6 weeks 1 day scan - showed fetal pole 3.9mm however no heartbeat yet

[munchkin81]

Hi all

Just wondering if anyone has been or is in a similar situation?

I had my 1st u/s (transvaginal) on 16/06 which showed gestational sac and yolk however no fetal pole and based on gestational sac size I was 6w0d.

I started spotting brown discharge following day, went into ER and they tested my blood which came back with HCG level of 31,600 (an increase from 1,500 on 10/06) and referred me for a 2nd u/s.

At 2nd u/s (2 days later on 18/06) they were able to see a fetal pole this time measuring 3.9mm however no heartbeat yet - the technician reckons she could see a faint flicker but couldn't be sure. She measured me being 6w1d that day. I have been asked to come back for a 3rd u/s a week later on 26/06.

Meanwhile I have been spotting brown discharge on and off (mainly when I'm being active) and getting mild cramps and twinges in pelvic area, however mid wife reassures me this is normal. I had my blood taken again last Friday 20/06 and it came back being 58,800, so almost double since my last one on 17/06, 3 days before.

I'm worried out of my mind, is normal not to see a heartbeat in fetal pole of 3.9mm, and is the brown discharge and cramping a cause for concern.

I guess the scan this thurs will determine that.

 

[dairymomma]

First off, brown spotting (while scary) isn't quite as worrisome because brown means it's old blood. It's possible you are just seeing old implantation blood that's finally working it's way out. The cramping and twingey stuff is probably just your uterus starting to adjust to the baby and the hormone changes and your midwife is right-it's totally normal. As for your question about the hb, the heart doesn't start beating until 6 weeks (give or take a few days) so that's totally normal as well to not see one quite yet. Your hCG is rising fabulously so that's very reassuring too. Good luck and hopefully at your next ultrasound you see a little one looking less like a blob and more like a baby with a galloping little hb.

 

[minties]

Sounds normal to me. I only saw a gestational sack at 6 weeks (it measured 6 weeks). I came back at 7+3 and there was a fetal pole measuring 7+0 and there was a heartbeat. She's 19 months old now

 

[Kezzybear]

Hi love, I'm a sonographer. We (in Australia, at my practice) don't rule out a baby until it measures 6mm with no heartbeat, so you are still in with a perfect chance. Sometimes we don't get a measurable heartbeat til over 4-4.5 mm in size

Good luck xx

 

[MummyToAmberx]

Hb at 6+1 is to early. Good luck x

 

[munchkin81]

Hi ladies

Thanks so much for your replies - it's so nice to get some advice/insight from others when it's this early and you can't really talk to anyone else about it!

I managed to move my u/s 2 days forward to today, was going there totally expecting to hear the worse, even cried before I went in! I didn't even dare look at the monitor as the technician was scanning until she said "well everything looks good" - I turned to look at screen and could not believe my eyes - there it was with a flickering heart clear as day! I cried! She measured its hb to be 165bpm, and dated it as being 6w3d based on average CRL of 6.8mm. This is the only thing I'm confused about - 6 days ago it measured 3.9mm and they dated it 6w1d. That would mean that it's only grown 2.9mm in a space of 6 days - aren't they suppose to grow at 1mm per day, therefore it should be closer to 10mm? Has anyone had experience with their babies measuring under then catching up later on? Or do you think the measurements may just be out slightly causing the discrepancy?

Thanks again ladies for your replies xxx

 

[RaspberryK]

They are measuring something that measures only slightly over half a Centimeter... there's going to be a margin for error there.
The measurements are then converted to gestation using tables of averages and centiles.
Congratulations on seeing the heartbeat.
Xx

 

[MummyToAmberx]

Measurements are not very accurate at this stage due to how tiny it is.
I was put forward at my dating scan vs scan done at 6+5
Great news youve seen a HB.