When does the foetus hear the heartbeat since this is a significant moment for parents? What phases of his pulse development are there? Read this article to find out more.
When can you hear the foetus' heartbeat? What is the typical foetal heartbeat rate? Learn about the most important information about the fetal heartbeat in this article:
When hear the heartbeat of the fetus?
The accuracy of the time of fertilisation and the regularity of the mother's menstrual cycle before becoming pregnant determine when to expect to hear the foetal heartbeat because the foetal heart beats when the heart chambers start to form in the fifth week of pregnancy.
You can start hearing the sound of the fetal heartbeat at the beginning of the sixth week of pregnancy, when the fetal heart rate rises to 100-160 beats per minute, and thus you have obtained the answer to the question "When does the fetus hear the heartbeat ?"
What is the normal rate of fetal heartbeat?
The foetal heart rate is 110 beats per minute in the sixth week and will increase to 150–170 beats per minute in just two weeks.
Then, by the ninth or tenth week, the baby's heartbeat will reach about 170 beats per minute, then the fetal heart rate will start to slow down anymore. It will drop to roughly 140 beats per minute by the 20th week.
Fetal heart rates typically range from 110 to 160 beats per minute (bpm) during labour, though brief variations outside of this range can happen for a number of reasons and are frequently completely normal.
How is fetal heartbeat detected?
Following your response to "When is the foetal heartbeat heard?," It is necessary to know the ways to hear his pulse, as a woman may undergo an examination to detect the fetal heartbeat at different stages of pregnancy through ultrasound, and the doctor often recommends an early examination if the woman suffers from bleeding or problems in a previous pregnancy.
The doctor can detect the fetal heartbeat in several ways, including:
- vaginal examination
Transvaginal ultrasounds during the first trimester of pregnancy can be used to monitor the foetal heartbeat. During the first 11 weeks of pregnancy, the doctor inserts a device into the vagina to monitor the development of the fetus.
- Transabdominal examination
A transabdominal exam can aid in determining pregnancy during the second and third trimesters. In order to locate the uterus and foetus during this examination, the doctor first applies a lubricating gel to the woman's lower abdomen. After that, they move an ultrasound scanner across the abdomen. In the second trimester The heart of the fetus is fully formed, and the doctor should see the heart beating on the examination.
Also, the doctor may use transabdominal scans in the second or third trimester to:
- Examination of the condition and health of the fetus.
- Assessment of the cervix and uterine health.
- Examination of amniotic fluid and placenta.
- Examination or detection of fetal abnormalities.
- Look for signs of premature labor .
- Confirmation of a suspected ectopic pregnancy.
What are the ways to monitor the fetal heart rate during labour?
The doctor will often use a fetal heart rate monitor during labor to check for any changes. There are currently two ways to keep an eye on the foetal heart rate:
- Auscultation, in which a special stethoscope or a Doppler transducer is held and placed on the woman's abdomen to listen to the fetal heartbeat. The doctor may do this at specific times during labour.
- Electronic fetal monitoring, using specialized internal or external equipment to measure heart rate in response to contractions.
Why may not hear the baby's heartbeat?
Due to the early stage of the pregnancy, it's possible that you won't be able to hear the baby's heartbeat during the initial ultrasound, so the doctor will plan another one for one to two weeks later.
Feyer might not be able to hear the foetal heartbeat for a variety of reasons, such as:
- ectopic pregnancy.
- The mother's abdomen is large, so the fetus cannot reach it.