Missing Fetal Heartbeat at 9 Weeks: What Could It Mean?

Question
im supposed to be nine weeks five days pregnant i went to the doctors today and she tried using the doppler to hear the heartbeat there wasnt one meanwhile my uterus is tilted. six months ago i was supposed to be 13 weeks and the fetus stopped growing at six weeks and i am just scared the same thing is happening im not getting the cramping i did last time so i dont know am i over reacting or could something be going wrong again?

Answer
Dear Kristen,

I guess I'm waiting to hear the next part of this story... Did you not then go to have an ultrasound? Did you have any additional hCG levels drawn at a 48 hour interval? My expectation would have been that at 9 weeks, if the fetal heartbeat could not be heard via Doppler, you would have been sent for an ultrasound to confirm heart activity. Also that hCG levels would have been checked that day and again 48 hours later to make sure that the level was doubling appropriately.

Sometimes a tilted uterus can make it more difficult to hear fetal heart tones with the Doppler. Unfortunately, until you have an ultrasound which can confirm that heart activity exists and fetal development coincides with LMP dating, there is really no way to know for sure whether the pregnancy is still viable. Without that you would simply need to wait and see if a miscarriage naturally occurs or if the pregnancy progresses as expected.

I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.

Brenda