor isn't worried, you don't need to be either. As long as you trust your doctors judgement of course...

At my 11 week appt, my midwife told me not to worry if she couldn't pick up the hb because it was still early. Fx for good news!!!

allieb543

Went in today at 11 weeks and the tech (32 years exp) couldn't find the hb on doppler. They found it with the internal doppler. Turns out I have an anterior placenta (placenta on top and can hinder finding hb easily on doppler) again. Fx everything is just fine in there

lustuart

At my 12 week appointment my doctor wouldn't even attempt to look for the heart beat even though I specifically asked her to check. Her reason was that it is too likely that she wouldn't hear it and it would only cause me to panic. I wish she would have tried though!!

masabmom

A coworker of mine said it took her midwife 15 min!!! to find it. So don't stress to much, try to repeate positives like, 3 min is not long at all.

briealee

I wanted to post my update to help others that may experience the same thing. Had my ultrasound today and so far healthy baby with a FHR of 162 bpm.

Misheldon

Yay! Glad to hear it @briealee‌ Congrats!

lizzypoo96

I'm so relieved I decided to read this post! (still been too nervous to read anything that could potentially ruin positive vibes)

OB couldn't find mine at 11w3d and said she doesn't even like to try at the 11wk appt because its so hard to find. I was freaking out so I'm glad it's so common even for a few more weeks! Have U/S on Monday so hoping for something!