Didn't check for heartbeat - WTH?!

tabaskoa · August 2013

I had my first appointment today and wasn't scheduled for an ultrasound. The doc gave me a quick ultrasound anyway (abdominal) and saw the gestational sac and the baby. She didn't even look for a heartbeat. I'm kicking myself now, but at the time I didn't feel like I should ask her to do more since I wasn't supposed to have the u/s anyway. I'm almost 8 weeks so definitely could have seen the heart fluttering if she had zoomed in.

This is different from my experience with my DS (they had actually scheduled me for an u/s appt with him and did all the measurements and stuff). Not sure what to make of this. Does this seem strange or should I just stop worrying and know that most likely everything is fine and I'll hear the heartbeat with a doppler at my next appointment (almost 12w)?

snmetz7 · August 2013

im sure if there was an issue they would have said something. theya re used to looking at u/s all the time and im sure they took a look for the hb saw the flicker and let it go. just because they didnt measure it doesnt mean they didnt see it. yay for the sneak peak though

BuggasMom · August 2013

With my first pregnancy on one of my regular appointments my doctor forgot to check heart beat ...I went home and stressed all day about it! So I ended up calling my dr office and telling them they forgot to check the heart beat and they were so nice and told me to come back and to walk in whenever ( they are a super high volume office) but they were happy to check it. They would hate for me to stress a whole other month till the next appointment:) I would just call them if you are going to worry yourself sick. They might have just forgot? Good luck

patunia7321 · August 2013

I'm not experienced, this is my first, but at my u/s (scheduled) today they saw the sac & babe a little using abdominal and then had to do internal (transvaginal? Not sure what everything is called) to realty see anything & get measurements/heartbeat since its so early. (8w 6d) I didn't have anything u/s or Doppler at my first appt. Also, the did my u/s "earlier than normal" because I am going back to work next week, they normally don't do anything until 10+ weeks. For what my opinion is worth, I'd think if the doc thought there was something to worry about they'd have done more.

Rrrrrachel · August 2013

Yeah it's very possible the heart beat wouldn't have been visible on an abdominal ultrasound.

tabaskoa · August 2013

Ah...good point @patunia7321, I wonder if she couldn't really see enough just with the abdominal. I'm sure it didn't help that it was just the doc doing it too, she's not really trained to do ultrasounds like the techs are.

sueann911 · August 2013

Why didn't you ask? I'm flabbergasted at women who take no initiative in their own health care. Go through any kind of medical problem and I promise you will stop blindly trusting doctors. Next time, ask. If you have a concern, express it.

sueann911 · August 2013

Why didn't you ask? I'm flabbergasted at women who take no initiative in their own health care. Go through any kind of medical problem and I promise you will stop blindly trusting doctors. Next time, ask. If you have a concern, express it.

tabaskoa · August 2013

@sueann911 - Yeah I should have brought it up. Honestly, I just suck at these sort of things (not just at the doctor) I wish I was more assertive.

Guephy · August 2013

I had an HB around 6-7 weeks with an abdominal U/S. It was a tech that perform the u/s tough, not the doctor.

katieharpiceland · August 2013

@tabaskoa it took me a few years of being chronically ill to stand up to a doc. My mom did it for me before. Its not easy because we think we should trust them. That being said, give them a call and just ask :-)

LaurenC109 · August 2013

At least you got to see it, I'm jealous.

lindz324 · August 2013

Had my first appt, didn't get any u/s or hear any heart beat

TheatreStar86 · August 2013

There are so many studies about how we trust people in positions of authority. Don't beat yourself up over it (neither should any of the other ladies). You've clearly learned that if you have a question about something like that, it's better to ask than to worry about whether you should have asked.

I think the doctor would have seen other things wrong (like measuring further behind) and that might have prompted her(him) to look for a heartbeat if something wasn't looking right. I asked my doctor flat out because I was really worried about that in particular. The doctor may have seen one, too, and just not mentioned it. Could you call and ask the NP? The doc may have put it in her(his) notes.

TheatreStar86 · August 2013

kbuckleyharp said:

@tabaskoa it took me a few years of being chronically ill to stand up to a doc. My mom did it for me before. Its not easy because we think we should trust them. That being said, give them a call and just ask :-)

This, exactly.

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