Heartbeat at 6.5 weeks?

LaurendaMB

Good Morning Ladies. I am 6 weeks 1 day with my first pregnancy. My husband and I had to use clomid to conceive because I don't ovulate on my own. It worked on our first attempt!!

I have my first ultrasound in 4 days which puts us at 6.5 weeks. What are they typically looking for at this point? I am assuming to make sure everything is going well. Should I expect to hear a heartbeat? Should I be concerned if there isn't one yet? I have barely any symptoms, so I'm definitely anxious for this appointment and pray everything goes well!

hollandmama

I had an abdominal u/s at 6w0d and we could see the heartbeat, the doctor didn't measure it but it was quite clear. We didn't hear anything hehe and I have my second u/s on Dec 7th at 9w3d when they will actually measure the baby and heart rate.

 Good luck with your appt, I think you'll get to see a flickering apple seed. 

PrimRoseMama

From LiveStrong:

At six weeks, some doctors perform a sonogram, also called an ultrasound, to determine the health or viability of the developing embryo. This is generally the earliest that anything is visible on an ultrasound, although at this point it will not look much like a baby, since development is still in the early stages.

Ultrasound Type

At this early in a pregnancy, it is difficult to see anything at all using a standard external ultrasound machine. Often, if a six-week sonogram is performed at all, it will be using a vaginal ultrasound machine, which consists of a wand-shaped device that is inserted into the vagina.

Location

A six-week ultrasound can determine the location of the embryo and ascertain that it is in the correct place in the uterus. If the pregnancy is an ectopic pregnancy, with the embryo implanted outside the uterus in the Fallopian tube, this can be determined based on the blood flow patterns seen via ultrasound.

Heartbeat

The fetal heartbeat is often detectable at a six-week ultrasound. The normal fetal heartbeat at six weeks is about 90 to 110 beats per minute. Detecting a heartbeat at this stage indicates that the pregnancy will probably continue and not end in miscarriage, although this is not absolutely guaranteed. If the sonographer cannot detect a heartbeat, the pregnant woman will generally be advised to come back in another week or two to check again, since sometimes a heartbeat that is undetectable at six weeks may be stronger and more noticeable at seven weeks or more.

Fetal Pole

The fetal pole is the basic overall shape of the embryo, which can be seen via sonogram at around the six-week mark. The fetal pole resembles a bean in shape, which the technician can look at and determine the head and rump ends of the embryo. Seeing the fetal pole allows the sonographer to measure the size of the embryo.

Chorionic Sac and Yolk Sac

The chorionic sac, sometimes called the gestational sac, is the circular sac of liquid that encases the fetus throughout all of its development in the womb. The yolk sac sits within the chorionic sac and provides nourishment to the embryo until the placenta has been established and nutrients begin to flow in through the umbilical cord. Both the chorionic sac and yolk sac should be visible in a six-week ultrasound.

Considerations

Since many women do not have perfectly regular menstrual periods, dating of a baby in the womb can sometimes be off by a few days, or even a few weeks. Ultrasounds performed at early points in the pregnancy, such as a six-week sonogram, may be inaccurate due to mistakes in dating how old the pregnancy actually is. If the dates are off by a week and the embryo is actually only five weeks old, for example, things that should be visible, such as the fetal pole or heartbeat, may not be detectable yet. Because of this uncertainty in dating, doctors will usually advise a repeat sonogram in a week or so if anything unusual is detected.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Doctor doesn't do early ultrasounds unless you are bleeding and cramping. I hope you have a great early ultrasound! 

LaurendaMB

Oh thanks for finding that! I did hear that if they detect a heart beat, it dramatically lowers the possibility for a miscarriage - my biggest fear!

PrimRoseMama

LaurendaMB:

Oh thanks for finding that! I did hear that if they detect a heart beat, it dramatically lowers the possibility for a miscarriage - my biggest fear!

While it does lower the risk, it doesn't eliminate it. Honestly, you aren't safe until the baby is in your arms. Its every pregnant woman's worst fear and I wish it never happened to anyone.

Just remember: today you are pregnant and love your baby! 

skeppler1

I am actually in the exact same boat as your are.  This was our first time taking clomid and I didn't think it worked since I did bleed for a day. But I got a positive

We are having an ultrasound today, so I am VERY nervous.  The doc doesn't know how far along I am since I am very irregular and my cycle was about 34 days. Miscarriage is my biggest fear right now.  My levels have been low but have been going up.  I just pray that we get some good news today.

I will keep you updated on what we can see today.  I am not sure if it will be a regular ultrasound or an intervaginal one.

Lots of prayers to you all for a healthy pregnancy

BC&LM

We saw--but not heard--a heartbeat at 6 weeks, 1 day.  From what I have read, I think you would definitely hear one at 6.5 weeks unless you implanted late. Someone said on here once that when people hear a heartbeat during the ultrasound that it is actually the machine simulating the sound, not the actual sound, but I don't know if this is true or not.  I know with a Doppler you can't hear the actual heartbeat until several weeks later.

 

 

LaurendaMB

skeppler1:

I am actually in the exact same boat as your are.  This was our first time taking clomid and I didn't think it worked since I did bleed for a day. But I got a positive

We are having an ultrasound today, so I am VERY nervous.  The doc doesn't know how far along I am since I am very irregular and my cycle was about 34 days. Miscarriage is my biggest fear right now.  My levels have been low but have been going up.  I just pray that we get some good news today.

I will keep you updated on what we can see today.  I am not sure if it will be a regular ultrasound or an intervaginal one.

Lots of prayers to you all for a healthy pregnancy

 

 Ahh! Let me know how it goes! I am so curious. 

skinamarinkadinkado2

i had transvaginal u/s at 7w 6d but LO measured 6w6d and they just made sure LO was in the right spot, measured LO, and listened/measured HB. GL to you (:

skeppler1

Well I don't have any good news. I had a vaginal ultrasound but it is an ectopic pregnancy.  I was wishing that it wouldn't be but I guess nothing I can do about it now.

LaurendaMB

skeppler1:

Well I don't have any good news. I had a vaginal ultrasound but it is an ectopic pregnancy.  I was wishing that it wouldn't be but I guess nothing I can do about it now.

 

I am very sorry to hear that and I can't imagine what you're going through. Prayers and positive thoughts your way...