Anyone else have ultrasound issues?

mypov · 05-06-2008, 07:05 PM

I am just over 11 wks today. I had my second ultrasound. the first one they had to do vaginally because despite having lost a lot of weight I am still heavy plus have lots of flabby stomach skin. Today they did another ultrasound because they couldn't hear the heartbeat through all my fat. They could see the baby (it was actually pretty active) but getting a good pic was impossible and the heart beat was still faint through the fat and skin. Am I the only one with this problem? I am frustrated and a little embarrassed. The doc said I'm measuring fine and she has no worries because the baby is active...but yeah, just one more frustrating thing about being overweight!

Just a vent! Hope everyone is feeling great!

**Kat817** · 05-06-2008, 07:46 PM

I had the problem during my cancer Dx, and follow up, not during pregnancy, but I feel your pain. It was horribly embarassing, the tech, pushing as hard as she could on the US wand, and still getting nothing.
I think I blocked it, til I read your thread. Sorry you are having to deal with it, but congrats on the healthy wee one!!

Kat

jazzystouch · 05-06-2008, 11:33 PM

I had the exact situation today. I am 11 weeks today. I went in hoping to hear the heart beat with the doppler and she even asked me to pull up my belly fat, talk about embarassing. She was really nice about it and said she didn't think we would hear it yet but she pulled up an ultrasound cart cause she wanted to see the heart beat. Pull up on my belly again and she said the baby was moving alot and said we wouldn't be able to hear through the ultrasound but she said she could see it. I didn't see it. But she sounded confident.

I was letting her know about my LAP-BAND® and she said her girlfriend had gotten the band and lost 120lbs in a year. Then I felt a little crappy cause I only lost 46lbs in the year.

Oh well. I had my fill completly removed 3 weeks ago and have gained 3lbs. Lets hope that scale stays there. I only gained 13lbs with my first son and 7lbs with my second. Lets cross our fingers that things don't get out of control.

I get a first trimester screening ultrsound next week, hope all turns out well with it.

juno610 · 05-07-2008, 08:08 AM

I had that happen to me, but no one ever said it was because of my belly fat (which, believe me, I have!). They tried to hear the heart beat with the doppler and my doc just said, "well baby's not being cooperative, let's go scan you really quick just to make sure everything is ok." Never one word about my belly.

The first u/s I had at 7 weeks was done vaginally. Again, no mention of fat. I had the impression that this was just how it is done. All my friends at work who are pregnant said the same thing and they are all fairly slender.

That really sucks that they made you feel bad.

mypov · 05-12-2008, 08:47 PM

It's nice to hear it is not so uncommon not to easily hear the heart beat with doppler at 11 wks. I too had to hold up my belly to see if we could get a better ultrasound pic, but a still pic just does not have the same effect as seeing that wiggly little alien baby! Oh well! Hopefully it will all go better (less embarrassment) next time!

Thanks ladies!

olemelissa · 05-13-2008, 07:48 PM

I am right there with you girls...I thought the experience was normal (not having anyone point out my fat!) I was really a lot larger when I had my son (no band) a little over 3 years ago and remember having a hard time feeling him move, and we did u/s every week the last trimester and sometimes just the stress test so that they could make sure he was active enough since I had a hard time feeling him move through all my fat. I blamed it on being a first time mom, but now at 19 weeks...I still haven't felt my baby move. They had to do an u/s at 17 weeks b/c the doctor couldn't find the heartbeat. The baby is doing fine and lit was moving a bit on the screen. Sure does seem squished in there with all the pudge though!! I dread my next appointment in 2 weeks since I have not felt anything yet. I'm not even sure if I know what I am looking for?! A friend of mine is 4 weeks behind me and considerably smaller and she has already felt her baby move. I feel like such a dummy :-(

genepha · 05-19-2008, 01:31 AM

My dr. told me that u/s are done vaginally through the 12th or 13th
week since they can get a much better view that way. I have had
low amniotic fluid with this pregnancy and have an u/s every 3 days
along with fetal monitoring. I haven't had any problems with u/s
although the dr. wasn't able to hear the heartbeat w/ the doppler
till I was about 17 weeks along. My first pregnancy I had no issues
at all with u/s and no problems with the pregnancy. This one is a
little more complicated though. I have been put in the hospital
for more extensive monitoring due to the low amniotic fluid and am
now on strict bed rest.
Jenn
30 weeks along - baby due 7/24 and hopefully we'll make it that far!
DS is 20 months old.

Jachut · 05-19-2008, 02:58 AM

No but I was 104kg with a BMI of about 33 when I was pregnant with Eliza and I'm fairly sure that's the reason why we discovered she was breech at 38 weeks and not before. My ob just plain couldnt feel her properly - I only had the standard 12 and 18 week ultrasounds. We had trouble hearing the heartbeat too but that was becuase they were trying to find it in the wrong spot, I had to be monitored due to obstetric cholestasis in the last weeks and they were a bit concerned about why they couldnt easily find it. Nobody pegged that she was sitting upright!