TWIN growth and HB

overwhelmed29 · April 2014

Hi everyone, I intro'd here a few weeks ago. I am pregnant with twins from an IVF cycle. They are di/di

I had some spotting on tues so I had an U/S weds. I was 8 weeks 4 days. Baby A was measuring 8 weeks 3 days with a HB of 174. Baby B (my little porker) was measuring 8 weeks 6 days with a HB of 154. They could not find where the blood was coming from and sent the results to my dr. When I called the dr yesterday, the nurse looked over everything and said there are no notes that indicate anything is wrong. I asked her about the growth and HBs. She said the growth was fine but that baby A's heart rate was high and that the dr would monitor it. She said she wasn't familiar with twin heartbeats but they should range from 110-160. Little A was moving when she was snapping the photos so maybe that could be why? Has anyone else experienced this?

TREDgirl · April 2014

Congrats! I too had a bleed from about 10-16 weeks most likely an SCH. I went to the dr several times and it was always older brown blood and it eventually went away. I can't remember what ours hb's were at that gestation but I seem to remember similar numbers.

carrotcake06 · April 2014

It's really common for the babies to measure a few days apart in early u/s. A three day discrepancy is normal, IMO. I have also never heard of a HB being "too high". Notwithstanding, HBs in the 170s seems typical for being very early.

Congrats!

overwhelmed29 · April 2014

thank you all so much for the reassurance! It was the sweetest thing to see their heartbeats and to see them move. It made it all so real!

colocali · April 2014

At my last appt (10 weeks 6 days) both babies HBs were around 180 and I asked the doctor if they were too high. She said nope. They start to slow down around 12 weeks.

Mcsweets · April 2014

I had spotting around 6 weeks as well and they never did find out where it was coming from! I think those heart rates are completely normal. The HB will be higher if they're moving, naturally. However, my twins heart rates were both always higher (180-190) until I hit about 12w/15w (I can't remember which appointment) then they stayed around the 150/160 mark for the rest of my pregnancy.

daisy19782011 · April 2014

I think that sounds like graet growth and HB...my girls ran high...over 180 once and my dr wasn't worried. I was of course.

healz413 · April 2014

Yeah I don't know what the nurse was talking about. At 9w (with one twin measuring 8w6 and one measuring 8w5) both of our twins had HBs in the 180s and our RE was very happy. I think the nurse may have been looking at numbers for the wrong week. I think at 8.5 weeks, you would not want a heartbeat at 110.
Also the fact that you saw them both move is a very good sign.

megs2011 · April 2014

At 10 weeks Baby A was about 172-174 range and Baby B was 168. I'd say that's definitely normal.

eandk18 · April 2014

I had bleeding from weeks 6-12 from a SCH. They were not able to detect the SCH on the ultrasound until almost 9 weeks. My di/di twins had heartrates of 178-180 at 10 weeks so that sounds well within range. My OB never said anything was wrong with that. My twins are almost 8 months now

4legsRbest · April 2014

Sorry about the bleeding! I hope it doesn't come back.

I would side-eye her about the hb comment, really. That is totally normal for 8-9 weeks! Mine were both in the 170 range then. They have slowed to the 158ish area by 13w, but I would not worry if they were still in the 170 range. The faster they grow, the faster their hearts beat, and the smaller they are the faster their heart beats, that is just basic physiology for all mammals. A fast heart rate ensures that enough oxygen is being put into the bloodstream for proper development. Also, it doesn't take the blood very long to travel one loop around the circulatory system of something as small as a 8-9 week old baby b/c they are TINY this means the heart less time to relax in between pumps. Your nurse needs to keep her mouth shut or go back for some continuing education on embryonic cardiology... Later in pregnancy this could be an issue, but not now.