When should you definitely see a h/b?

ohiostategal · August 2010

I have my final beta tomorrow. If everything comes back good I will probably have the option of an u/s Friday at 6 weeks or Monday at 6w3d. Of course I would like the soonest possible. I was just wondering though if we should be able to see a h/b by 6 weeks. I thought it just starts around that time. Since last time we had a slow heartbeat and then a loss, I think I will freak out if I see an u/s with no h/b or a slow one. If there is a chance I have no h/b yet and it is just too early, I think maybe I should wait until Monday, just to not freak out. Thoughts?

MonaLS · August 2010

ohiostategal:
I have my final beta tomorrow. If everything comes back good I will probably have the option of an u/s Friday at 6 weeks or Monday at 6w3d. Of course I would like the soonest possible. I was just wondering though if we should be able to see a h/b by 6 weeks. I thought it just starts around that time. Since last time we had a slow heartbeat and then a loss, I think I will freak out if I see an u/s with no h/b or a slow one. If there is a chance I have no h/b yet and it is just too early, I think maybe I should wait until Monday, just to not freak out. Thoughts?

I saw the heartbeat at 5w6d. I believe that I got to hear it the following week. I think they say between 6-7 weeks to definitely see the h/b.

Temp893722312503334 · August 2010

Everyone is different, you may or may not see it at 6w but you'll most likely see it at 6w3d.

I saw mine at 6w4d and it was going fairly strong so it had probably been going for a few days.

I'm excited for you to have your u/s!!!

cookie_queen · August 2010

At 5w5d we saw two sacs. At 6w1d we could see both heartbeats but they weren't measurable yet. Both of these were abdominal u/s for fluid though so babies were just a bonus.

If you're worried I would go for the later one.

GenRN45 · August 2010

at 6w1d our heartbeat was measurable.

The heart is physically too small to hear much before 10 weeks. Anything you've heard before that is a synthesized sound from the u/s machine based upon your baby's heart rate.

I would take the later appointment. Our RE definitely prepared us to not see anything yet at 6w1d... we saw one with and one without (and wound up losing #2).

mama_cito95 · August 2010

We saw h/b at 6w3d, but some people do not see one until into the 7th week.

ohiostategal · August 2010

GenRN45:
at 6w1d our heartbeat was measurable.
The heart is physically too small to hear much before 10 weeks. Anything you've heard before that is a synthesized sound from the u/s machine based upon your baby's heart rate.
I would take the later appointment. Our RE definitely prepared us to not see anything yet at 6w1d... we saw one with and one without (and wound up losing #2).

right, I knew you see it as opposed to hear it. Though that synthesized sounds was pretty cool last time. I think I will take the later appt. While I know there is a chance I could see it at the earlier one, I will freak out if I don't. I had a panic attack last time after the u/s with slow heart beat and I know that isn't good for the baby.

LTF525 · August 2010

Definitely take the later appointment. 6w on the dot would be borderline.

sail123 · August 2010

We saw both hbs at 6w1d but my RE warned me before the ultrasound that we may not see a hb because it can take up to 7 weeks.

awinning · August 2010

I would definitely take the later appointment. I had my first ultrasound last week at 6w2d and we could see the fetal pole but not a hb yet. My RE said it was just too early. I'm going back this Thursday and will be 7w2d so we should definitely see it by then.

Good luck!

Dragonfly1226 · August 2010

With this pregnancy we saw a HB at 5 weeks 6 days, but the doctor said it must have just started beating. I think if you go in at 6 weeks, you might not see a HB yet. At 6 weeks 3 days you'll have a much better chance, but it's still not definite.

I know the wait is brutal, but if it was me I would wait until 6 weeks 3 days.

Good luck hon!!!