Should We See Something on Ultrasound?

Updated on April 27, 2009
L.F. asks from Virginia Beach, VA
14 answers

My LMP was 03/16. I just had an ultrasound and did not see anything other than a sac. Is this normal at 5 weeks?

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So What Happened?

Thank you all so much for the info and encouragement! I have another ultrasound scheduled for May 4th and I'll keep you all informed.

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

I had fertility treatments in order to conceive my first and fertility specialists do ultrasounds constantly! He didn't even do one until I was 6 weeks once we confirmed I was pregnant. And then you couldn't really see anything except the heartbeat. It has been about 8 years ago but I don't know how much things have changed.

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E.B.

answers from Dover on

Most of the moms already said what needed to be said but I'm just sharing my story for you. :-) My OB/GYNO didn't even see me until I wsa 8 weeks pregnant (though I didn't find out I was pregnant till about 5 weeks along). But, in the sonogram, all my munchkin was was a peanut with a little teeny tiny racing heartbeat. :-) So, don't worry about it. At 5 weeks you probably aren't going to see anything. Just wait until your next appointment and all of your worries will go away. :-) Congratulations and good luck!!!

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J.L.

answers from Roanoke on

With my first pregnancy, I saw my little bean at 8 wks. I think 5 wks is still a bit too early. Did your dr say anything about it?

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Congratulations!
Very normal. It takes 9 months for a single fertilized egg to grow to an approximately 5-7 lbs baby. In the first 3 months a lot goes into growing the placenta, and once that supply line is in place, baby growth rate increases quite a bit.
Check out a week by week pregnancy guide:
http://parenting.ivillage.com/pregnancy/0,,nc26,00.html

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M.R.

answers from Washington DC on

A heartbeat usually can not be seen until 6 weeks, meaning 4 weeks from ovulation, so if you don't know exactly when you ovulated it might take more than one ultrasound to find a heartbeat.

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R.S.

answers from Washington DC on

Well, what did your doc say? I'm assuming the ultrasound was due to an emergency situation, not idle curiosity, because they usually won't do one that early because you can't see anything. I got into a car accident at 8 weeks and they did an ultrasound but cautioned me the whole time that the heart beat may not be visible yet, and not to freak out if we couldn't see anything. We say a teeeeeny tiny little peanut shape and a teeny tiny heartbeat, but at 5 weeks I wouldn't think you'd see anything at all.

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K.R.

answers from Washington DC on

Yes. Clinically, you don't start to measure the embryo itself until you are at least 43 or 44 days, which would be early May for you. You might or might not be able to see a yolk sac inside the gestational sac now but that might just be due to the angle of the scan or something. Fetal "heart tones" aren't usually visible until close to 7 weeks, with a good scan. The actual heart doesn't develop until after that, it's just like an early pulse.

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K.M.

answers from Norfolk on

From what my doctor told me you can't see anything (heartbeat) until about 8+ weeks. It all depends on the actual date of conception so it could be 8 weeks, could be 9 or 10. Don't worry! You got to see your little one and you'll be seeing his/her heartbeat very soon!! Congratulations!!!

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B.E.

answers from Washington DC on

With my most recent pregnancy I went to the ER with bleeding at 5 weeks- could only see the sac on the ultrasound which I was told was normal- now I am 8 months along! Try not to worry too much:))

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I.G.

answers from Washington DC on

LouAnn, Is the doctor monitoring your HcG levels? In my recollection, if the embryo is healthy, your HcG levels should be rising with time. It might be that 5 weeks is too soon to see anything in the sac. Check with your ob/gyn. Best of luck.

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

Probably. My first ultrasound with DD was 7 weeks and change and we couldn't see very much then, either. It also depends on what kind of ultrasound (internal or external). If your doctor isn't worried, I wouldn't worry, either.

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F.B.

answers from Kansas City on

See below, the website I got it from is listed at the bottom. I know this is true, I studied development for years in graduate school. But quick answer is YES, it's what is expected (your doctor would have told you if it wasn't). Congratulations!!!

Week 5 - Gestational Age (Fetal age 3 weeks)

Development
The gestational sac is often the first thing that most transvaginal ultrasounds can detect at about 5 weeks. This is seen before a recognizable embryo can be seen. Within this week, at about week 5 ½ to the beginning of the 6th week, a yolk sac can be seen inside the gestational sac. The yolk sac will be the earliest source of nutrients for the developing fetus.

from:http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/e...

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L.N.

answers from Washington DC on

My friend is exactly 1 week ahead of you and she had an ultrasound at 5 weeks 2 days to rule out ectopic pregnancy. The same exact thing happened to her at her ultrasound. Egg sac found and that's it. The doctor told her that at 5 weeks 2 days they wouldn't really expect to see anything else, but to come back in a week to be sure. This past Wednesday she had her 2nd ultrasound at 6 weeks 2 days and there was the little peanut with a heartbeat. All is well, so don't worry.

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J.S.

answers from Washington DC on

Yes, that's exactly what I saw at 5 1/2 weeks when I was pregnant with my son. When I went back at 8 1/2 weeks he looked like a little jelly bean with arm and leg nubs. :o)

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