The fetus beats like a pulse

Women who are pregnant for the first time are very curious about the development of the fetus, so they often observe the condition of the fetus. As the fetus continues to develop in the mother's body, the fetus will have paroxysmal beats, and the frequency of occurrence is also different. Some fetal beats are very similar to the pulse. Pregnant women are very puzzled by this situation. So why does the fetus beat like a pulse?

First, why is the fetus beating like a pulse? The paroxysmal beating in the pregnant woman's abdomen is different from fetal movement. It is actually the fetus hiccups. The duration of hiccups is irregular, ranging from 1 to 5 times a day. 95% of fetuses hiccup between 3 and 5 minutes, with the slowest being less than 10 times per minute and the fastest being more than 50 times per minute.

Second, fetal hiccups are caused by spasm of the fetal diaphragm. It is a special form of fetal respiratory movement in the early stages of fetal respiratory function development. Scientists believe that fetal hiccups are likely an early manifestation of feeding movements, just as babies learn to crawl before they learn to walk. The action of a baby sucking milk is very similar to hiccups, and the glottis closes when the muscles move to prevent milk from entering the lungs.

Third, when the fetus hiccups, there will be local fixed beats in the pregnant woman's abdomen. Some pregnant women do not understand this and wonder if the fetus is sick and is constantly convulsing, or if the fetus has a congenital heart disease and is having a strong heartbeat. Some obstetricians do not have sufficient understanding of this, and even blindly let pregnant women use oxygen and medication, which increases the mental burden of pregnant women.

Why does the fetus beat like a pulse? A large number of clinical studies have found that this phenomenon is the fetus hiccuping. The researchers observed through B-ultrasound that when the pregnant woman's abdominal wall experienced paroxysmal beating, at the same time, the fetus's lower chest and upper abdomen also experienced paroxysmal twitching, and the diaphragm also moved up and down, but the fetus's limbs did not move accordingly. In fact, many fetuses will hiccup in the womb, but some pregnant women find it difficult to distinguish it from the fetus, or they are slow to react and do not feel it. Fetal hiccups are not an abnormality, but a physiological phenomenon. There is no need to be nervous or even take incorrect medical interventions.