# Is there anything else that would cause heartbeat-like flickering on an ultrasound?



## KahluaCupcake

I don't want to go into detail again....but is there anything that would show flickering over the fetus that would make the ultrasound technician be so sure as to tell me it's the baby's heartbeat? 
Basically, long story short, she showed me the screen and said I need to relax, and went on to say the brain is forming, etc etc and I need to relax and not be stressed. 

Then the doctor told me there was no heartbeat. 

What could have possibly looked like a heartbeat so much to the technician that she would have reassured me like that? I think it makes the devastation worse. 
Or is it possible I witnessed the last few heartbeats and something changed?


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## Khadijah-x

KahluaCupcake said:


> I don't want to go into detail again....but is there anything that would show flickering over the fetus that would make the ultrasound technician be so sure as to tell me it's the baby's heartbeat?
> Basically, long story short, she showed me the screen and said I need to relax, and went on to say the brain is forming, etc etc and I need to relax and not be stressed.
> 
> Then the doctor told me there was no heartbeat.
> 
> What could have possibly looked like a heartbeat so much to the technician that she would have reassured me like that? I think it makes the devastation worse.
> Or is it possible I witnessed the last few heartbeats and something changed?

If she went on to show you baby and everything then they usually look for heartbeat first then show and talk about baby so she must have saw something ? :wacko:
Unless she was a complete idiot and spoke about baby BEFORE checking for heartbeat which they shouldn't do!

Maybe call up and speak to them about this? xx

So sorry for your loss :cry::cry:


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## MermaidMom

this sounds so weird... i read your story over in first tri also. did the doctor see the screen at all? are you still having spotting? i cant think of why there would be flickering unless the display was all messed up... but for it to look like a heartbeat? i dunno. i wonder if the doctor was misinformed?


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## KahluaCupcake

I'm going to call my regular obgyn as soon as they open in the morning; the nurses at the ER said under these circumstances they'd see me right away. 
I spoke with another woman, who actually used the same donor, and had essentially the same thing happen. Except that she went to a regularly scheduled appointment, not the ER...there was no problem or anything to make her think anything was wrong. Her ultrasound tech also saw the heartbeat with the external, and not with the transvaginal. 

I also got this response from another site, which confuses me further:

"The foetal heart can beat weakly, -without generating a pulse detectable on a monitor, because the sonic pulse is no more than a transient shock wave, propagated by the ejection of blood at high velocity from the left ventricle of the heart. The pulse is one of pressure; the beating of the heart gives rise to flow of blood, not necessarily at sufficiently high pressure to generate the pulse pressure 'wave'.

If the heart is beating weakly, ejection is slow enough for the shock wave not to be generated, because the root of the baby's aorta is capable of absorbing the stroke volume of blood simply by the vascular wall dilating to accommodating it."

So does this mean that if the heart IS actually beating slowly/weakly, and that's the case, that basically there is no hope for the baby? How long could this go on? If it's not growing properly I know a miscarriage is inevitable, but I really, really don't want to do a d&c. But I want this over sooner than later...I don't want to continue carrying falsely for another month. Or even a week.
It isn't fair. And if it is all completely over, as much as I'm afraid of and dreading it, I just want to start bleeding and get it over with. Yesterday I had a single, very small cramp. There's no more spotting or cramping or anything at all. 
My breasts barely hurt anymore and the morning sickness is gone. :(
which I suppose is a good thing because it just wouldn't be fair at all to have to go through that....


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## Elhaym

I really hope you get some answers, at least have another scan with an experienced doctor who can explain to you properly what is going on. What a confusing situation :(

So sorry you are having to go through this, thinking of you :hugs: xx


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## MermaidMom

im so sorry :( when is your next scan to confirm what is going on? if it is true that you lost the baby you may want to consider the medication to induce the miscarriage. i also didnt want a d&c but i felt that i wanted it to be over as id already been carrying my lifeless baby for nearly 6 weeks. it is painful and difficult, but you will be able to see your baby in the end and have your closure in whatever way suits you best. i know how difficult this is and im just so sorry youre in the thick of it all right now.


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## Alexxie

So sorry that you're going through this, I hope you get proper answers soon from the doctors. I was told at an 8 week scan that my baby was absolutely fine and I should stop stressing, but then at the 13 week scan they told me he'd stopped growing at 7 weeks and had no heartbeat so the doctors have messed up with me too and no one seems to be able to explain why they told me it was fine. Hope you're as okay as anyone can be in this situation, thinking of you :hugs:


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## KahluaCupcake

So I got an answer today. 
A wonderful technician...she was my age and about 8 months pregnant. I sort of felt bad for her...I could see she really felt bad for me, she was very apologetic and sympathetic, and well....when we're pregnant and see someone else go through this, it's heartbreaking. Anyway, she explained that the placenta has a lot going on, and will basically pulsate with life itself. This is why you can "hear" the placenta on a Doppler. Since it is bringing life to the baby, it's very active, even after the baby's passing. If the fetus is resting aainst the wall, it can make it look as though there's a heart beating. 
She also said that it was very unprofessional of the other technician to have said anything without being absolutely sure. 

I got to see my baby. He was perfect....and surprisingly, it wasn't painful to see. It was almost a relief....verification that my baby did exist, that he was real and a part of our lives. My fiancé didn't take it quite so well...he was extremely upset to see it. He said he was waiting to see the picture he saw...but never imagined he'd see the baby like that. I haven't been able to bring myself to use the two-word term he used.....
I sort of wish they had given me a picture...just to put away somewhere. But she wouldn't. I think the technician was too upset about it, too. I'm sure she never wants to see that either. 

I think it was a bit of closure. I don't know. 
Sadly, I go in for a d&c on Wednesday. 
As horrible as it is, I don't want them to take my baby from me. It just seems wrong. I hope they at least will give me prescription painkillers afterwards so I can hopefully, maybe, not think about it after the procedure.


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## Elhaym

I saw my baby on the scan, my OH told me not to look but in the end I'm glad I did, he just looked like he was asleep. I think it helps with closure. 

I'm glad you got to see someone professional and helpful who could explain things to you. I am so sorry you are having to go through this. I understand your fears about the d&c but if it is looking like nothing is going to happen naturally it needs to be done. You will have plenty of painkillers no doubt!

Just remember your baby was real, you were pregnant and you were a mother, no one can take that away from you. Sending love :hugs: xx


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