Early Pregnancy Concerns: No Fetal Heartbeat & Embryo Growth

Question
I went to my obgyn on 7/21/07 to find out if i was pregnant. she did a sonogram (transvaginal) and only saw the sac but no embryo. she sent me to a special sonogram place which i went to on 7/24/07 there they told me i was six weeks but no heartbeat was seen and that i would be miscarrying. the crown rump length measured 0.5cm. a week later i went to another obgyn and she saw the embryo right away (transvaginal u/s) it measured 7 wks but no heartbeat. did it grow even w/o a hb? (from 6 to 7 wks?) two weeks have gone by i'm supposed to get another specialized sonogram but i'm scared to see what they have to say this time because by now i should be 9wks. i'm going away on vacation and don't know if to wait until i come back or before i go? i'm leaving sept.1

Answer
Dear Ingrid,

It is extremely unusual that an embryo would measure at 7 weeks with no heart activity, but not necessarily impossible. And there obviously was some type of growth with the CRL at 6 weeks to 7 weeks.

It is a completely personal decision as to whether you would want to know those results before your vacation. You already have somewhat prepared yourself for the possibility that this could go either way. Miscarriages are most often the result of a chromosomal abnormality -  meaning that something is not correct with a baby's chromosomes. Most chromosomal abnormalities are the cause of a faulty egg or sperm cell, or are due to a problem at the time that the fertilized egg went through the division process. Nature takes over when the woman's body recognizes that there is a problem. There is nothing that you can do to prevent it, if this is the case, because it will have already occurred in the development process. So it is simply a matter of knowing for sure. WHEN you know it is up to you. Personally, I think I'd just as soon know one way or the other before leaving than to go and end up somewhere far from home, miscarrying, and having to find an unfamiliar medical facility. But, again, that is a personal thing.

I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well and will have a good thought for you.

Brenda