40 replies to this topic

[lemongrassdog]

Hi,

I'm trying to determine if a strong heartbeat at your 6 week ultrasound is a good/bad/mediocre indicator of a successful pregnancy. I know that miscarriage and stillbirth are always a risk, but I'd like to know your experience.

For me, I was pregnant last year from our second IVF (second beta didn't double, but it went up about 66%, so it still seemed good), but the 6 week scan showed an empty sac. I miscarried a week or so after I stopped my meds.
This year, on our third IVF (first beta 313, second beta 714), the 6 week scan showed a baby with CRL of .54cm, and a heartrate of 124! We're over the moon , but are still concerned with the 8 wk scan... and the 11 wk scan... I guess the worrying never stops!

Please share your experience(s).

Thanks,
Ali

[anytime now]

I think that you can find info on the net
I couldn't see the source of this article on my iPhone browser but you can go to the source. Here is the summary

http://miscarriage.a...dsheartbeat.htm

Good luck!

[lemongrassdog]

Coincidentally, after starting this poll last night, I woke up to spotting this morning. It was enough to give me serious concern, and it got worse. I was sure a miscarriage was looming. I called my cilnic, and heard from the doctor a couple of hours later. By that time the spotting had lessened, and was more of a brown colour. The doc ordered a weeks' bed rest.
Something which might be a factor is that I woke this morning because I was having an O in my dream! Do you think that could have caused the bleeding??

[anytime now]

Very unlikely that your O was to blame. I'm 15 weeks and had a fair amount of spotting on and off until my 11th week. I was told not to worry as long as it wasn't bright red along with significant pain/ cramping. Glad to hear things are tapering off and hope all continues to be well.

[babywanted]

Hello,

I had 2 miscarriages and then successful pregnancy after my second IVF! I was also worried even after hearing strong heartbeat. I had bleeding for 2 or 3 weeks and I was sure that it was over, many women have bleeding in the beginning of pregnancy and it's normal. Please try not to worry. I remember how scary it was in the beginning of my pregnancy, every time going for ultrasound was very stressful. My little girl is 4 months now !

[RainbowsPromise]

I think it's always a worry... I have a theory that if you do u/s too early then it can affect a heart beat. It's nothing official, of course, and I doubt you'll see any studies on it but I see so many people who had early u/s and saw a heartbeat but then went on to have m/c. We waited until just over 9 weeks to have an u/s but we didn't have any fetal poles. I could be way off base but it's just something I've always wondered about. Most women who TTC naturally don't get u/s until later in their pregnancies around 10 weeks or later so it just makes me wonder if there's something to it. I hope this is a successful pregnancy for you (and hope I didn't freak you out).

[lemongrassdog]

Hi Rainbow,

It's interesting that you should say that...when I had my 6 week scan on Friday, it was done transvaginally. The doctor showed us the heartbeat, so I asked if we could hear it. He said that to hear it would require a Doppler scan, and that sends a "wave" at the baby, which he believes can harm the fetus. I don't really see how a transvaginal scan could cause any damage (but i don't know anything about ultrasound machines, though!), but I can see why the doc wouldn't do a doppler.
You may be right that an u/s may harm a young fetus, but there are also non-IVF women (and they don't usually have the same very early u/s scans) that have early miscarriages just the same. I think it's just a sad reality with pregnancy.

Thanks for sharing.
Ali

[Anne]

Hi Ali,
Just my two cents worth, but I personally won't be having a transvaginal ultrasound after our next transfer. I had my 7 week ultrasound done transvaginally and saw a perfect sac with a beautiful heartbeat of 158 bpm. After 3 ivf cycles we were over the moon. I did comment and complain while the doctor was doing the exam that it was really uncomfortable and hurt (I have a tipped uterus so it can be hard to see at times) but was told this was normal. That night I miscarried.
I've been told by many people that there is no relation between a transvaginal ultrasound and miscarriage and I've read any and all material I could find, but I also work in healthcare and have some people that agree there is a definite possibility that's what caused my miscarriage.
Is there any proof that's what caused it, No. Will we ever know, no. Does it eat away at me and make me feel guilty that this could have taken our only chance to become parents and cause the miscarriage, YES. Will I ever have another transvaginal u/s if we are lucky enough to get a bfp again, hell no!!! If they can't find or detect anything with a regular ultrasound at 7 weeks, I'll take my chances and wait until 9 weeks like most other women!
Just sayin.

[Natalia73]

Anne, I was in similar situation with my US. The only thing I had an SCH that caused me some spotting. I had my ultrasound at 8 weeks 1 day and saw beautiful heartbeat of 173. The same night I woke with awful cramping and miscarried my baby

[Valery]

Oh god Im scared now had my u/s for viability and to monitor my SCH We saw a hb Im so scared now!!!

[---]

Hi Valery,
I have seen lots of women on this board, as well as one who became a close friend, who had U/S for SCH and they all did great. My IVF Friend (and that is her name on here -lol) ended up with twins when they thought that she was only carrying one originally. (Twin girls). I've had lots of m/c too but not from U/S's. I just wanted to give you that viewpoint as well as the others on here. I hope that helps you a bit not to worry about it. Most SCH's go away within a short period of time. Take it easy and dont' overdue it is the only advice I would give, although I am no professional
Congratulations on your pregnancy.
Stacy

[Cassandra_Angela]

I had a SCH and had a trans vaginal ultrasound done every two weeks until it went away at 14 weeks and I went on to have an uneventful healthy pregnancy. I know its easier said then done but I would try not to stress too much about the upcoming ultrasounds. There is nothing that you can do ensure that a heart beat is there or prevent it from stopping. God willing you will have an uncomplicated nine months and you dont want to look back on your first trimester and remember nothing but fear and worry.

[lemongrassdog]

The thing is that if a miscarriage happens right after an u/s, there's no way to know if it was going to happen on it's own, or if the u/s caused it. The two ladies I know that have done IVF, and have therefore had early and more frequent u/s, both babies were completely fine. Of the three friends of mine who have had natural pregnancies, and therefore fewer and later u/s, two out of three of them had one or more miscarriages.
I never did see a heartbeat with my first pregnancy, as the embryo had stopped developing already, but the loss of all your hopes and dreams is devastating, and I feel for all the ladies who saw a heartbeat, only to miscarry later, for whatever reason.

[Heather S]

I had a transvaginal u/s at 7W and 9W both showing healthy hb. M/C happened around 9w4d but not discovered until 12week appt. I only had one tiny dime shaped blood spot and had no idea otherwise. I personally don't think there is a link between a transvaginal u/s and a m/c. The link to the higher m/c rate is that there is a higher incidence of chromosomal abnormalities from IF factors and since we go through IVF.

[CarrieW]

A little off the mark here as my office only does 7 week scans.

I don't think that you can predict anything anymore. I have been told that a strong heart beat and normal measurements at 7 weeks is concidered excellent and a chance of M/C is less than 10%. I had a perfect 7 week scan and then miscarried the next evening.

With my first pregnancy I was completely naive and breezed through weird cramps and spotting as if it was normal- and it was. Now I am so over- educated on the matter I freak out over every little twinge!

[Excited]

Why do people think the vaginal ultrasounds are dangerous? Closer to the bean than a normal u/s? Some sort of intererence? Just wondering

[Ames]

Our clinic waits until 8 weeks to do ultrasounds since before then a heartbeat may be visible but not viable (or may not be visible earlier but viable). My RE said the chance of miscarriage after seeing the heartbeat at that point drops to about 5%. Transvaginal wands can cause some cervical irritation which can cause spotting which was told to me at my 8 week appointment.

I'm now 31 weeks after 4 seperate bleeding incidents in the first trimester.

[nextchapter]

wow
this made me think of my BFP..i had an u/s and not a week later I started spotting and m/c. Granted, the u/s indicated a slower growth rate and smaller amniotic sac but now I'm not soo sure about having an early u/s.

[muriel803]

Hi All,
The thing is, for many natural pregnancies - women don't even know they are pregnant and they miscarry without even knowing it necessarily. For others, their period may be a couple weeks late then come, so again, they don't always know. Since we know right away, we can always tell when things aren't developing normally due to the ultrasounds. I don't think we can compare IVF to regular unplanned pregnancies for these reasons. I, too, had quite a lot of bleeding, as most IVF pregnancies do. It is very scary though, for sure. I actually had a fair bit of cramping too - but again, luckily everything was fine. If you are nervous about them, of course, you don't have to have them done. For me, I am glad we had the option to be so carefully monitored as it helped me manage my stress level!

[Rach oz]

With my first mc , at the 7 week scan the hb was only 100. I remember googling at the time and found that at that stage anything under 110 then most people would miscarry. Went back for 8 week scan and the baby had been absorbed and there was an empty sac. I can't remember what my successful pregs were, but hbs were substantially higher and I was not worried.

[go2grace]

I just miscarried this past weekend (second time in 8 mos). I had a strong heartbeat (154) at the 6 week ultrasound so was totally overjoyed. Apparently I miscarried a week after the ultrasound but didn't know it because I was on prometrium and estrace and they 'maintained' the pregnancy (ie: masked the miscarriage) until I went off of them last week as planned. I thought I was pregnant at 10 weeks and almost home free. However, it was a rescue ICSI after 22 hours so I knew the embryo was likely compromised. My partner suspected I miscarried before I did because I liked the smell of coffee again. I was just hopeful...
My ob/gyn said you pretty much need to be past the entire first trimester to breath easy (in so many words).

[anytime now]

Grace-So sorry for your loss. I have been there twice, and it is such a hard thing. Wishing you the strength that you need to get through this and the support of loved ones.Also, as someone who has had 2 miscarriages and 2 chemical pregnancies, and a horrible prognosis for success at 42, I want to be a reminder that the dark phase can be followed by joy. I am now 25 weeks pregnant after being told that I had pretty much zero chance of having a live birth. This is a rough time for you, but remember that the pain will lessen and there is hope that the next time will turn out very differently. Hugs

[muriel803]

Grace - I am so sorry for your loss.

[---]

Grave, I am so sorry for your loss. To get almost there and have it taken away is so hard. IT seems to come in waves after the fact as well..I.just wanted to say how sorry I am
Stacy

[kristine]

I am 37 and I had started IVF 20 months ago. My husband is 3 years older than I who has been diagnosed with low count and some abnormal sperm. We were having trouble conceiving naturally and so we began the IVF treatments.
I had 4 IVF treatments so far with all being unsuccessful. They all pass the 2 week waiting period after the transfer for the blood test. we go and get ultrasounds and find the heart beat. We then go back and it is usually around 8w or 9w we find that there is no heart beat and I'm off for my D&C.
This journey has been dark and frustrating for me. I'm worried now because I think now that I'm the problem because I can't carry. I know that I can get pregnant, the problem is I can't keep the pregnancy going to a success.
Anyone out there dealing with frustrations like I am and does anyone have any suggestions for me. I'm new to this and I haven't been able to share because no one that I know (family and friends) haven't been through this process that my husband and I are going through.

I know what it feels like to have the heart beat and then lose it. Sorry for your loss.