UPDATE: Slow fetal heart rate at 6wks - anyone else had this and had a healthy baby?

[cherubess]

I had my first ultrasound today with this baby.

The report said: The foetal heartrate of 115 beats per minute is slow and is a slightly adverse appearance. If nothing untoward happens I suggest repeat assessment at +/- 11 weeks.

I have an appointment with my doctor on Monday and I am trying not to worry.

I tried looking on the net to see what was considered "normal" but it varies. One site said anything under 120bpm was slow and most pregnancies ended up in a loss. Another website said different numbers but I have lost that website but my baby's heartrate was within the numbers on that website.

Has anyone else had a similar situation where the heart rate was considered slow and went on to birth a healthy baby?

UPDATE:
I had my OB appointment today 10 April. I showed him the ultrasound results and even before he did an ultrasound (which he did early on to put my mind at rest) he said that at 6 weeks it isn't unusual to have a slow heartrate because things are only starting up.

The ultrasound showed my little baby's heart pumping away like crazy. My OB said that there was nothing slow about the baby's heartrate so we're all happy.

Thanks for everyone's well wishes and great advice!

[happymammaof3]

When I was at my midwife appt. Monday I was told that the "normal" range was 110-180 beats per minute. So even though your babe's is in the "lower" range, it's still in the normal range. Definitely ask your doc. Monday though.

[momuveight2B]

I would ask for a repeat ultrasound by eight weeks. By then you should definately be seeing a strong heartbeat.

[steelcitymama]

i second what happymama said..i was just a midwives appt and they told me anywhere between 110-180 is considered to be normal. i wouldn't worry, but would ask your dr.

also, one thing i didn't know is that the baby's heartbeat fluctuates a LOT. i was having a fetal stress test done at the time and the babies heartbeat changed from 122 to 130 something to 145 and just kind of hovered in that general vicinity. my midwife said that was great.

at all of my regular visits, the MWs have tracked the baby's heartbeat either in the 140s or the 150s. but from being hooked up to that machine, it seems like it actually fluctuates quite a bit, which i was told is normal.

[jandj+1]

I had an ultrasound at 6 weeks after some bleeding. The heartbeat was 117, which sounded pretty low to me as well. My midwife reassured me that the heartrate usually starts out slower than it will be for most of the pregnancy. I'm 17 weeks now and my baby's heartrate at the last midwife's appointment was 153 bpm.

[1babysmom]

My 6w3d u/s showed a heartbeat of 120 bpm. It's normal for it to start out slow...remember that it only recently started beating!! I'm sure things are fine!

[cherubess]

Thank you ladies for your posts.

I feel better knowing that there are success stories out there. It is the boost that I need.

My ultrasound was yesterday and I was 6w1d so hopefully the slow heart rate is because it is still early day and hopefully we shall have a healthy strong baby in October.

[Emma's_Mommy]

6 weeks is too soon to accuratly measure the heart rate.....are we talking 6 weeks gestation or 6 weeks after LMP?

[cherubess]

6 weeks LMP

[beemama]

We just went through this... at 7wks the hb was 106, they told me my dates must be off by 10 days-even tho I charted & the baby measured 6w5d, I was scared to death! I found lots of conflicting info all the way from that being at the lower range of normal to only having a 1 in 4 chance of survival.

Seems like we're okay now- at 8w1d it was 160..... I sure do wish I would've skipped the early u/s!

[Miny20]

A couple of things... ("TMI" and emotions during 2nd pregnancy)

sorry

[bobandjess99]

Here, read this and be reassured!!!

copied from http://www.fetalsure.com/fetal-heart.html

Starting at week 5 the fetal heart will accelerate at a rate of 3.3 beats per day for the next month.

The fetal heart begins to beat at approximately the same rate as the mothers, which is 80 to 85 bpm. Below illustrates the approximate fetal heart rate for weeks 5 to 9, assuming a starting rate of 80

Week 5 starts at 80 and ends at 103 bpm

Week 6 starts at 103 and ends at 126 bpm

Week 7 starts at 126 and ends at 149 bpm

Week 8 starts at 149 and ends at 172 bpm

At week 9 the fetal heartbeat tends to beat within a range of 155 to 195 bpm.

The fetal heart rate will begin to decrease and generally will fall within the range of 120 to 160 bpm by week 12.




So, there you have it...it is PERFECTLY normal for a 6 week HB rate to be around 115...but of course, you should see a rise, and by 8 weeks, you'll want it to be 120+, likely it will be at least 140.....

[forestrymom]

It is just so soon that I'm not sure that they can tell anything, kwim? I mean our HR was 120 at 6 weeks 4 days and my OB said it was perfect...I can't imagine that at 115 bpm, they could say it was bad. I mean, a hb at all is a good sign, imo (and in the opinion of my OB). I hope you are reassured...and I would def. seek another u/s before 11 weeks if it would set your mind at ease. By 11 weeks, they can *usually* hear a hb with a doppler, and when that happens, the risk of miscarriage goes down to less than 2%.