vent - 5 wk u/s? why?

mimoo

So - I'm mostly a lurker but I had to vent about my appointment today.  I had a 5 week u/s today because I had some spotting earlier and they were concerned.  The u/s tech located the embryo but no heartbeat yet.  She said that based on the size of the yolk sac, etc - I was probably about 5 weeks and I wouldn't see a heartbeat until 6 weeks and told me to make another appointment.

 Then I went to talk to the doctor (not my regular dr.) -- who totally freaked me out.  He said that there is 50% that fetus may or may not be viable and we'll just have to find out next week and see if there is a heartbeat.  I realize that I am early on and that they are no guarantees about anything - but jeesh! 

Why send me for an u/s so early on if this was a possibility?  I'm so freaked out and anxious about it.  Ok vent over.

bluejetta

That is a totally fair vent.  I had the same one when my doctor sent me for a 4+ week ultrasound due to one sided pain.  The technician kept telling me it was a waste, there wouldn't be anything to see and it could be either early or I could have a miscarriage.  REALLY? that isn't helpful.

It is reasonable for doctors to tell you the facts but they often do so in ways that are scary or insensitive.  I wish you the best next week.  

Corts

Their bedside manner totally sucked. But most likely they were trying to rule out an eptopic pregnancy with that ultrasound. I didn't see a heartbeat until after 6 weeks and even then it was low (92bpm).

cakes27

I completely understand, I had something similar. I had an early u/s due to pretty intense cramping and thought I was 6 weeks but they determined I was only about 5 weeks. I don't know why but this totally broke my heart and I was so worried it wasn't progressing. I was sent for blood work to make sure my hormones were rising, which they were just not as much as I thought. I waited a couple of weeks before going back for another ultrasound and there was a little peanut, heart beating 154 bpm and measuring at 7 weeks 6 days. I definitely was able to relax and enjoy for a while after that but now I find myself wanting an u/s every week just to make sure it's still going well. I'm 9 weeks now and my ms and fatigue has lessened quite a bit so the paranoia has set back in and my next dr. appt isn't until March 31st. I just try to remind myself that as long as I'm not cramping horribly and bleeding then it's probably fine, but it is nice to have that confirmation.

Good luck, I hope you can go back in a few weeks and see and hear that wonderful heartbeat so you can relax...at least for a little while! 

 

ababymaybe

Something similar happened to me. I have long cycles so when they sent me for the dating u/s (I would've been 7-8 wks by a normal cycle), they only saw the sac, no fetal pole or anything. They weren't as alarmist as your dr, but it really freaked me out and Googling only made it worse.

 I know from experience that it's hard, but in all likelihood it's probably just too early. I went in on Monday and they found a heartbeat and a healthy little bean. 

 Next time I will refuse to go for an u/s that early, I should've known better since my cycles are 42-50 days long usually (I just didn't understand how u/s work til after).

Lambie.

Corts:

Their bedside manner totally sucked. But most likely they were trying to rule out an eptopic pregnancy with that ultrasound. I didn't see a heartbeat until after 6 weeks and even then it was low (92bpm).

This.  And about what they said (and I have no clue on the delivery so it may have sucked) but I work in OB and I have heard patients complain about being told they might miscarry and for never having been warned about the risk when they do.  It's really a lose lose.

mimoo

Thank you much for all of the support.  Will keep you posted. 

vanillacourage

I understand being anxious and I'm sorry you're more stressed out now, but the purpose of the u/s was likely not to find a heartbeat, it was (as PP said ) to look for an ectopic pregnancy or other complications.  These things could have been dangerous if they waited until you were farther along in order to allow time for a heartbeat to become visible.  Crossing my fingers for you that you get the full thumbs-up next week!

This is not specific to your situation, but I think sometimes as pregnant women we get so transfixed by the ultrasound images that we forget they are not just a means for us to see our baby, they are a medical diagnostic tool.  It's like how people invite a whole gaggle of relatives to their 18-20 week ultrasound or think it is a waste if they aren't able to find out the gender - that's not the purpose of that visit, the whole reason you're there is so they can measure different things to make sure the baby is developing on track.  It's just coincidental that that visit is also used to verify gender.  OK, end soapbox. 

z047059

Usually they do an early u/s it is for dating purposes only. that is when it is most accurate to determine a due date. I wouldn't worry. My Dr. told me they don't worry until they are sure you are 7wks..then they should see a HB. Spotting is completely normal..especially that early..it is probably implantation. Don't stress. The actuall miscarraige ratio is 1 out of 4..so you have a 75% of no problems..just like everyone else with no preexisting conditions....

Maybe you should see if you can find a different dr with a better bedside manner.. This just seems so inappropriate!!

 Remeberr it is a miricale..an you can't control what ever happens...so enjoy everyday you can!

Hollygirl7

This is a totally justified rant!! I had a similar experience, where I was sent for an u/s at 5w1d because my doc thought (wrongly!!) that my hcg levels were too low, and sent me to see if there was an ectopic or something. All they could see was a yolk sac, so the tech said, "I wouldn't peg you at more than 4 weeks..." simply because she could only see a gestational sac. Afterwards I did some research online, found out that you don't see a gestational sac until 4.5-5w, NOT at 4 like she said, then a yolk sac at 5.5 weeks, and a heartbeat around 6 weeks. I felt so misled and worried for nothing. We did a couple betas and my levels were beyond fine (turns out the doc read the graph wrong. Great...) and at my 8w0d u/s I measured exactly on track.

IMO, seeing a gestation sac and yolk sac at 5 weeks is GREAT, even further ahead than 5 weeks maybe, and if they saw the baby without a beating heart then even better! Don't worry about it hon, sometimes the docs forget that the difference of a day, or even 12 hours can be huge this early in the game. 

iverske9

Wait, so you were having spotting and your doctor did his due diligence and brought you in? I don't get it, I would be upset if my doctor told me sorry you have to wait until 6-7 weeks because nothing matters we can't do anything with the miscarriage. I would want to know. You sound like you have a doctor who is listening to your concerns and telling you the truth.

Corts

iverske9:

Wait, so you were having spotting and your doctor did his due diligence and brought you in? I don't get it, I would be upset if my doctor told me sorry you have to wait until 6-7 weeks because nothing matters we can't do anything with the miscarriage. I would want to know. You sound like you have a doctor who is listening to your concerns and telling you the truth.

 No she is upset because no one explained to her that they wouldn't see much beforehand, then when they (justifiably) didn't see a HB, calmly told her she may have a MC. A 50/50 chance, I think she said. Wouldn't that freak you out? Not to mention, they saw exactly what they were supposed to see at that point in her pregnancy.

RodeoRadTech

I don't remember seeing it asked anywhere, was this an abdominal US or a trans vaginal?  It is much more likely to see an early heartbeat on a vaginal scan than an abdominal one.  With my DD we could only see a Yolk Sac at 5w3d on abd, but we were able to see a HB the same visit when we switched to the vaginal scan.  Try not to worry either way. 

Dani0519

ababymaybe - SAME BOAT! I charted because my cycles are like yours (makes things more difficult to pinpoint) Going into the appointment showed the OBGYN my dates, thinking I was only 5 weeks. Of course he used the first day of last period... putting me at 9 weeks. HELLO?? that is a month difference! We did the US and vaginal US.. and they "only found a sack" I was told to come back in 2 weeks because the OB perhaps miscalculated?? Yay, and I was told the same thing about % for miscarriage and missed miscarriages...... When it was all said and done he said, "you shouldn't be earlier than 7 weeks by my calculations, but from what we are seeing, there is a chance you are only 5 weeks"

 That's so reassuring. So March 24th I go for another ultrasound... because I should in theory be "9 weeks" or in reality 7. 

I'm trying really hard not to freak out about the possibility of miscarriage, it took over a year just to get pregnant. So I completely understand the frustration of this kind of info. I will be praying for all of you!!