couldnt find heartbeat but heard placenta flow. anyone else?

[skybie]

Hi all,
Had an Ob appointment today, im 17 weeks and she tried for ages but couldnt find bubs heartbeat, but heard the placenta flowing and said it was a good sign.
I do have an anterior placenta and thought it would have been a bit louder and a bit faster.
Starting to freak out a bit now that its set in that we didnt hear a heartbeat.
Has this happened to anyone else?

[Heaven]

I'm not sure Skybie, I haven't had that happened. But if she wasn't worried I wouldn't worry either. Have you felt any movement yet? When's your scan?

[MrsB26]

I have always heard the heartbeat but in saying that the last appointment i had, my Dr (who is also an ob) had a medical student in with him and was explaining that hearing the placenta / cord flow was good in place of the heartbeat. I'm sure of your Ob was concerned she would have sent you for an immediate scan???
Big though to you cause like there isnt enough to worry about. Maybe if you are really worried call them first thing in the morning and get them to check again xx

[skybie]

thanks girls i think i'm just getting myself worked up, this pregnancies high risk for m/c so every small thing has me panicing.
i have felt movement but not for the past few weeks, i figured because my placenta was growing and covering more of the front of my uterus ITMS? i have a scan next friday but am trying to get in for a quick one tomorrow just to put my mind at rest.
The obstetrician was happy for me not to go back for 4 weeks

[*Beema*]

Big

My OB measure the cord flow over the HB at every appointment (as she is monitoring it), the "dopplers" she does, picks up not only the HB but also the pressure of the blood flow. It shows that the placenta is working well and she hasn't been concerned at finding the HB separately.

Take care hun

[~*Kat*~]

If ur feeling bubs more and they were ok with the blood flow in the placenta I would try not to worry too much.
If ur placenta is at the front it will make it hard for them to find it with a doppler. When is ur next scan? can they move it up for u?

[minimatron]

I have had this before and I freaked. The mid was saying its hard sometimes to find the heartbeat before 18 weeks and at that appointment I was 17 weeks. She reassured me that its quite normal. I also had an anterior placenta so it made it harder to find.

[Traveller]

It can be hard to find a heartbeat this early, even with the placenta not blocking the way. Many midwives will not even check for the heartbeat before 20 weeks so as to not cause unnecessary worry if it can't be found. I know it's hard but try not to panic. Movements and good placental flow are all excellent signs.

[luna moth]

Yep, happened to me at 16 weeks, and at 18 weeks. From 20 weeks it was all heart. I also have an anterior placenta.
I'm sure they'll hear it next time...

[nic]

With my DD, I was doing shared care with my GP and the hospital where she was born. I went to my GP one day and he spent somewhere between 20-30 minutes looking for her heartbeat. He even walked over to the phone and picked up the pad with the forms for the local scan place... then he thought he would have one last try and finally found her... freaked me out. i reckon i would have been close to 20 weeks from memory...

[skybie]

Thanks for your words girls, im glad to know im not the only one.
i think she saw the panic on my face, thats when she said the that placental flow was a 'good sign'
not feeling bub move, havent in about 3-4 weeks, i thought it was because my placenta was getting bigger and covering more of the front of my uterus.

My friend works at a screening place, im getting a referral today so they can have a quick look, didnt sleep much last night

[~Gee_Whizzy~]

Big hun, i only just found this thread

If its any consolation with my scare i had the last few days, they were not able to find the HB with the doppler, so OB did a quick scan and found it straightaway (152bpm) - he said as i have an anterior placenta it makes finding the HB with the doppler a bit more difficult.

Im sure your bubba is fine, but completely understand your panic gl with the scan

[Yarrawin]

:hugs: Pregnancy is so worrying!

At my last appointment (I was 20 weeks) my ob gave me the option of trying to hear the hb or not and she said straight out to me that the baby is still very small and so they may not find the heartbeat and because it wasn't unsual to not find it with the doppler at 20 weeks they wouldn't send me for a scan if they didn't find it. I knew I'd worry if they didn't find it so I declined and decided to wait until next time.

I'm sure everything is fine

[Alan]

Hi Skybie

How scary for you. At 17 weeks it can be very difficult to find the heartbeat. An anterior placenta also makes it harder to find the heartbeat. Try not to worry hun, if you heard the blood flowing through the cord or the placenta then your baby does have a heartbeat.

Your anterior placenta has no effect on how fast the blood flow is. A normal heart rate for your baby is between 110 and 160. Sometimes it may even be a little faster or a little slower than this and still considered normal.

How loud the sound is depends on how close the Doppler is to the blood flow and if there is something between the Doppler and the cord such as an arm or leg.

[MummaSue]

Just to second everything that the others have said.

Also, hope that you got on well today and were reassured!
Sue x

[luna moth]

i think she saw the panic on my face, thats when she said the that placental flow was a 'good sign'
not feeling bub move, havent in about 3-4 weeks, i thought it was because my placenta was getting bigger and covering more of the front of my uterus.

This is almost exactly what happened to me. After feeling frequent movements from 15-18 weeks, then things were really quiet between 18 and 20, and was SO convinced that we'd get bad news at our 20 week scan. But baby was fine, doing its thing, and then the party started up again not long after, as far as I could feel anyway - and it hasn't stopped since.

I really think you'll get good results at your scan, it'll be OK.

[skybie]

Thank u so much for all your support everyone.
Just got back from a quick scan, friends boss was more than happy to squeeze me in between his appointments. And everything is perfect!!!! little monkey was happily playing with its feeties with a perfect heartbeat. i instantly burst into tears.
Feel a little silly now though

[MrsB26]

awe, thats just wonderful Skybie x