[icckklewoo]

I have been having stomach cramps and went to the doctors but couldn't hear the heartbeat. When is it that you can hear the heartbeat. I have heard from a friend that she didn't hear it until she was 20 weeks. I was told that I didn't have to have a scan yet even though it is my 1st baby.

[this8384]

They didn't listen for my daughter's heartbeat until I was into my 4th month of pregnancy. The cramping might just be Braxton-Hicks contractions; have you talked to your doctor about them?

[GirlWSlingshot]

When you say that they couldn't hear the heartbeat, how did they listen for it?

(Can someone please correct me if I'm wrong... )

If I remember correctly, the heartbeat can be heard as early as 6-7 weeks during an ultrasound. But it sounds like your doctor did not opt for an ultrasound scan. If they were concerned about a lack of heartbeat they probably would have done an ultrasound to check things out.

If you don't have insurance or just have a really uneventful pregnancy, you probably won't get an ultrasound until you're 20 weeks along to check for fetal abnormalities. You will definitely hear the heartbeat then.

[alkalineangel]

A doppler would most likely be used rather than an ultrasound at this stage. It is possible to hear the heartbeat at 9 weeks with doppler, but the best bet would be around 12-14 weeks on doppler... unless you have been classified as high risk or start bleeding, the chances of an ultrasound before 18 weeks would be slim.