MD not checking HCG, progesterone, heart rate ?

[HappyWife90]

Hi all, I had a follow up ultrasound yesterday at 7w4d after not seeing too much at 6w4d. The little one measured appropriately and we got to see the flickering heartbeat! However, after leaving, I realized that my OB has not ordered any labs. I have no idea if my HCG is doubling appropriately or if my progesterone is where it should be. He also didn't mention anything about the heart rate. I notice other posters know the heart rate at the 6/7 week scan. Both ultrasounds were abdominal. Why would all this be? Should I call and complain?

 

[Rhiannon137]

No, you have nothing to complain about. Things differ from practice to practice, but my doctor does not order HCG or any other testing in early pregnancy unless there is a reason to suspect a problem. He also doesn't state the heart rate unless I ask.

If you saw an appropriately sized baby with a beating heart, that's great news. Congratulations!

 

[Mrs. MB]

I requested hCG testing after I got a BFP. My doctor's office doesn't always do them. I had a second hCG done to check on progression (10DPO and 14DPO). We had our first appointment at 6+6. Doc showed us the little blob with a heart beat (visual only). Doc didn't measure the baby or the heartbeat. At 10+6 we herd the heart beat via Doppler. All the Doc said was, "right where it should be." She mentioned it was above 160bpm. At our 12 week NT scan they did the first measurement and heart beat recording. My Doc's office doesn't like to measure early on because it's so easy to make a mistake and things are progressing rapidly. They don't like to cause extra stress.

 

[Scout]

Once you're far enough along for a scan, and the scan shows a baby with heartbeat, you don't need those labs anymore. Typically, they are used in early pregnancy before a scan will show anything. My OB didn't measure my baby's heart rate in early pregnancy either. He was just happy to see a heart beat LOL I think I was around 11 weeks, maybe even later, before the heart rate was actually measured.

 

[HappyWife90]

Thank you so much for your responses - definitely a relief to know it's not abnormal! I guess my biggest worry is having a problem like low progesterone, where identifying it and adding supplements could potentially thwart a miscarriage. But I will try to just be happy knowing that the doc doesn't think there's anything to worry about!

 

[fairycat]

They don't normally do all that unless you have risk factors or are having problems. I'm 11 weeks and he still hasn't checked heart rate. I asked about it and he said it was normal. Some OBs do tests like crazy, others are more conservative if there's no reason to worry. I counted the beats and timed it and he was right, hb was totally normal. Mine doesn't check heart rate until 12 weeks.

 

[xdxxtx]

This will be my fourth baby, and my doctor has never done any of this testing. She saves them for if she doesn't think there will be a good outcome for the pregnancy, such as baby measuring small, abnormal bleeding, or not looking perfect or the heart rate not looking proper. (I have had spotting throughout first tri of all of my pregnancies due to a sensitive cervix - never needed testing.) I am just echoing a lot of people here, but I figured since I have so much experience in this department, I might also be able to make you feel better.