When a fetal heartbeat appears, possible disturbances occur. When does fetal heartbeat occur?

Article publication date: 03/02/2017

Article updated date: 12/18/2018

From this article you will learn: when the fetal heart begins to beat, how to listen to the heartbeat. At what frequency should the embryo's heart beat? What do deviations from the norm indicate?

The heart is one of the organs that is formed first in the embryo. It begins to form at 3 weeks intrauterine development.

Already at 4 weeks, the primitive heart of the embryo begins to beat. But it is possible to register a heartbeat at this stage only with the help of transvaginal ultrasound.

Intrauterine development of the heart

The cardiovascular system is established already in the 2nd week of pregnancy.

Click on photo to enlarge

The primary heart is formed at 3 weeks. At this stage, it still does not have chambers, but is a hollow tube. It is already capable of contracting.

By the middle of the 4th week, the tube turns into a still underdeveloped heart, consisting of 2 chambers: the atrium and the ventricle. In addition, during this period the conduction system is formed in the heart. Contractions of this structure can already be called a heartbeat.

At the end of the 4th week, one atrium is divided into right and left by the interatrial septum.

At week 5, the interventricular septum begins to develop.

At week 8, the formation of the heart ends: it already consists of 4 chambers.

From the above it is clear that the first trimester of pregnancy is very important. It is at this time that there may be birth defects hearts. The reasons are usually bad habits, taking medications that are toxic to the fetus (for example, antibiotics), infectious diseases, frequent stress. Therefore, it is better to plan your pregnancy in advance to avoid negative impact per embryo per initial stage its development.

Listening to the fetal heartbeat

This can be done using:

• transvaginal ultrasound;
• transabdominal ultrasound (classic version of ultrasound);
• stethoscope.

At what time do doctors record the fetal heartbeat?

Methods for detailed examination of the fetal heartbeat:

• Cardiotocography (CTG) - allows you to detect oxygen starvation. This procedure is carried out at 32 weeks and before birth. Indications for emergency conducting CTG: infection mother, accompanied high temperature body, oligohydramnios or polyhydramnios, delayed fetal development, post-term pregnancy.
• Fetal echocardiography (fetal echocardiography, fetal echocardiography). It can be used to identify heart defects. Can be performed starting from the 18th week of pregnancy. Indications: bad habits or taking antibiotics in the first trimester, heart defects in the expectant mother, her direct relatives or her previous children, age over 35 years, diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, rubella, toxoplasmosis, Lyme disease or herpes during pregnancy.

What does a weak or absent heartbeat indicate?

A weak heartbeat in the first trimester is a sign of a threat of spontaneous abortion. In this case, an additional examination is carried out and treatment is prescribed, depending on the reason that created the threat of miscarriage. The woman may be put on bed rest, hormonal drugs, natural sedatives, vitamins E and C, antispasmodics or corticosteroids. Follow all the recommendations prescribed by your doctor, and your future pregnancy will proceed normally.

If during a transabdominal ultrasound at 6 weeks of pregnancy the doctor does not register a heartbeat, but sees the fertilized egg and embryo, the examination is postponed for 1–2 weeks. This is explained by the fact that it is very difficult to calculate the exact day of conception of a child, especially with irregular menstrual cycle, and the timing calculations turned out to be incorrect. On a repeat ultrasound, a heartbeat is usually already present. If it is not there, a frozen pregnancy is diagnosed.

If the ultrasound specialist does not register the heartbeat and does not see the embryo, this indicates the so-called anembryony - the absence of an embryo in fertilized egg. In this case, to be sure, a repeat examination is scheduled in 1–2 weeks. If the ultrasound results are the same, the diagnosis is confirmed.

In both cases (both with frozen pregnancy and with anembryonia), curettage of the uterus is prescribed.

If the doctor does not register a heartbeat later in pregnancy, this indicates intrauterine death child (antenatal death). To remove the dead fetus from the body, artificial birth is performed.

Can a woman feel the fetal heartbeat?

Despite the fact that the period when a fetal heartbeat appears is only 4 weeks, the expectant mother will not feel a heartbeat either in the second or in the ninth month.

What women often mistake for the baby's heartbeat is the pulsation of their own aorta. It can be felt in the abdomen or lower back. Occurs due to increased pressure in this vessel.

If you experience palpitations in your stomach or lower back during pregnancy, contact your gynecologist.

You may also need to consult a cardiologist.

Normal fetal heart rate

A diagnosis is not made based on minor deviations from the norm. Of clinical significance is an increase in heart rate to 200 beats per minute or more (tachycardia) or a decrease to 100 beats per minute or less (bradycardia) starting from 6–8 weeks.

1. Possible causes of fetal tachycardia: Unstable emotional condition
2. future mother.
3. Chronic fetal hypoxia (due to pathologies of the placenta or umbilical cord or malformations of the embryo itself).
4. Stuffiness in the room where a pregnant woman spends most of the time.

Iron deficiency in the mother's blood.

The cause of bradycardia is chronic hypoxia. If the heart rate is 80 beats per minute or less, the risk of spontaneous abortion is high.

The fetal heart is different from the heart of both a growing and adult organism. The difference is characterized not only by size, but also by function.

Fetal circulation. The fetus, like an adult, has two circles of blood circulation - large and small. However, during intrauterine development, the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the body is completely different from that of adults.

By the end of the first week of development, the embryo begins to implant itself into the swollen mucous membrane of the uterus. The villi that cover the outer shell of the embryo that has penetrated into the uterus grow, partially destroying the blood vessels of the uterine mucosa. As a result, so-called lacunae are formed around the villi - spaces filled with maternal blood. It comes here from the arteries, through their damaged walls, and flows through the veins into the general circulation of the mother’s body.

The organ formed by the villi of the outer membrane of the embryo and the mucous membrane of the uterus is called the placenta. The importance of the placenta lies in the fact that it performs the functions that, after birth, are performed by the respiratory, digestive and excretory organs. The placenta grows continuously and by the end of pregnancy weighs 500-600 g. Surrounded by a membrane, a bundle of vessels connecting the fetus with the placenta turns into an umbilical cord - a cord that reaches the thickness of a finger and a length of 50-60 cm by the end of pregnancy.

The movement of blood through the placenta represents an essential part of the systemic circulation of the fetus. From the placenta, blood flows into the inferior vena cava, from there into the right atrium. From here the blood enters partly into the right ventricle, and partly through the fetal foramen ovale between both atria into the left ventricle. From the right ventricle, blood enters the pulmonary artery. Then there are two possible paths: through the lungs and along the wide arterial duct, which does not exist in an adult, connecting the pulmonary artery to the aorta. It is clear that the bulk of the blood ejected by the right ventricle rushes along this easier path.

Both ventricles of the fetal heart perform the same work, pumping blood into the aorta: the left one directly, and the right one through the ductus arteriosus. In other words, they both contract with the same force. This explains the approximately equal thickness of the muscular wall of both ventricles.

Changes in blood circulation in a newborn. The moment of birth is a sharp transition to new, completely different from the previous conditions of the organism's existence. Cutting the umbilical cord disrupts the connection with the mother's body, which ensured that the fetus receives nutrients, oxygen and is freed from carbon dioxide and other waste products. Immediately, oxygen starvation occurs in the newborn’s body, in other words, suffocation, which leads to general strong excitement and, in particular, to the appearance of the first respiratory movements.

The stretching of the lungs, which occurs with the first breath and persists throughout life, contributes to the expansion of the pulmonary capillaries. In addition, the circular muscle fibers that are located in the wall of the ductus arteriosus, which connects the pulmonary artery to the aorta, are strongly contracted. As a result, the blood from the right ventricle is completely or almost entirely directed to the lungs; from there, through the pulmonary veins, blood enters the left atrium and, filling it, presses on the valve of the oval opening between the atria, which prevents blood from entering the right atrium into the left. Thus, immediately after birth, conditions appear that promote the consistent movement of blood through the major and minor circles.

By the end of the intrauterine period of development, the ductus arteriosus begins to narrow due to the growth of the inner layer of its wall. After birth, when blood practically stops flowing through the duct, its narrowing occurs even faster, and after 6-8 weeks the lumen of the duct is completely closed. The oval hole gradually heals by the growth of a valve to it, which at this time greatly increases in length and thickness. The final closure of the foramen ovale occurs at the 9-10th month of life, and sometimes much later. Often a very small hole remains for life, without interfering with the normal functioning of the heart. The umbilical arteries and vein also gradually heal after ligation of the umbilical cord.

Thus, the fetal heart undergoes significant changes both during the neonatal period and infancy and differs from the heart of an adult.

Throughout pregnancy, specialists carefully monitor the frequency of contraction of the fetal heart muscle. And this is natural, because the normal development of the heart and cardiovascular system is an indicator of vitality and proper growth. The heartbeat acts as the most important evidence of favorable conditions for the development of the embryo. The frequency and nature of heart contractions allow specialists to monitor the condition of the fetus during pregnancy and directly during the birth process.

The formation of the heart occurs progressively. Initially similar to a hollow tube, by the ninth week it becomes a full-fledged organ with ventricles and atria. However, the fetal heart has peculiar features that are not found in an adult. The presence of an oval window located between the atria of the duct connecting the aorta and pulmonary artery is due to the fetus’s dependence on the mother’s respiratory system, its inability to independent breathing. Nature took reasonable care of man. Thus, it ensured normal blood supply of oxygen and essential vital substances to all internal organs of the embryo. After the baby is born, the ductus arteriosus no longer exists, and the oval window closes.

Studies determining fetal heart development

Ultrasound examination helps to accurately determine the time when the fetus begins to have a heartbeat. As a rule, this occurs after the third week of pregnancy. At the same time, internal organs begin to form. At five weeks, when the first perceptible heartbeats appear, a beating becomes audible little heart embryo.

An adequate level of hCG hormone(human chorionic gonadotropin), which appears in a woman’s body already 5-6 days after conception. In the first trimester, hCG levels increase sharply, reaching a limit by the tenth week .

The rapid increase and concentration in urine and blood of the beta hormone hCG is an ideal indicator of pregnancy. In the second half of the term, the level of hCG in the blood decreases slightly, remaining unchanged until the end of the term.

What methods allow you to diagnose heartbeat?

• Auscultation - using an obstetric stethoscope, you can hear a small heart beating;
• Ultrasound diagnostics (ultrasound);
• echocardiogram;
• cardiotogram.

Today, ultrasound is used effectively and widely to monitor the functioning of the heart muscle. It is this that shows the most accurate results already at the most early stages pregnancy.

There are two types of diagnostics using ultrasound in pregnant women:

• transvaginal, involves the introduction of a special device - an indicator into the vagina, carried out starting from the fifth week of fetal development, when a perceptible heartbeat appears;
• transabdominal, carried out in the seventh week, using a sensor - indicator located on the woman’s stomach.

No longer five weeks into pregnancy, with the help of ultrasound, a fertilized egg begins to be visualized in the woman’s uterus.

What should be the ideal blood hCG level? At the initial stage, it varies from 1000 to 1500 IU/l. If the hCG level is lower, there may be problems with visualizing the ovum even with the help of transvaginal diagnosis. Transabdominal examination establishes the presence of an amniotic sac only if the hCG level is 3000 - 5000 IU/l. Using transvaginal ultrasound, the embryonic structure is visualized in the fertilized egg at six weeks of pregnancy. The beta hCG level should be 7200 IU/l.

Normal heart rate

• The frequency of contractions of the heart muscle is an indicator of positive fetal development. There are generally accepted indicators that help determine a favorable degree of pregnancy:
• a heart muscle contraction frequency of 130 beats per minute is the norm in the early stages;
• 170-190 beats per minute - the fetal heart should work at this rhythm in the tenth week of development;

starting from the thirteenth week, the heart rate decreases to 140-160 beats per minute and remains unchanged until birth. When the fetus does not have a heartbeat, the hCG level must be examined.

Low levels of the presence of this hormone in a woman’s body indicate that pregnancy is not developing. “Frozen pregnancy” - such a disappointing diagnosis is made by specialists when hCG rapidly decreases against the background of an absent fetal heartbeat. Intrauterine death is recorded at a period of 18-28 weeks, when the contractile work of the heart is not heard. In this case, immediate termination of pregnancy is required. Abortion at a later stage can lead to an inflammatory process, complications that pose a threat to the woman’s life, and can also make themselves felt during the next pregnancy.
“The heart is the source of our feelings, hobbies, love. It allows you to taste the joy of life.
Yes, this organ is amazing - the heart!”

(from the animated series about the structure of the human body for children “Once upon a time there was a life”).
The heart is the most important and structurally complex physical organ of a person.


This is due, on the one hand, to its basic functions for the entire human body, and on the other hand, it provides a wide variety of congenital malformations. From In biology, we remember that the human heart has 4 chambers (2 atria and 2 ventricles), which perform the role of a pumping function. The right half (right atrium and right ventricle) of the heart collects used oxygen-poor blood and sends it to the lungs. The left half (left atrium and left ventricle) receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and sends it to human tissues and organs. Thus, thanks to the heart, the “clockwork mechanism” of supplying nutrition to the organs and the return of used blood with oxygen from the organs to the lungs is maintained. The formation of the heart already begins in the early stages of pregnancy and during the stages of embryogenesis it performs its main function of blood circulation in the fetus. Cardiac embryogenesis is the gradual construction of cardiac structures from 2 to 6 weeks of pregnancy. It is this period that is especially sensitive to risk factors for the development of congenital malformations of the baby’s cardiovascular system, which we will discuss in our next article.

The heart anlage appears in the embryo at the end of the 2nd week of development from simple 2 heart tubes, which merge together to form a common heart tube and blood flows in one continuous stream.
At the end 3rd - early 4th week the embryo experiences uneven growth of the heart tube and this leads to a change and complication of the shape. A sigmoid or S-shaped heart is formed, in which a venous sinus is distinguished, followed by a venous section (primary ventricle), an arterial section (primary atrium) and then a common arterial trunk. The heart at this stage is single-chambered and during this period it begins to contract.
In further stages of development, the venous and arterial parts of the heart grow, and a deep constriction appears between them. Both knees of the arterial section gradually fuse. This is how the two-chamber heart of the embryo is formed ( 4th week of development).
At this stage there is only a large circle of blood circulation; the small circle develops later due to the development of the lungs. The next stage of development is the formation of the interatrial septum (the stage of a three-chambered heart or 5-6 week of development ).

On 6th week of development embryo, the ventricular chamber is divided through the interventricular septum, and valves are simultaneously formed and the common arterial trunk is divided into the aorta and pulmonary artery (four-chamber heart stage).

On within 6–7 weeks , in an almost “ready” heart, the construction of the interventricular septum, separating the right and left ventricles of the heart, is completed.
The blood circulation of the fetus has its own characteristics in contrast to adults, since the respiratory and digestive system practically do not function in utero.
So, how does a baby manage to live without breathing, cookies and delicious buns?

All nutrients and oxygen are supplied with the mother's blood through auxiliary devices, which include the placenta, umbilical cord and fetal communications (ductus venosus, foramen ovale and ductus arteriosus).
Fetal communications are the cardiac structures of the fetus, with the help of which the blood is mixed (unlike adults) and most of it enters the left sections, since the lungs do not perform gas exchange. Let's analyze in detail how this happens.

The umbilical vein from the placenta collects rich oxygenated (arterial) blood with nutrients and sends it to the liver, where it divides into 2 branches: the portal vein and the ductus venosus. The portal vein supplies blood to the organs abdominal cavity(liver, intestines, etc.).
Duct venosus – 1- fetal communication or a vessel connecting umbilical vein with the heart of the fetus. Mixing of blood occurs at the level of the inferior vena cava, which in turn collects poor used blood (venous) from the lower part of the body.
Next, the mixed blood is sent to the right atrium, and venous blood from the superior genital vein enters there from the upper part of the body.
The blood flow from the right atrium to the right ventricle is divided into 2 paths associated with the baby’s lack of breathing.
First way begins with the flow of blood from the right atrium into the right ventricle and then into the lungs with the help of the pulmonary trunk, which divides its branches into the right and left lungs.
Since the alveoli do not carry out gas exchange and are filled with fluid (a systemic spasm of all arterioles occurs), where 1/3 of the blood returns through the pulmonary veins to the left atrium.
Second way: The remaining 2/3 of the blood is forced to flow through fetal communications such as the oval window and the ductus arteriosus.

Oval window – 2 - fetal communication is an opening with a valve between the atria. The mixed blood entering the left atrium flows into the left ventricle and further into the aorta, where it is distributed to all organs of the fetus. From the abdominal aorta there are 2 umbilical arteries, which return blood to the placenta, carbon dioxide and waste products of the fetus. It is important to note that in the placenta the blood of the mother and fetus does not mix in any case; the mother’s blood cells give off oxygen and accept “waste” from the baby’s blood cells.

Ductus arteriosus – 3 - fetal communication or a vessel connecting the pulmonary trunk (TP) with the aorta, where blood is discharged into the aorta.

Considering such a complex and multi-stage development mechanism of cardio-vascular system, various types of effects on the body of a pregnant woman in the embryonic and early fetal periods can lead to a wide range of congenital anomalies of this system. And we will talk about this in the next article.

The heartbeat acts as the most important evidence of favorable conditions for the development of the embryo. The frequency and nature of heart contractions allow specialists to monitor the condition of the fetus during pregnancy and directly during the birth process.

The formation of the heart occurs progressively. Initially similar to a hollow tube, by the ninth week it becomes a full-fledged organ with ventricles and atria. However, the fetal heart has peculiar features that are not found in an adult. The presence of an oval window, located between the atria of the duct connecting the aorta and the pulmonary artery, is due to the fetus’s dependence on the mother’s respiratory system and its inability to breathe independently. Nature took reasonable care of man. Thus, it ensured normal blood supply of oxygen and essential vital substances to all internal organs of the embryo. After the baby is born, the ductus arteriosus no longer exists, and the oval window closes.

Studies determining fetal heart development

Ultrasound examination helps to accurately determine the time when the fetus begins to have a heartbeat. As a rule, this occurs after the third week of pregnancy. At the same time, internal organs begin to form. At five weeks, when the first perceptible heartbeats appear, the beating of the embryo’s small heart becomes audible.

An adequate level of the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), which appears in a woman’s body already 5-6 days after conception, is responsible for the normal development of pregnancy. In the first trimester, hCG levels increase sharply, reaching a limit by the tenth week.

The rapid increase and concentration in urine and blood of the beta hormone hCG is an ideal indicator of pregnancy. In the second half of the term, the level of hCG in the blood decreases slightly, remaining unchanged until the end of the term.

What methods allow you to diagnose heartbeat?

• Auscultation - using an obstetric stethoscope, you can hear a small heart beating;
• Ultrasound diagnostics (ultrasound);
• echocardiogram;
• cardiotogram.

Today, ultrasound is used effectively and widely to monitor the functioning of the heart muscle. It is this that shows the most accurate results already in the earliest stages of pregnancy.

There are two types of diagnostics using ultrasound in pregnant women:

• transvaginal, involves the introduction of a special device - an indicator into the vagina, carried out starting from the fifth week of fetal development, when a perceptible heartbeat appears;
• transabdominal, carried out in the seventh week, using a sensor - indicator located on the woman’s stomach.

No longer five weeks into pregnancy, with the help of ultrasound, a fertilized egg begins to be visualized in the woman’s uterus. What should be the ideal blood hCG level? At the initial stage, it varies from 1000 to 1500 IU/l. If the hCG level is lower, there may be problems with visualizing the ovum even with the help of transvaginal diagnosis. Transabdominal examination establishes the presence of an amniotic sac only if the hCG level is 3000 - 5000 IU/l. Using transvaginal ultrasound, the embryonic structure is visualized in the fertilized egg at six weeks of pregnancy. The beta hCG level should be 7200 IU/l.

Normal heart rate

Normal heart rate

• The frequency of contractions of the heart muscle is an indicator of positive fetal development. There are generally accepted indicators that help determine a favorable degree of pregnancy:
• beats per minute - the fetal heart should work at this rhythm in the tenth week of development;
• starting from the thirteenth week, the heart rate decreases to beats per minute and remains unchanged until birth.

When the fetus does not have a heartbeat, the hCG level must be examined. Low levels of the presence of this hormone in a woman’s body indicate that pregnancy is not developing. “Frozen pregnancy” - such a disappointing diagnosis is made by specialists when hCG rapidly decreases against the background of an absent fetal heartbeat. Intrauterine death is recorded at a period of weeks, when contraction of the heart is not heard. In this case, immediate termination of pregnancy is required. Abortion at a later stage can lead to an inflammatory process, complications that pose a threat to the woman’s life, and can also make themselves felt during the next pregnancy.

DO YOU STILL THINK THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET RID OF HEART DISEASE!?

• Do you often have discomfort in the head area (pain, dizziness)?
• You may suddenly feel weak and tired...
• I constantly feel high blood pressure...
• There is nothing to say about shortness of breath after the slightest physical exertion...
• And you have been taking a bunch of medications for a long time, going on a diet and watching your weight...

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When does the heart form in the embryo and fetus?

In the life of almost every woman there comes a period of pregnancy. Over the course of 9 months, the laying and formation of all systems and organs of the future person occurs. This is not only an exciting stage for parents, but also a responsible one.

There are critical periods when the process of embryogenesis is associated with high risks of the influence of negative factors that contribute to disruption of the normal formation of organs and tissues with the development of congenital defects. One of these critical periods is the stage when the heart is formed in the embryo and fetus.

Embryogenesis

The cardiovascular system is one of the first to develop, due to the need for blood supply to other organs and tissues. This occurs at 2–6 weeks of gestation.

After the fusion of germ cells, a complex and lengthy stage of embryogenesis is initiated.

The formation of the heart begins in the second week, when 2 heart tubes are formed, which merge together and embryonic blood enters there. At 3-4 weeks, significant growth of the tube is observed, which is expressed in its enlargement and change in shape.

Structures such as the sinus venosus, primary ventricle (venous section), primary atrium, and common truncus arteriosus begin to form. During this period, the heart is a single-chamber structure ─ and the first contractions appear.

At the end of the 4th week, the developing heart has a two-chamber structure. This occurs as a result of an increase in the arterial and venous sections and the appearance of a constriction between them. Blood circulation is represented only by a large circle, and a small one is formed as the organogenesis of the bronchopulmonary system occurs.

At 5-6 weeks, the interatrial septum is formed, and the heart becomes three-chambered, and later the interventricular septum is formed, the valve apparatus is formed, and the common aortic trunk is divided into the pulmonary artery and the aorta. This is how the organ becomes four-chambered.

At week 7, the construction of the interventricular septum is finally completed, and all further transformations are associated with an increase in size and the development of the conduction system.

Diagnostics

All future parents are concerned about the question of how long it takes to hear the first heartbeats. And for good reason, since this is an important indicator that helps determine how correctly the cardiovascular system is formed and how the embryo and fetus are developing.

For this purpose, several methods are used:

1. Ultrasound diagnostics.
2. Auscultation with an obstetric stethoscope.
3. Cardiotocography.
4. Echocardiography.

On early stages embryogenesis, ultrasound examination is performed. It makes it possible to hear the heartbeat of the embryo at 5 weeks when using a transvaginal sensor or at 7 weeks when using a transabdominal one. It should also be mentioned that the frequency of contractions varies depending on the gestational age.

Auscultation with an obstetric stethoscope is a method that comes from antiquity, but has one drawback. It is possible to listen to heart sounds no earlier than the beginning of the third trimester.

During this period, every time a woman visits an obstetrician-gynecologist, this examination is carried out. It allows the doctor to judge the progress of pregnancy and the condition of the baby in the womb. For this purpose, an external obstetric examination is first performed, and then the stethoscope is placed in the place of best listening to the heartbeat.

Cardiotocography is a method of recording the work of the fetal heart and the tone of the uterus with the results displayed on a calibration tape. Diagnosis can be carried out from the 22nd week of pregnancy, however, according to orders, it is prescribed at least 3 times in the third trimester and during the birth process.

This allows you to monitor not only the development of the heart and cardiovascular system as a whole in the fetus, but also the condition during childbirth, and choose delivery tactics. When conducting the study, the following indicators are assessed:

1. The normal basal rate is 120-160 per minute.
2. Rhythm variability – 10─25 contractions per minute.
3. Presence of decelerations (decrease in heart rate rhythm by 30 or more in half a minute).
4. The presence of 2 or more accelerations (increase in heart rate by 10–25 per minute during movement, contraction of the uterus) for 10 minutes during recording.

In assessing the development of an embryo or fetus, it is important not only to catch the moment when the first heartbeat appears.

It is necessary to control the process of proper organogenesis in order to timely diagnosis congenital anomalies.

For this, echocardiography is performed, which allows you to calculate the size of the heart and large vessels, visualize cardiac structures, as well as existing abnormalities.

With Doppler ultrasound, it is possible to assess blood flow.

If pathological abnormalities are detected, the issue of termination of pregnancy or surgical intervention is decided immediately after birth.

Heart formation

So, new life was born. Whether you wanted it or not, whether the fruit of your love is desired or not - it doesn’t matter anymore. The egg formed in the ovary passed through the tubes, settled in the uterine mucosa, received and merged with the sperm. This is already a fertilized egg that will grow and eventually become your child.

This life, while still only one cell, carries all the information contained in your genes, i.e. the smallest protein molecules, and in your partner's genes. We will return to this later. But now, the cells have merged, and in the first two weeks after conception, the processes of formation of cellular systems begin, which will then turn into tissues and organs.

As the amazing poet Dmitry Kedrin once wrote:

“There is still no trace of nausea or spots.

And your belt is just as narrow, just look in the mirror.

But you, by elusive, secret female signs

I was frightened to realize what was inside you...”

At first, new life has the shape of a disk. Sometimes such a small protein disc can be seen in the yolk of broken chicken egg. It is called an embryo and in the first days it is just a collection of wise cells that know exactly what they need to do. With each subsequent hour there are more and more cells. They connect and fold into certain shapes, first forming two tubes, then merging into one. This tube folds and descends from the primary disk to form a loop called the “primary cardiac loop.” The loop quickly lengthens, significantly outstripping the growth and increase in the number of cells surrounding it, and lies to the right, in the form of such a ring as the ring of a mooring rope, which is thrown onto the bollard when mooring a boat or vessel. This loop normally lies only on the right, in otherwise the future heart will lie not to the left, but to the right of the sternum. And on the 22nd day after conception, the first contraction occurs in the thickened lower part of the loop. The heart began to beat. You can try to remember what happened to the future mother then. What condition was she in? What was happening to her? And, if you, like the vast majority of married and non-family couples, did not pay attention to this, I can guarantee that you will not remember. You will say: “So what?” - and you will be right. As a rule, nothing. But still, think about it. The first days may not solve anything. But the next ones will decide a lot.

The cardiovascular system of the fetus is formed first of all its systems, because the fetus needs its own blood circulation for the full development of its other organs. The development and formation of the cardiovascular system begins in the third week and mainly ends by the eighth week of the embryo’s life, i.e. occurs within five weeks.

We will briefly describe these stages, but now let’s ask ourselves the question: “What is 4–5 weeks of pregnancy today?” The woman is not yet sure whether she is pregnant, especially if she is not looking forward to this event too much. She does not change her lifestyle, habits, sometimes harmful ones. She can work in heavy and hazardous production or do heavy physical work Houses. She can carry it on her feet viral infection in the form of the flu. Usually the couple does not think yet, tries not to think about the future, but it - this future - no longer only lives, but also beats, contracts, grows. But wait to punish yourself - there may be other reasons. More about them later. In the meantime, let us remember: today in the world they believe that a child’s life begins not from the moment of his birth, but from the moment of conception.

So, on the 22nd day, the future heart begins to pulsate, and on the 26th day, independent blood circulation begins in the body of the fetus, whose length is 3 millimeters. Thus, by the end of the fourth week the fetus has a contracting heart and circulation. So far it is one stream, one curved tube, in the bend of which lies the “motor” - the heart. But every minute processes take place in it that lead to final formation. It is very important to understand that these processes flow simultaneously in three-dimensional space and in order for “everything to come together correctly and accurately,” they need to be completely synchronized. Moreover, if this did not happen, i.e. at some point something did not connect where it was needed, the growth and development of the heart does not stop. Everything is going as usual. After all, when some musician in the orchestra suddenly plays a false note, the orchestra will still finish the symphony. But the false sound will fly away and be forgotten, and few will pay attention to it, and the developing heart will remember it. And now the growing septum has nowhere to attach, or the valve has nothing to hold onto. This is how birth defects are formed. In order for the heart to become four-chambered and not two-chambered (as in the third week), it is necessary for its partitions to grow (interatrial and interventricular), so that the common arterial trunk is divided into the aorta and pulmonary artery, so that inside the common ventricle it is divided into right and left so that the aorta connects to the left ventricle so that the heart valves are fully formed. All this happens between the 4th and 8th weeks of pregnancy (at this time the length of the fetus reaches only 3.5–4 cm). By the end of the second month of pregnancy, the “inch” (3.5 cm) embryo is already fully formed. Obviously, the earlier in this process the violation occurred normal development– the more the heart becomes deformed, i.e. the more severe his congenital defect. The later this happened, the smaller the structural change will be and the easier it will be to correct the defect in the future.

Now we’ll try to explain why this could happen, and we’ll try to convince you that it’s no one’s fault.

Quoted from the book by G. E. Falkovsky, S. M. Krupyanko. The heart of a child. A book for parents about congenital heart defects

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DEVELOPMENT OF THE FETAL HEART

The expectant mother eagerly awaits her baby's heartbeat. She is waiting for an ultrasound and asks the specialist when her baby’s first heartbeat will be heard. At what stage of development can a child’s heartbeat be heard clearly?

The formation and development of a baby’s heart is a very complex process that takes place in the fetus’s body. The rudiment of this organ appears in the 4th week of pregnancy. It looks like a hollow tube that entangles the small body of the embryo. It is already clearly visible and is considered the primary circulation. In the future, this blood circulation will become an independent organ - the baby’s heart.

The first contraction occurs on a curved section of the vascular tube when the formation of the fetus reaches the 4th week. It is not yet controlled by the fetal nervous system. In the sixth (obstetric) week of pregnancy, pulsation small heart becomes clearer, more intense. The first pulsation of an already single-chamber heart appears by the 26th day (5 weeks) of a child’s life. This organ is capable of independently pumping blood flow through the child’s body at a set rhythm.

The baby's heart becomes four-chambered by the end of the 9th week. At this time, you can hear the clear work of a full-fledged heart. By the 9th week the fetus has already formed:

Valves for their separation;

Vessels for moving blood in two directions.

The formation of all heart structures ends around the 22nd week of fetal development in the womb. Over the next period, his muscle mass only increases, and the network of blood vessels throughout the child’s body, as well as his heart, grows.

There are significant differences in the structure of a child’s heart from that of an adult:

The presence of an oval window - It is represented by an opening that is located between the left and right atrium;

Presence of ductus arteriosus - This ductus arteriosus is necessary to connect the pulmonary artery with the aorta.

These structural features are necessary for the fetus to receive the oxygen it needs from the mother (when it is in the womb of a woman). It is this structure of all organs and systems of the child that contributes to its saturation with oxygen. Closing of the oval window occurs only after the birth of the baby. The ductus arteriosus also collapses and is no longer needed.

Diagnosis of heart function is carried out using the following methods:

Ultrasound can detect the beating of the fetal heart. Transvaginal ultrasound can detect fetal heart contraction earlier than transabdominal ultrasound. Using a special sensor inserted into a woman’s vagina, the heartbeat is detected at 5-6 weeks, and when examined with a sensor on the abdomen - at 6-7 weeks.

How many beats/minute is considered normal for developing fetus? – this is also a very important question. Heart rate changes at different stages of pregnancy:

6-8 weeks – beats/minute;

9-10th week – beats/minute;

11-40th – beats/minute.

This difference in numbers is explained by the formation of the autonomic nervous system. She is responsible for overseeing the work internal organs baby.

The deterioration of the child’s condition can be seen by a significant deviation of the heartbeat from the norm:

Reduced aftershocks;

Increase in frequency above 200 beats; No heartbeat.

When no heartbeats are observed in a fetus larger than 8 mm, the examining specialist assumes a diagnosis of a non-developing pregnancy.

In this case, it is necessary to conduct a repeat ultrasound so that this diagnosis can be confirmed/refuted. A repeat ultrasound examination should be performed after approximately 5-7 days.

Ultrasound is necessary to determine the following indicators:

Location of the heart - This organ should be on the left and occupy about 1/3 of the chest;

The heart rate at this stage is considered normal;

Nature of contractions - Rhythmicity/irrhythmicity is determined.

In late pregnancy, heart rate can vary depending on many factors:

The level of physical activity of the mother;

Presence of diseases in the pregnant woman;

Impact of ambient temperature on the mother.

AT WHAT TIME DOES THE FETAL HEARTBEAT START TO BE HEARTBEATED?

The intrauterine period of child development consists of:

Embryonic. It covers the first 2 months of embryo formation;

When can you hear the fetal heartbeat on an ultrasound?

The heartbeat can be heard even in the embryo. On the 22nd day after fertilization, the heart begins to beat and then its beats can already be clearly heard. Self-circulation of blood, which occurs through one’s own circulatory system, appears 26 days from the moment of conception. Thanks to ultrasound, the fetal heartbeat can be detected already at the 5-6th obstetric week of pregnancy. Fetal development is good if the heartbeat is audible and within normal limits. If it is not detected, you can conduct a re-examination in about a week or use other diagnostic methods. When viewing a four-chamber section of a child’s heart on an ultrasound, a specialist can see the presence/absence of disturbances in the development of this organ. In this section, the doctor can clearly see both atria and ventricles of the fetus. This examination is necessary to identify heart defects that act as the cause of a decrease or increase in the child’s heart rate. When a specialist determines on an ultrasound that the number of heartbeats does not correspond to the norm, the doctor may prescribe additional methods for further examination of the pregnant woman.

The fetal heartbeat, as the most important indicator of its healthy development, is listened to throughout pregnancy. The moment when a child is born is no exception. Usually the heart rate is measured before birth, but if the pregnancy is considered high risk, then the baby's heart rate is monitored during labor. Monitoring can be done by listening with a special tube or using sensors specially designed for this purpose. Continuous measurement of the baby's heart rate is necessary in the following cases:

Use of epidural anesthesia;

The presence of developmental delay in the fetus;

Premature or delayed birth;

Use of any stimulants for labor;

Presence of chronic diseases in a pregnant woman.

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When fetal heartbeat appears, possible problems

From this article you will learn: when the fetal heart begins to beat, how to listen to the heartbeat. At what frequency should the embryo's heart beat? What do deviations from the norm indicate?

The heart is one of the organs that is formed first in the embryo. It begins to form at the 3rd week of intrauterine development.

Already at 4 weeks, the primitive heart of the embryo begins to beat. But it is possible to register a heartbeat at this stage only with the help of transvaginal ultrasound.

Intrauterine development of the heart

The cardiovascular system is established already in the 2nd week of pregnancy.

Click on photo to enlarge

The primary heart is formed at 3 weeks. At this stage, it still does not have chambers, but is a hollow tube. It is already capable of contracting.

By the middle of the 4th week, the tube turns into a still underdeveloped heart, consisting of 2 chambers: the atrium and the ventricle. In addition, during this period the conduction system is formed in the heart. Contractions of this structure can already be called a heartbeat.

At the end of the 4th week, one atrium is divided into right and left by the interatrial septum.

At week 5, the interventricular septum begins to develop.

At week 8, the formation of the heart ends: it already consists of 4 chambers.

From the above it is clear that the first trimester of pregnancy is very important. It is during this period that congenital heart defects can occur. The causes are usually bad habits, taking medications that are toxic to the fetus (for example, antibiotics), infectious diseases, and frequent stress. Therefore, it is better to plan pregnancy in advance to avoid negative effects on the embryo at the initial stage of its development.

Listening to the fetal heartbeat

This can be done using:

• transvaginal ultrasound;
• transabdominal ultrasound (classic version of ultrasound);
• stethoscope.

Listening to the fetal heartbeat with a stethoscope

At what time do doctors record the fetal heartbeat?

Methods for detailed examination of the fetal heartbeat:

• Cardiotocography (CTG) - allows you to detect oxygen starvation. This procedure is carried out at 32 weeks and before birth. Indications for extraordinary CTG: infectious disease of the mother, accompanied by high body temperature, oligohydramnios or polyhydramnios, delayed fetal development, post-term pregnancy.
• Fetal echocardiography (fetal echocardiography, fetal echocardiography). It can be used to identify heart defects. Can be performed starting from the 18th week of pregnancy. Indications: bad habits or taking antibiotics in the first trimester, heart defects in the expectant mother, her direct relatives or her previous children, age over 35 years, diabetes mellitus, systemic lupus erythematosus, rubella during pregnancy, toxoplasmosis, Lyme disease or herpes.

What does a weak or absent heartbeat indicate?

A weak heartbeat in the first trimester is a sign of a threat of spontaneous abortion. In this case, an additional examination is carried out and treatment is prescribed, depending on the reason that created the threat of miscarriage. A woman may be prescribed bed rest, hormonal medications, natural sedatives, vitamins E and C, antispasmodics or corticosteroids. Follow all the recommendations prescribed by your doctor, and your future pregnancy will proceed normally.

If during a transabdominal ultrasound at 6 weeks of pregnancy the doctor does not register a heartbeat, but sees the fertilized egg and embryo, the examination is postponed for 1–2 weeks. This is explained by the fact that it is very difficult to calculate the exact day of conception of a child, especially with an irregular menstrual cycle, and the calculations of the period turned out to be incorrect. On a repeat ultrasound, a heartbeat is usually already present. If it is not there, a frozen pregnancy is diagnosed.

If the ultrasound specialist does not register the heartbeat and does not see the embryo, this indicates the so-called anembryony - the absence of an embryo in the fertilized egg. In this case, to be sure, a repeat examination is scheduled in 1–2 weeks. If the ultrasound results are the same, the diagnosis is confirmed.

In both cases (both with frozen pregnancy and with anembryonia), curettage of the uterus is prescribed.

If the doctor does not register a heartbeat later in pregnancy, this indicates intrauterine death of the baby (antenatal death). To remove the dead fetus from the body, artificial birth is performed.

Can a woman feel the fetal heartbeat?

Despite the fact that the period when a fetal heartbeat appears is only 4 weeks, the expectant mother will not feel a heartbeat either in the second or in the ninth month.

What women often mistake for the baby's heartbeat is the pulsation of their own aorta. It can be felt in the abdomen or lower back. Occurs due to increased pressure in this vessel.

If you experience palpitations in your stomach or lower back during pregnancy, contact your gynecologist. You may also need to consult a cardiologist.

You may also need to consult a cardiologist.

Normal fetal heart rate

A diagnosis is not made based on minor deviations from the norm. Of clinical significance is an increase in heart rate to 200 beats per minute or more (tachycardia) or a decrease to 100 beats per minute or less (bradycardia) starting from 6–8 weeks.

1. Unstable emotional state of the expectant mother.
2. future mother.
3. Chronic fetal hypoxia (due to pathologies of the placenta or umbilical cord or malformations of the embryo itself).
4. Stuffiness in the room where a pregnant woman spends most of the time.

Iron deficiency in the mother's blood.

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Fetal heartbeat: when it appears and how you can hear it, normal and abnormalities

Heart rate is an integral indicator, which is influenced by many factors: blood oxygen saturation, hemoglobin level, anatomical features of the heart, the effects of hormones and the autonomic nervous system. That is why the nature of the fetal heartbeat can indirectly judge its viability.

The fetal heartbeat can be determined by many methods: auscultation using an obstetric stethoscope, cardiotocography, and ultrasound. Each of these methods has its own advantages. Regular monitoring of the fetal cardiac activity sometimes allows you to change the tactics of pregnancy and childbirth, make responsible decisions that can save the baby’s life.

When does an embryo have a heartbeat?

fetal heart development

The formation of the heart begins already at 2-3 weeks of intrauterine development, that is, during the period when the woman is not even aware of it. possible pregnancy. During this period, the heart has the shape of a simple tube, which by the beginning of 3-4 weeks begins to bend in an S-shape. That is why at this stage of development the heart is called sigmoid.

After 4-5 weeks of gestation, the primary septum between the atria is formed, as a result of which the embryonic heart becomes 3-chambered. It is at this stage that the first heartbeats appear. However, in order to reliably record the heartbeat of the embryo at the 5th week of pregnancy, an expert-class ultrasound machine is required. But it is important to remember that in the absence of special indications, performing an ultrasound scan at such an early stage is unreasonable and is not recommended.

In this regard, indirect confirmation of the normal development of the embryo and its heart at 5-6 weeks of pregnancy is the determination of the level of the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) over time, after 2-3 days. At week 5, the level of this hormone ranges from 1000 to 3100 mIU/ml. During a normally developing pregnancy in the early stages, the hCG level doubles every 2-3 days. But you need to know that hCG determination reliably only up to the 10th week of pregnancy, because in more late dates the level of this hormone begins to fall, which is the physiological norm. Therefore, this diagnostic method is relevant only at the very beginning of pregnancy, as an alternative to ultrasound in very early stages.

Normal fetal heart rate by week of pregnancy

Very important aspect in assessing the cardiac activity of the embryo is knowledge physiological norms at a certain week of pregnancy. (Contrary to misconceptions, they are no different for future boys and girls!). For convenience, all this data is collected in a table:

Which method of diagnosing fetal heartbeat is the most informative?

There are many ways to monitor the fetal heart, and each of these methods has its own advantages.

Listening with an obstetric stethoscope

This is the simplest and affordable way determine fetal heart contractions. An obstetric stethoscope is a simple funnel. In order to hear the heartbeat, it is necessary to press the wide part of the funnel tightly against the anterior abdominal wall. Such a simple method is effective only with experienced obstetricians. After all, to listen to heart sounds, you need to know where exactly to place the stethoscope. To do this, before auscultation, doctors conduct an external examination of the position of the fetus: determine the presentation (the part facing the pelvis), position (location of the back to the right or left) and type (rotation of the back forward or backward) of the fetus.

listening with a stethoscope and an electronic device for listening to various sounds made by the fetus at home

Depending on the position of the baby in the uterus, the heartbeat can be heard well in different places:

• If the child lies head down and his back is turned to the right, then you need to listen to heart sounds in the right half of the abdomen below the navel.
• When breech presentation(when the fetal buttocks are facing the pelvic cavity), while the back is facing left side, the optimal place to listen to the heartbeat is located in the left half of the abdomen above the umbilical ring.
• If the child is located transversely, then the heart is listened to at the level of the navel on the right or left, depending on where the fetal head is located.
• At multiple pregnancy(twins, triplets) listens to the hearts of the babies in the places where each of them sounds best. This is very important so as not to confuse the heart rhythm of one fetus from another. Indeed, with a normal heart rhythm of one of them, it is possible that the other fetus is experiencing hypoxia.

location of points for listening to the fetal heartbeat with a stethoscope

Auscultation of the fetal heart with a stethoscope is an excellent method that came to modern obstetricians from ancient times. To perform auscultation, you only need a stethoscope and a competent specialist. But this method has one significant drawback: the human ear can recognize heart sounds, as a rule, not earlier than a week of pregnancy. At earlier stages it is practically useless to do this. And if a woman is severely obese or has swelling of the anterior abdominal wall (preeclampsia), you can hear a heartbeat even later, a week later. For this reason, in the first half of pregnancy, other diagnostic methods come to the fore to record heart activity.

Video: rules for auscultation of the fetal heartbeat

Cardiotocography

Cardiotocography is a method of recording fetal cardiac activity using an ultrasound sensor. The data received from the sensor is converted in the cardiac monitor into heart rate, which is displayed on paper in the form of a graph. This method It is very good because the recording can be quite long (about an hour, more if necessary), and it is possible to evaluate the work of the fetal heart during all this time. In addition, an undoubted advantage is the simultaneous recording of uterine tone with a second sensor, which is called “tensometric”.

Rules for registering CTG:

1. During the examination, the woman should lie on her side. If the pregnant woman lies on her back, the results cannot be considered reliable, since in this position the uterus can compress the vena cava located underneath it, as a result of which the uteroplacental blood flow is disrupted. This condition is called "inferior vena cava syndrome" and can cause fetal arrhythmias.
2. The ultrasound sensor is placed on the anterior abdominal wall of the pregnant woman in the place where the heartbeat is best heard, and is fixed with elastic bands. Before starting the study, it is necessary to apply a gel to the surface of the sensor to improve signal conductivity.
3. It is better to install a sensor for recording tone in the fundus of the uterus.
4. Modern devices are equipped with a remote control with a button that the woman must press during the examination when she feels fetal movements. This is a very important diagnostic sign, since it is possible to establish which rhythm disturbances occurred during fetal movement and which at rest. This technique is called a non-stress test, since in response to fetal movement, the rhythm normally increases.
5. The cardiotocograph is also equipped with sound devices, with the help of which a woman can hear her baby’s heartbeat. In most cases, it has a calming effect on pregnant women.
6. The study should take about 40 minutes, no less. Increasing the registration time is not prohibited, but a shorter study is not always informative and does not reflect the full picture of the fetal condition.
7. This method can be used during the weeks of pregnancy.
8. Only a doctor can decipher the results of CTG.

Ultrasound examination

The ultrasound method is very informative; its undoubted advantage is the ability to monitor heart rhythm already in the very early stages of pregnancy, when other methods are ineffective. Thus, in the first half of pregnancy, this is the only method for assessing the functioning of the fetal cardiovascular system. In uncomplicated pregnancy, ultrasound examination is carried out three times at appropriate times (10-12 weeks, weeks, weeks).

Heart rate assessment is carried out in conjunction with other important studies. However, if necessary, you can examine the heart rate, as well as conduct certain non-stress tests more often (for example, in case of fetal hypoxia, disruption of uteroplacental blood flow) in order to monitor the condition of the fetus over time and compare the results obtained with the previous ones. Often such studies are carried out after a certain treatment to evaluate the effectiveness of the therapy.

Video: fetal heartbeat at 7-8 weeks

Video: heartbeat on Doppler

Cardiointervalography

This method is used very rarely and is needed only in cases where it is necessary to study the baby’s heart rhythm in detail in controversial situations or in cases of severe pathology. This technique consists of ultrasound recording of heart activity for a long time (at least 60 minutes).

This information is fed into a computer, which conducts a detailed analysis of all indicators:

• Rhythm frequency;
• Rhythm variability (the presence of jumps from a rapid heartbeat to a slow heartbeat), registration of 7-12 rhythm jumps indicates the normal, physiological functioning of the fetal heart. It is worse if the heart rate is monotonous, without any changes. This may be a sign of hypoxia;
• The connection between the heartbeat and fetal movements and the speed of blood flow in the vessels;
• The presence of accelerations (periods of acceleration of the heart rate);
• Presence of decelerations (decrease in rhythm frequency). Long-term decelerations are the most unfavorable sign of the fetal condition, which indicates severe intrauterine hypoxia;
• A sinusoidal rhythm indicates severe, borderline conditions of the fetus, when required health care or even childbirth.

The cardiointervalography method is very informative and often helps to understand true reasons heart rhythm disturbances.

Causes of fetal heart rhythm disturbances

Sometimes after a study it turns out that the heartbeat does not meet accepted standards. This situation must be treated with due attention and find out why this happened.

Factors leading to rapid heartbeat (tachycardia):

1. Disturbances of uteroplacental blood flow.
2. Anemia in the mother.
3. A decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the fetus (for example, with hemolytic disease) causes an acceleration of blood flow, as well as a compensatory reaction in the form of tachycardia.
4. Placental insufficiency.
5. Bleeding in the mother (for example, due to placental abruption).
6. Malformations of the heart.
7. Increased temperature in a pregnant woman (febrile state).
8. Inflammatory process in the membranes (amnionitis).
9. Taking certain medications. For example, a frequently used drug in obstetrics, Ginipral, can cause tachycardia not only in the mother, but also in the fetus. In addition, drugs that block the influence of the parasympathetic nervous system (for example, Atropine) can also cause increased heart rate.
10. Pathology of the umbilical cord (two vessels in the umbilical cord, entanglement, etc.).
11. Acute intrauterine hypoxia can cause a sharp increase in the heart rate of the fetus.
12. Loss of umbilical cord loops.
13. Promotion intracranial pressure fetus

Reasons that cause a slow fetal heart rate (bradycardia):

• Prolonged stay of a woman in a supine position, in which compression of the inferior vena cava occurs.
• Taking medications that block the sympathetic nervous system, such as Propranolol.
• Severe disturbances of the acid-base balance in the fetal blood with serious metabolic disorders.
• Some anomalies in the development of the conduction system of the fetal heart.
• An increase in the concentration of potassium in the blood of the mother and child, which leads to heart rhythm disturbances and the appearance of bradycardia.
• Prolonged compression or knot of the umbilical cord.

Each of these reasons is very serious and often requires treatment, and in some cases even emergency delivery in the form of a cesarean section.

Is it possible to listen to the heartbeat at home?

Some parents wonder whether it is possible to hear the baby’s heartbeat at home, without turning to specialists, if they use a regular phonendoscope.

Along with traditional methods, various gadgets for pregnant women are gaining popularity, the essence of their work is generally similar

Of course, this method can be used. But be prepared for the fact that you won’t hear a heartbeat for up to a week. In addition, you will need to be able to distinguish other sounds from the fetal heart: pulsation of the abdominal aorta of a pregnant woman, intestinal peristalsis. On average, a baby's heart beats about 1.5-2 times faster than the mother's. For convenience, you can simultaneously count the woman’s pulse while listening, so as not to confuse the rhythms of her and the baby.

Determining the sex of a child by heartbeat: myth or reality?

There is a widespread stereotype among the population that by the frequency of the heartbeat you can find out in advance who will be born: a boy or a girl. It is believed that boys' hearts beat a little slower than girls'. But can we rely on this data with confidence?

It is no secret that many factors influence the heartbeat, for example:

• Motor activity of the baby;
• Time of day (sleep or wakefulness);
• Individual characteristics of the innervation of the heart muscle and the conduction system of the heart;
• The influence of hormonal factors;
• Maternal and fetal hemoglobin levels;
• The presence or absence of certain pathological conditions during pregnancy (hypoxia, severe gestosis, bleeding, Rh conflict, etc.).

example of heart rate sampling in fetuses - boys and girls. As you can see, the values ​​within gender are distributed without obvious patterns

Given so many factors that change heart rate, is it possible to evaluate heart rate from only one perspective - sex determination? Certainly not. Moreover, a study was conducted in which the gender of the child was determined solely by the nature of the heartbeat, and the reliability of this technique was only 50%, which means that it is equated to the banal theory of probability: option one of two. Thus, it is not possible to find out the sex of the child only by assessing cardiac activity.

Heart rate is an indicator of many processes occurring in the fetal body. The structure of the heart rhythm contains a large amount of information.

In fact, the heart rate reflects a complex of protective and adaptive reactions of the fetus to any influences and changes. Of course, assessment of cardiac activity during prenatal period extremely important. Availability large quantity techniques, as well as their availability, greatly simplify the process of monitoring the condition of the fetus.

Despite the development of complex, invasive techniques that make it possible to thoroughly study the condition of the fetus, their danger is sometimes very high and unjustified. For these reasons everything antenatal clinics, as well as maternity hospitals are equipped with cardiac monitors, ultrasound machines, and all obstetricians practically do not part with a stethoscope, because this allows them to properly monitor the baby’s heartbeat without harming him.