Where Art Thou Heartbeat?

Counting back from my LMP, or spelled out as last menstrual period, the date today says that my child’s age of gestation is 11 weeks. Or simply put, it is 11 weeks old. As such, it was expected that his heartbeat should be audible by now. However, when I went to the OB-GYN, no fetal heartbeat was found and heard by the Doppler. The doctor tried twice, searching all areas of my lower abdominal area. But, they were all to no avail. Concerned, my OB-GYN made a request for a transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) to be done the next day, to check the fetus’ well-being.

Worry was already starting to overwhelm me. I was bracing myself not to cry. The doctor already gave out the possibilities why no heartbeat was heard – that maybe it was a case of fetal demise (a missed abortion, at that) or that the development was impeded. I was trying hard to keep the tears. I felt my heart pounding. I have already learned to love the little creature inside me. (I was comforted then by my spouse who patted my back and told me not to worry. I felt the security when he held my hands and while looking deep into my eyes, he told me that our child was going to be just fine. Seeing and feeling his optimism, I took refuge with him and in his positive outlook.)

The TVS result, the next day, reported a fetal cardiac rate of 165 beats per minute. And though this was not the end of the story of the day, it definitely took away a boulder off my chest.

On the other side of the coin, the result also revealed that I have a subchorionic bleeding making me a candidate for threatened abortion.

Oh well. There’s one thing I am sure of: I will take care of my child. It will not be taken away from me. No matter what. 


04/04/10