When Does the Fetus Have a Heartbeat? This is a question that most parents ask especially new parents.
It is always exciting as a woman when you discover you are going to have a baby. There is always that exciting experience. It is even more exciting when you see an ultrasound of the baby in the womb. The image is usually very small, but you can see a number of features including the heart. The heart is very important in the well-being of the baby.
The development of technology has made it possible for doctors to collect important information about the baby while they are still in the womb. They are able to detect the heartbeat and the state of the heart at an early stage.
But
When does a heartbeat start in a fetus?
Let’s find out.
Contents
When Does the Fetus Have a Heartbeat?
A fetal heartbeat can first be detected by ultrasound as early as 5 weeks and 3 days to 6 weeks after gestation. This is the time when the fetal pole, the first visible sign of a developing embryo can be seen. Between 6 weeks and 3 days to 7 weeks after gestation, a heartbeat can be better assessed.
When does the baby’s heart start developing
At four weeks of pregnancy, you would expect that heartbeat has developed, but you will be shocked to realize not yet. At 4 weeks, a distinct blood vessel has developed inside your embryo that will develop into the baby’s heart and the circulatory system.
At the early stages of development, the heart looks like a tube that is twisted and divided. It finally forms the heart and the valves.
When Does the Fetus Have a Heartbeat
At 6 weeks, the baby’s heart starts to beat 110 times a minute. At this stage, the heart has four hollow chambers, each having blood vessels to allow blood to flow in and out of the chambers. In the following weeks, the heartbeat rises to 150-170 beats a minute.
At around 9 weeks or 10 weeks of your pregnancy, you will probably start to hear the heartbeat of your baby.
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Devices used to Measure the Fetal Heartbeat
- Fetoscope
- Doppler
- Transvaginal ultrasound
When Can You Hear Baby Heartbeat with Doppler
A fetal Doppler is a test that uses sound waves to check on your baby’s heartbeat. It’s a type of ultrasound that uses a handheld device to detect changes in movement that are translated as sound.
A fetal Doppler test usually takes place during your second trimester which is between 13 weeks to 28 weeks of pregnancy.