5 Weeks Pregnant: Gestational Sac, HCG & Potential Concerns - What to Do?

Question
I'm 5 weeks and 5 days pregnant and my doctor said their was a gestational sac but no fetal pole on the ultrasound. She thought it might be blighted ovum so ran blood tests and she said my hcg levels were higher than what she thought they would be. Now she thinks it might be a tubal pregnancy. I feel confused and was told by other people that you cant usually see a fetal pole until around 6-7 weeks. Should I be concerned. Should I keep hope that a fetal pole will show up. Should I get a second opinion

Answer
The foetal pole can usually be seen around 4-6 weeks of pregnancy, but it is not unusual to find an absent foetal pole at five weeks. Since your HCG levels are high we can assume that this is a viable pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy is a rare possibility considering the high hcg, as tubal pregnancy is usually asso with lower than normal levels of hcg. I will advice you to wait a couple of weeks and then schedule an USG. The foetal pole and cardiac activity may be visible then.