Measuring 6 weeks at 7 weeks, no heartbeat

[nikki_]

Hi ladies, all stories--good and bad--welcome, I'm just trying to process.

Background: I have pretty irregular periods, usually 35-40 days. But when I found out I was pregnant, it was CD 27, so I figured I ovulated on a normal 28 day cycle. Today, I'm 7 weeks exactly.

Concern: I went in for an ultrasound today and the doc said my gestational sac was measuring 8 weeks, but the baby was only measuring 6 weeks/2 days. Also, there was no heartbeat . Doc said to come back in 2 weeks for another ultrasound.

I'm 100% positive of my lmp, so I know I can't be 8 weeks. I'm max 7 weeks, but still obviously concerned because the baby is measuring small and there's no heartbeat. Has anyone had a similar experience or just have some advice/encouraging words? Thanks.

 

[dairymomma]

Okay first things first. You say you found out on CD35 so you ovulated on a normal 28 day cycle? I'm not sure how you figure that. If you have a 35 day cycle with a normal 14 day LP, you more likely ovulated around CD20-22 instead of CD12-14 which will put you a week earlier. If you aren't tracking ovulation somehow (opks, temping, etc.) you can't necessarily go by your lmp for an EDD. I have a 30-35 day cycle and I know when I ovulate because I use opks to track my LH surge, which comes around CD17-19. If you ovulated a week later than you think you did, then that could account for the baby measuring 6 weeks instead of 7. And if you are actually 6 weeks, not 7, then the hb is just starting at that point so no hb yet is totally fine.

Also on the gestational sac measuring larger, it's possible. My friend went in for an ultrasound at 11 weeks and was told she was measuring 13 weeks. There's no way she was 13 weeks because she would have gotten pg on CD1 if that were the case but turns out the gestational sac was 2 weeks larger because there were twins and one was hiding behind the other.

It certainly sounds like there may be some cause for concern but you are still at the point where things could turn out okay, especially if you aren't certain on when you ovulated. If you can't wait for the next ultrasound, I'd see if you could move it up a week or so and/or get some bloodwork done to see what your hCG levels are doing.

 

[heychrissie]

I'd try not to worry so early on, everything is so tiny in there it's easy to be off with measurements; I also believe that babies grow at different rates to begin with. With my daughter, she was measuring around a week behind at an early (7-8 weeks) scan and she had caught up to a day behind by my NT scan (~12 weeks). I know it's easy to say 'don't worry', I just wanted to share my experience to show that it doesn't necessarily mean that things are going to go wrong.
Fingers crossed for you x

((ETA) We also had a scan with my daughter the week before where she measured even further behind (~6 weeks) with no heartbeat. I've read a lot about people not getting heartbeats in the 6-7 weeks range)

 

[3boys]

definitely sounds like you ovulated a week later than you think you did which makes what you seen on scan perfectly acceptable i wouldnt panic yet x

 

[nikki_]

Okay first things first. You say you found out on CD35 so you ovulated on a normal 28 day cycle? I'm not sure how you figure that. If you have a 35 day cycle with a normal 14 day LP, you more likely ovulated around CD20-22 instead of CD12-14 which will put you a week earlier. If you aren't tracking ovulation somehow (opks, temping, etc.) you can't necessarily go by your lmp for an EDD. I have a 30-35 day cycle and I know when I ovulate because I use opks to track my LH surge, which comes around CD17-19. If you ovulated a week later than you think you did, then that could account for the baby measuring 6 weeks instead of 7. And if you are actually 6 weeks, not 7, then the hb is just starting at that point so no hb yet is totally fine.

Also on the gestational sac measuring larger, it's possible. My friend went in for an ultrasound at 11 weeks and was told she was measuring 13 weeks. There's no way she was 13 weeks because she would have gotten pg on CD1 if that were the case but turns out the gestational sac was 2 weeks larger because there were twins and one was hiding behind the other.

It certainly sounds like there may be some cause for concern but you are still at the point where things could turn out okay, especially if you aren't certain on when you ovulated. If you can't wait for the next ultrasound, I'd see if you could move it up a week or so and/or get some bloodwork done to see what your hCG levels are doing.

I completely spaced when I was typing and meant to put I found out at CD 27. So based on that, I figured I couldn't have ovulated any later than CD 14 to know that early. Sorry to make you type all that out, but that totally makes sense with my original post.

Thank you for your advice, though! I am going to call my doc and see if he can move up the ultrasound. Hopefully the baby grows on target for 7 weeks and I'm just somehow a week off or something.

 

[margeandmom]

That's not necessarily true -- For example, I only have a 10 day LP, so when I found out at cd 28, you would first assume that ovulation day was the 14th, but really it was the 18th. You still could have ovulated a bit later than cd 14. Just a thought!

 

[3boys]

i always find out im pregnant at 8/9 dpo so i would only be 3wks 2 days

 

[baileybubs]

I think as other pps have said it's so early that measurements can be off at this point. I had a scan at 7 weeks (according to LMP) due to bleeding and they measured baby at 6 weeks 2 days, but then when I had my private scan at what LMP put me at 10 weeks 1 day, they claimed baby measured 11 weeks and asked me if I usually had big babies! Will be interesting to see what my NHS dating scan measures on Monday but my point is that they can be very variable in those measurements.

Also 6 weeks is early to see a HB so try not to worry too much, I know how hard that is. Have they told you to go back in a couple of weeks for another scan? What was the reason for the early scan you had?

 

[dan-o]

i always find out im pregnant at 8/9 dpo so i would only be 3wks 2 days

Same for me exactly! Could just be too early xxx

 

[Mrs B.]

If you ignore everything else, for a 6w2d ultrasound it's very common not to have a heartbeat yet. The gestational sac can sometimes measure a bit big and it works itself out later. And it's entirely possible that you ovulated later than you think and got an early BFP. If you found out on CD27 you could easily have O'd on CD17-18, and possibly a little later. Basically I'm saying don't worry yet, although it's good to go into your next ultrasound prepared for either outcome. I believe you have a good chance of a positive outcome. Best of luck

 

[nikki_]

I think as other pps have said it's so early that measurements can be off at this point. I had a scan at 7 weeks (according to LMP) due to bleeding and they measured baby at 6 weeks 2 days, but then when I had my private scan at what LMP put me at 10 weeks 1 day, they claimed baby measured 11 weeks and asked me if I usually had big babies! Will be interesting to see what my NHS dating scan measures on Monday but my point is that they can be very variable in those measurements.

Also 6 weeks is early to see a HB so try not to worry too much, I know how hard that is. Have they told you to go back in a couple of weeks for another scan? What was the reason for the early scan you had?

Thanks for your story, that gives me some hope. Not worrying is definitely easier said than done. And they did tell me to go back in 2 weeks but I'm going to try to get in sooner because if everything is well, even 1 week should make a huge difference. I went in for some light spotting and cramping.

 

[baileybubs]

That's good that they've got you going back and fingers crossed all will be fine and you'll see a lovely heartbeat

 

[nikki_]

Update: had another ultrasound today and there was no growth Doc said it looks like my gestational sac is collapsing which I guess is an early sign of miscarriage. She said I should expect to lose the baby within the next week. Thanks for the support ladies, but I guess it just wasn't my LO's time.

 

[margeandmom]

So so sorry, sending hugs your way

 

[3boys]

I'm so sorry hugs x

 

[Mrs B.]

So sorry, Nikki

 

[baileybubs]

I'm so sorry Hun, thinking of you xxx

 

[xxmyheartxx]

I'm so sorry hun xxx

 

[heychrissie]

So sorry ☹️

 

[pinkmonki]

I'm so sorry for your loss