How long can I measure the fetal heart rate and fetal bud during pregnancy?

Many pregnant women are so excited when they learn that they are pregnant that they can't control themselves and are very much looking forward to the arrival of the little life in their belly. Some pregnant mothers are eager to know how long they need to be pregnant to measure the fetal bud and fetal heart rate? What are the practical characteristics of the fetal bud and fetal heart rate? Let's take a detailed look with the editor below.

How long does it take to measure the fetal heart rate during pregnancy?

Due to the growth and development of the test tube embryo, the gestational sac is produced on day 30-40, the embryonic bud and fetal heartbeat are produced on day 40-50, and the fetal heartbeat is produced on day 50-60. Therefore, the general B-ultrasound should be done around day 60. At this time, you can see whether the gestational sac, embryonic bud and fetal heartbeat are normal. The period from the third month of pregnancy to the first four weeks of pregnancy is called the embryonic bud and fetal heart rate period. The embryonic bud and fetal heart are 0.5-1 cm in size and look like a small seahorse.

Characteristics of fetal bud and fetal heart:

The first month of pregnancy is the embryonic bud and fetal heart stage, and the growth rate of the new life during this period is the fastest in its life. On the second week of pregnancy, about 4 days after fertilization, the sperm and egg, which have broken down into a cell mass, travel along the bilateral fallopian tubes to the uterus. In the third week, the cell mass sheds its outer membrane in preparation for embryo implantation. In the fourth week, the blastocyst is firmly embedded in the uterus.

At this stage, the prototypes of the fetal nervous system and circulatory organs (forming basic tissues) have basically appeared, and the liver has begun to grow significantly from this stage; the prototypes of the eyes and nose have not yet formed, but the prototypes of the mouth and jaw can be seen; the umbilical cord of the fetus connected to the pregnant mother also begins to grow from this stage.

Under normal circumstances, the embryonic bud and fetal heart rate can be measured from 40 to 50 days, and the fetal heartbeat can be measured from 50 to 60 days. However, it is best to do an ultrasound every 60 days.

How long does it take for a fetal heartbeat to appear during pregnancy?

Three or four weeks after pregnancy, the fetus's heart begins to beat. It is relatively slow at first, only 60 to 70 times a minute. At this time, the heart beats are very weak. During B-ultrasound examination, the fetal heartbeat can be displayed on the B-ultrasound screen.

After 8 weeks of pregnancy, the fetal heartbeat can reach about 180 beats per minute. After 14 weeks of pregnancy, the fetal heart rate decreases to around 140 beats per minute, and then maintains between 120 and 160 beats per minute. In addition to using a stethoscope to listen to the fetal heart rate directly, doctors can also use a Doppler fetal heartbeat detector to measure the fetal heart rate.

Around four months of pregnancy, the fetal heartbeat can be heard around the midline below the navel. Later, the position of the fetal heartbeat will change as the fetus grows and the fetal position changes. Because fetal heart sounds are mostly transmitted from the fetal back and can be heard most clearly near the shoulder bones on the fetal back, the head of a fetus in head position can be listened to on both sides of the lower abdomen, the head of a fetus in breech position can be listened to on both sides of the upper abdomen, and the lateral position can be listened to at the midline of the abdomen above or below the navel.

What is an abnormal fetal heartbeat?

The fetal heart rate should be between 120 and 160 beats per minute. If the data shows that it is not within this standard value range and lasts for 10 minutes, this situation is abnormal and needs to be taken seriously. In addition, some fetuses may have a rapid heartbeat at first, with the frequency far exceeding 160 beats per minute, but the heart sounds are not obvious. If the pregnant mother does not seek medical attention in time, the frequency of the heartbeat will gradually become slower, less than 110 beats per minute, the heart sounds will become increasingly inaudible, and eventually the fetus will die.

Causes of abnormal fetal heartbeat:

1. Intrauterine hypoxia of the fetus is the cause of abnormal fetal heartbeat;

2. Fever in pregnant women is the cause of abnormal fetal heartbeat;

3. Pregnant women have a high level of thyroid hormone, which causes their heart rate to be fast, which is also the reason for abnormal fetal heart rate;

4. Pregnant women taking drugs such as salbutamol and atropine may also cause abnormal fetal heartbeat.

In the early stages of pregnancy, women should go to the hospital for examination as soon as possible, not only to rule out ectopic pregnancy, but also to observe whether the fetal heartbeat is normal. If the fetal heartbeat is normal, women can feel more at ease. If there is an abnormality in the fetal heartbeat, they should go to the hospital immediately for fetal protection. The fetus is very unstable in the early stages of pregnancy, so women should pay more attention.