Yoke Sak, Fetal Pole, but No Heartbeat?

My cousin just found out she was pregnant, she was 6 weeks pregnant according to her date of last period and the doctor told her to come back at 8 weeks because it would be pointless to do a ultra sound prior to then for the very fact that you can't see the heart beat yet.....She came in at 8 weeks and everything was fine.... Hopefully that is the case with you as well!

L., I always wonder why docs are doing ultrasounds so early. All it does is cause worry for mama, and stress is a big no-no in early pregnancy! They can't really tell you anything by it, so what's the point? Usually women have their one ultrasound around 24 weeks, to verify the due date and check the gender if desired. Now more and more ultrasounds are being used so often, and I just don't see the point. Baby is going to develop into a perfect little person 99% of the time, and for the other 1% there usually is nothing you can do until they're born anyway.

Don't worry! Everything will come out fine. I'd say decline the ultrasounds and just use the doppler to hear the heartbeat at your appointments. Don't borrow trouble, just enjoy your pregnancy!

Hi L.,

What I think may be different than most, because, though I am an electrical engineer as well as being trained in midwifery, I do NOT believe ultrasound is a good idea early in pregnancy, and not usually all that necessary or even helpful later on. Here's why...especially as early as you're talking about, it's just not that accurate or capable of really telling anyone what's in there.

Remember, though it LOOKS like a picture, and it can make you THINK it's actually "seeing" something, the ultrasound is actually a constructed image from a bunch of high frequency sounds bounced off solid masses, with echoes that are timed by the machine and calculated to estimate where those echoes came from. With a six-week pregnancy---or maybe less, since you don't know EXACTLY how far along you are--things are just too small in there for any kind of accuracy or certainty that the sounds are bouncing off everything.

So, what happens when we start using all this high tech equipment in situations where there really was no medical indication, especially when it's a nurse and not a radiologist, using an office ultrasound not a big hospital one, is you get inaccurate readings, with inaccurate interpretations, and you end up all worried about things that may or may not be happening.

I think all you have the ability to do is to try to breathe, try to trust, and let Nature do what it does. You will know soon enough what is going on.

In the meantime, try to remember that until a relatively very few years ago, nobody even tried to hear a heart tone at this stage.

Why did they do an ultrasound? I really don't understand why they are done so early now. The fewer done during the pregnancy is better for the baby. They are only for approximation only anyway. I had a 2nd ultrasound with my last pregnancy to estimate the baby's size for a vbac. They were almost 3lbs off and I ended up with another c-section. I would suggest waiting it out and going with your gut instinct.

Ok momma, take a deep breath.

There's still hope! Usually they can detect the heartbeat at 6 weeks but not always. It happened to me with my 2nd baby and by my next checkup which they did 2 weeks later everything was fine and they adjusted my due date so it would seem I was only 4 weeks pregnant at my first visit but my menstrual cycle had been so out of whack that they couldn't accurately predict how far along I was.

I'll be hoping this is your case too, Good Luck!

For my BBF they saw all that you have listed, but no heartbeat. Ended up being a blighted ovum... She had to have a DNC. They did send her home the first time telling her perhaps we might see it next week, but nothing was there. Later the nurse admitted they knew is was gone, but sent her home anyhow with that hope! That hurt her the most.
However usually they have you go in around 8 weeks, so maybe it was just too soon??
The best you can do is try and relax and just know what will be will be! It is out of your hands, so just breath and wait until you know for sure! Keep the faith!

During my second pregnancy, I went in for an ultrasound (I believe at around 7 weeks) and the tech found the yolk sack but there was no sign of a baby. My doctor ended up doing some blood work to measure the levels of hcg over the course of a few days. In my case, my hcg levels were dropping. Basically, I'd had a miscarriage (probably due to some issue with the fetus that would have made it not viable), but my body hadn't registered it yet (which was why there was a yolk sack there) and I hadn't started bleeding. My doctor said I could wait for my body to "take care of things" on it's own or have a D&C. I went with the D&C. I know this is probably not the response you're hoping to hear, but I wanted to share since I was in a very similar situation to what you've described. It was really hard at the time, especially since we'd been trying to get pregnant for 8 months, but after the D&C, we got pregnant again after only trying for 2 more months and that pregnancy was completely normal with a healthy baby girl. I hope your next appointment has good news for you, but if not, know that you're not alone! Take care!

My midwife told me they often can't see/hear a heartbeat until about 8 weeks. Keep your chin up!

I've heard of people being brought back in around 7 and 9 weeks. Like someone else said, your dates could be off. You could have ovulated later than you think. It's very early. I had an ultrasound at 9 weeks and the baby looked like a little kidney bean with an eye. It's crazy how fast they develop in those weeks.

Try to think the best thoughts.

It is a bit early to see/hear a heatbeat - which is why they usually schedule the 1st ultrasound at 8 weeks or so. That may be it! As hard as it is try to relax until you have more information. Doing otherwise will just drive you crazy. Like all pregnancies - take it one day at a time... hang in there

Hi, I have not had this happen to me so I really do not have any information for you from experience, but I did have a m/c at about 7-8 weeks but I had yet to have an US. I do just want to tell you that sometimes conception happens later in the cycle and that can change the dates that you have determined based on last day of menstral cycle. What did you doctor say to you about this? Did he/she recommend another US at a later date to double check? You could show no yolk sac/fetal pole w/the one US and then a week or so later show a seemingly viable pregnancy. Don't give up hope just yet. Nobody said "crossed fingers" are bad luck or lack of posiitive thinking, it just means that you are still holding out for that possible great answer. I wish you the very best luck, I really do. Let me know what you find out. My fingers are crossed for you.

If she did the ultrasound and vaginal sonogram (which is the 'internal' way to view it)... and found the yolk sac... then, at least for me, when I was about 5-6 weeks with both my pregnancies, I was able to see the "baby." It looks like a little tiny gummy bear. And sometimes you can see a flickering/pulsing thing on it, it being the heart-beat. And then they give you a 'photo' of it. At least for me/my Doc, that is what they do.

A heart-beat, may or may be be detected at this time.
I don't know what you mean by 'fetal pole', I never heard that in my pregnancies/exams. Sorry if I'm dense. LOL
Oh, here is a link on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetal_pole

Next, did the Doctor himself/herself look at you and do the ultrasound/vaginal sonogram? For me, my Doc does it himself, not the nurse. Then they give you a gestation "age" of the fetus.

This happened to my with our first. It was just too early to see anything. We went back at like 8 weeks and they were able to see the heartbeat and all. The best advice I can give (and I know this is easier said than done) is just not to worry. It will be what it is and at least you are going back soon so you will know more then. until then just take it easy and good luck!

The same thing happened to me and I went back at about 8-9 weeks and they were able to see/hear the heartbeat.

Hi L.. Am going through this same problem am due for my next ultra sound on the 22th of November. This is my First pregnancy and i believe god is in control of life and he will give me a healthy baby.I know you might be asking your self this question"Is she Normal"? all you should do is believe and be positive and you will get an answer to make you proud.
All the best.

Something like this happened to me. I was on family planning, when i realised i might be pregnant, about six weeks. One day at work i had avery sharp pain at the side, my rib cage. For about 30 minutes, i could not breath properly. So i was rushed to hospital, they did an ultra sound, but the doctor said there was nothing and could not see anything that had caused the pain. I was x-rayed, scanned for six times and it showed nothing but the normal preganacy test showed i was positive.

I was given pain killers and sent home. After a week at night i collapsed at home, nobody knew what was wrong. On reaching hospital, i was rushed straight to theatre for an operation beacuse i was bleeding internally and my stomach was full of blood. Later, i was told i had, had an ectopic pregancy.

Please go back an have a proper check up and insist they find that heart beat. It might be the baby is growing outside your womb. Hope it's not the case but just get another second check up.

I wish you all the best and everything works out well.