Fetal arrythmia/Irregular fetal heartbeat
Discussion
I wonder if anyone has any experience of having seen an irregular slow heartbeat in a baby during the second trimester? Either parents or perhaps a resident PH fetal medicine expert!
We had an ultrasound yesterday at 18w+1 and the consultant identified that although the average was 157bpm there was more than one short episode of 30-40bpm. He did not spend more than 30-60s monitoring the heartbeat and all other scan indications are good (heart/brain structure, growth etc.). We only realised things were bad when he called another consultant into the room and they discussed this with us. We will have another scan early next week with the most senior consultant and they prepared us for the worst (we could find no heartbeat) whilst putting no likelihood on any particular outcome. They do say they have seen good outcomes from scenarios like this, but below 40bpm is very low.
The internet has limited information on this, the scientific type papers do not indicate a terribly high likelihood of losing the baby. But clearly that's our fear and may well happen :-(
Background is that we are having 4-weekly scans throughout this pregnancy, attending a special clinic as our second daughter was lost to pre-eclampsia at 39w+2, this very week last year. And our eldest and sole surviving daughter had UGR and was delivered small but safely at 37+5 by induction. We seem to manage to hit every niche and terrifying pregnancy possibility.
We had an ultrasound yesterday at 18w+1 and the consultant identified that although the average was 157bpm there was more than one short episode of 30-40bpm. He did not spend more than 30-60s monitoring the heartbeat and all other scan indications are good (heart/brain structure, growth etc.). We only realised things were bad when he called another consultant into the room and they discussed this with us. We will have another scan early next week with the most senior consultant and they prepared us for the worst (we could find no heartbeat) whilst putting no likelihood on any particular outcome. They do say they have seen good outcomes from scenarios like this, but below 40bpm is very low.
The internet has limited information on this, the scientific type papers do not indicate a terribly high likelihood of losing the baby. But clearly that's our fear and may well happen :-(
Background is that we are having 4-weekly scans throughout this pregnancy, attending a special clinic as our second daughter was lost to pre-eclampsia at 39w+2, this very week last year. And our eldest and sole surviving daughter had UGR and was delivered small but safely at 37+5 by induction. We seem to manage to hit every niche and terrifying pregnancy possibility.
Ultrasound mashines are wonderful bits of kit these days. They have thousands of settings and can do many things.
But, they are much like wheel alignment at kwik fit. They depend heavily on calibration, setup and the end user knowing what they are doing.
You would like to think that an ultrasonist would know what they are doing... But realaty is they often dont and just folow nhs check lists.
We were once told to go off and be induced with a high probability of cisarian (sp)? We had our own private midwife who shrugged and said to go home and put our feet up. She was right. Everything was fine and happend natruly.
Another friend of mine was told his boy wouldn't survive. Then... Wouldnt have working lungs. Then... Only 1 lung. Then... Loads of surgery growing up... Now... 2yr old and not a thing wrong with him. Never was.
Probably not the specific advice you were after. But please, remember. The nhs is fear loving and over medicated. Risk adverse and full of check box ticking activities. Get a 2nd opinion and if that means private... So be it.
But, they are much like wheel alignment at kwik fit. They depend heavily on calibration, setup and the end user knowing what they are doing.
You would like to think that an ultrasonist would know what they are doing... But realaty is they often dont and just folow nhs check lists.
We were once told to go off and be induced with a high probability of cisarian (sp)? We had our own private midwife who shrugged and said to go home and put our feet up. She was right. Everything was fine and happend natruly.
Another friend of mine was told his boy wouldn't survive. Then... Wouldnt have working lungs. Then... Only 1 lung. Then... Loads of surgery growing up... Now... 2yr old and not a thing wrong with him. Never was.
Probably not the specific advice you were after. But please, remember. The nhs is fear loving and over medicated. Risk adverse and full of check box ticking activities. Get a 2nd opinion and if that means private... So be it.
Seems like a sensible way to manage / monitor pregnancy given your previous history
IANAdoctor/sonographer/midwife, so can't comment from medical/clinical perspective, just offer best wishes for a successful outcome this time
ETA - stress usually not a good thing to go through in pregnancy and this must be adding loads; does your work have an employee assistance program/package, they often cover a vast array of life events, or do you have private health care (I know pregnancy not usually covered, but they might have something to provide advice/support)
Disagree with some of Prizam view on NHS, but agree with their last point, consider private for a second opinion?
IANAdoctor/sonographer/midwife, so can't comment from medical/clinical perspective, just offer best wishes for a successful outcome this time
ETA - stress usually not a good thing to go through in pregnancy and this must be adding loads; does your work have an employee assistance program/package, they often cover a vast array of life events, or do you have private health care (I know pregnancy not usually covered, but they might have something to provide advice/support)
Disagree with some of Prizam view on NHS, but agree with their last point, consider private for a second opinion?
Edited by Pinkie15 on Monday 5th October 08:35
Edited by Pinkie15 on Monday 5th October 08:36
Gents, thanks for your words on Monday.
It has been a manic week and I only now have chance to reply properly. All was well at a further scan on Monday afternoon. Scanned by the same consultant with a senior colleague. Put down as a transient event, the heartbeat was fine and all measurements and organ structures look good.
It has been a manic week and I only now have chance to reply properly. All was well at a further scan on Monday afternoon. Scanned by the same consultant with a senior colleague. Put down as a transient event, the heartbeat was fine and all measurements and organ structures look good.
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