Friend not hearing the heartbeat at 15 weeks?

Goodysgirl · January 2011

Has anyone experienced or know anyone that experienced this? My friend went in yesterday for her 15 week appt and they couldn't hear the HB. She said her doctor tried to get her in for an u/s but they were all booked, so he sent her home in tears.

He didn't give her any indication one way or the other if it was a m/c. I didn't know what to say to her other than wait for the u/s.

I'm not going to tell her anything, but if anyone has experienced this, is it something to be concerned about. My heart is broken for her and her DH and I am very worried. She kept saying that it might be because she has a tilted uterus, so I am praying that is all it is.

ams8099 · January 2011

I've not had experience with it, but I think it's crap that they couldn't get her in for a quick emergency u/s.

MoonlitPlumeria · January 2011

Its pretty screwed up that they couldn't squeeze her in for an emergency u/s. I would have given up my u/s time for someone in her situation!

goillini823 · January 2011

How could they send her home without an u/s??? That's insane!!! This happened to me at my 16 week u/s. Dr. kept trying to find a HB for a few minutes, but just couldn't. She immediately did an u/s. That's just nuts.

MrsD1 · January 2011

Yes, that happened to me at around 13 weeks. The doctor couldn't hear the heartbeat so they had me go directly to ultrasound. He told me that I probably have an anterior placenta. Sure enough, LO was fine and I do have an anterior placenta. At the next appointment (16 weeks 5 days) the doctor was able to hear the heartbeat without ultrasound.

cyprissa · January 2011

I have a retroverted uterus (tilted toward the back) and didn't hear a heartbeat until 14 weeks and even then it took forever for my midwife to find and she had to use the strongest doppler that they had in the office to do it so it's not completely shocking if she does have a tilted uterus. The baby is still really tiny and has a ton of room to move. In order to find my LOs heartbeat at the 14 week appointment I had to get up and literally bend over all the way forward and do a dance to bring him to the front and then they had to get the doppler on him immediately. We had to spend time "looking" for a heartbeat even at my 18wk appointment. This last one though, it was loud and clear and I've had 2 ultrasounds showing completely normal growth. She shouldn't panic yet. Good luck to her...she has my best wishes.

JasonKristen · January 2011

That is terrible that they couldn't get her in for an U/S. If I were here I would have sat there waited to get one all day.. or I would have went in first thing in the morning. How long does she have to wait to get the U/S?

skio · January 2011

My doc couldn't find LO's HB at my 18w appt. She said it was just because I wasn't showing much and my ab muscles were still strong.

We heard her kick the doppler wand loud & clear, though. She was already moving a bunch at that point, so there was no need to worry in my case. I hope everything is okay with your friend. Dopplers suck and sometimes can't hear a thing until well past 20w...or so my OB says.

Jessynlove · January 2011

it is all about position of the baby.

they were able to hear my babys heart at my first appt at 7 weeks...but not at 11. then the other day at almost 15 weeks it was super easy to find. they said 7 weeks is really rare but if baby is in the right position...its possible.

I pray that your friends baby was just in a difficult position.

mmaine · January 2011

This hasnt happened to me but it happened to one of my friends. She was able to get an ultrasound right away and the baby was fine. I didnt want to wait for doctors appointments so I bought my own fetal heart doppler...I hope everything is okay...Please keep us posted.

Goodysgirl · January 2011

Thank you for all your replies. This all sounded very reassuring.

Unfortunately, she just called me and she lost her baby.

Thank you again.

BTW, once she has emotionally healed from this, I am going to gently suggest to her that she find another ob if possible. This is the second time they have done this to her. At 7 weeks they told her she was most likely having a tubal pregnancy but they couldn't confirm that day with an u/s, so they sent her home. The next day they saw a hb and confirmed a healthy pregnancy.

smiling76 · January 2011

Goodysgirl:

Thank you for all your replies. This all sounded very reassuring.

Unfortunately, she just called me and she lost her baby.

Thank you again.

BTW, once she has emotionally healed from this, I am going to gently suggest to her that she find another ob if possible. This is the second time they have done this to her. At 7 weeks they told her she was most likely having a tubal pregnancy but they couldn't confirm that day with an u/s, so they sent her home. The next day they saw a hb and confirmed a healthy pregnancy.

Oh that's horrible!!! I'm so sorry for your friend. And yes, definitely suggest a different practice--they obviously aren't looking after her best needs. Oh man, that's just so sad. I'm so sorry.

Scout05 · January 2011

I am so, so sorry for your friend.

And yes, when the time is right, please do suggest that she find a doctor who will give her the care and the basic compassion she deserves.

jc51723 · January 2011

So sorry for your friend

And yes, I think a new OB is in order, for sure.

nde99 · January 2011

MrsD1:
Yes, that happened to me at around 13 weeks. The doctor couldn't hear the heartbeat so they had me go directly to ultrasound. He told me that I probably have an anterior placenta. Sure enough, LO was fine and I do have an anterior placenta. At the next appointment (16 weeks 5 days) the doctor was able to hear the heartbeat without ultrasound.

This exactly. I wish your friend the best of luck.

MoonlitPlumeria · January 2011

T&P's for your friend. So sorry for her loss! I agree that she needs to find a new OB. An office with more compassion and better patient care!

AB&TB · January 2011

This happened to me at my 18wk appt with my first pregnancy. I could not get in for an u/s until the next day at noon. It was, until that point, the longest & worst night of my life. It turns out that the baby had died. Sucks big time. I hope that she gets better news...it can happen that the baby/uterus/placenta is positioned in such a way that the dr can't pick up the h/b.

ETA: I just read the rest of the responses. I am so sorry for your friend's loss. With my next pregnancy I switched doctors because of this experience. I made sure that my new OB had portable u/s machines in the office so I would never have to wait so long to find out again.

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