Low Fetal Heart Rate

[erbie1]

I am 39 years old and have a 9 year old son.  I have had 2 miscarriages in the past.  I recently became pregnant again.  I was on Clomid for 2 months and quit taking and popped up pregnant the next month.  I am using Progesterone Suppositories. Surprise!  Anyway, I went for my 1st ultrasound today at 7 weeks and the fetal heart rate was only 72 bpm.  My doctor rescheduled for next week.  What are my chances of miscarrying this baby?  If the heart rate is only 72, will there be any type of damage to the baby?

[ChristineMP]

You may want to start a new thread for this...you may get more responses.

I think your doctor is taking the right course...though I am wondering: is your doctor also checking your hormone levels (specifically hCG)? I feel that the combination of hCG levels and US results give the best picture when it comes to viability.

Please find some reassurance in the fact that this happens sometimes with early ultrasounds and more often than not, things turn out okay. (((hug)))

[shasha924]

  I am 7 1/2 weeks according to U/S and according to my monthly period i am 9 weeks pregnent. i had my first U/S in 7 weeks, they said it is too early detect the fetus, it was only 5 weeks gestetional age. I had second US yesterday which is 71/2 weeks, they cant hear the heart beat, just a sac which looks pretty good size and shape according to physician. I am asked to wait for another 2 weeks and do another US.
I am devastated with all this because we have been trying to have a baby since long. visited few fertility clinic as well. have not started the treatment yet and i am 40 years old. this is my first pregnancy and we were flying in sky with happiness. now suddenly getting to hear this and it is very painful. I dont know what we are expecting.
I have hope deep down in my heart. couple of times i was checking my ovulation with the kit and once I was ovulating on 20th day of my period.
  Please I need help if I can still hope for my healthy baby or I will have to terminate my pregnancy?

[kellym]

Look at the post on the Dr. forum on Pregnancy. on 9/20 there are some low fhr w/great outcomes :)

[kellym]

It is absolutely terrifying. At 6 weeks I went in for an u/s because of recurrent m/c and had a low fhr of 89. He gave me a 50/50 chance. The u/s tech said the heart could have just started beating. 1 week later, 7 weeks the heart had risen to 125 and she said that was normal. I have read EVERYTHING on the internet and it makes things sound very grim. I have read good and bad and far more bad than good. I just pray you will have a strong baby that will pull through this. The waiting is the hardest. I expected to go in and see no hb. I actually thought I was having an anxiety attack. I was going to be okay with it either way, it was the not knowing that was killing me. Take deep breaths and keep busy. Keep us updated.

[mlb1234]

I am not sure what your chances are but they do want the heartrate to be above 120 but before you get too worried wait for your next u/s next week.  It's possible it is juststarting out slow and by 8 weeks will be faster.  Did everything else look good??