Questions about fetal heart rates.

[mitintraining]

Background info-10th pregnancy 6 living children, 3 first trimester losses.  I am 10 weeks 5 days today.  At 9 weeks I was diagnosed with a subchorionic hemorrhage, baby was okay the hemorrhage was small and heartrate was 169.  My HCG was high, 115K, but did not rise in the 48 hour mark at 8 weeks. No vaginal bleeding, etc. At 10 weeks I heard the baby's heartbeat on the doppler and it was 154. Last night I checked again-I borrowed a doppler from a friend- and it was 94.  I counted it 3 times, and the read out showed the same number. My heart rate was 68 and a different rhythm.  I used the same doppler to hear the heartbeat at 10 weeks(no it isn't one you rent it is a real doppler used by a student midwife)  and my husband wanted to hear it last night, or I wouldn't have even tried again. I should comment that I have checked my own prenatal care for all my pregnancy including fundal height and using a doppler to find heart rate.  Should I be nervous about this, does anyone know what it means to have the heart rate go down like that?  FInding information about subchorionic hemorrhage is tough anyway, so now I am feeling like I have been sent for loop.  My fundal height is also way high and has been since 9 weeks- between the 14 and 16 week range and moving up and down.  I have never in all 9 other pregnancies had my fundal height be palpable before 12-13 weeks. This is super abnormal for me and my midwife is on vacation right now. I am not a mainstream person-homebirthing, homeschooling, doula and childbirth educator.  I felt like when I went to the ER for pain at 9 weeks knowing my hcg levels weren't raising they didn't do anything except look at baby.  They didn't even do a abdominal ultrasound to make sure bleeding wasn't more extensive, just the vaginal ultrasound. They also didn't check my iron levels, or do a CBC to see if I had any infections  It was pretty lame and I have hears some horrible things professionally about our hospital lately! So I am wondering if there is any information anyone could give me about heart rate. Thanks for reading this long post!

[oliversmommy329]

I don't have any information for you other than that hcg levels don't always double in 48 hours. Once they get above a certain number the doubling rate slows way down. When my hcg got above 75k my doubling rate was 96 hours and I had a normal and healthy pregnancy. I wouldn't worry too much about the numbers past 6 weeks.

The heart rate is more concerning. Are you really sure it was the baby 's heart you were hearing and not one of your arteries? I always got a pulse in my arteries that was faster than my heart rate but slower than the baby' s. I would check it again and follow up with your midwife when she gets back from vacation. I wouldn't go to the ER again unless you just want some peace of mind (and it sounds like they may not even be able to give you that based on the level of care you have received there in the past). Good luck to you and congrats on the pregnancy.

[mitintraining]

Just to update.  I have continued to not hear anything on the doppler and my midwife recommended checking to see if my hcg levels were dropping.  We did and they went down by almost a 1/3. My progesterone is also falling. So that combined with not hearing heartones-after hearing them on the doppler-makes me a prime candidate for a miscarriage. I have lost most of my pregnancy symptoms and just feel like it is done. Thanks for the response!

[oliversmommy329]

I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm sorry for your loss. *hugs* take care.