Fetal heartbeat at 10 weeks 164. How to determine from the fetal heartbeat whether a boy or a girl is expected? Why is the heart rhythm abnormal?

The fetal heart rate must be measured throughout pregnancy. Some women are diagnosed frequently, others less frequently, but in any case, measuring the fetal heart rate and knowing its rate is simply necessary. The pulse rate, its rhythm and character change throughout the entire period of pregnancy, so it is advisable to divide 40 weeks into intervals.

Fetal heart rate at 4-14 weeks of pregnancy

Although the myocardium begins to contract at 3 weeks after conception, it is not until the 6th obstetric week of pregnancy that you can hear your baby’s heart begin to beat on an ultrasound. At this moment, the normal rhythm is considered to be the number of beats equal to the mother's pulse (about 83 beats per minute + - 3). During this first month, the fetal heart rate will increase by 3 beats/min per day. During this period, the gestational age of the fetus can even be determined by heart rate.

By the beginning of the 9th week, the fetal heart rate is approximately 175 beats/min.

Such a difference in indicators indicates the development of that part nervous system, which is responsible for the functioning of internal organs.

Fetal heart rate at 15-42 weeks of pregnancy

During these periods, the location of the heart in the fetal chest, heart rate and their character will be checked using ultrasound.

The baby's heart rate will change throughout the prenatal period. The child is not constantly at rest: he moves, sleeps, yawns, etc. All these activities will naturally affect the circulatory system and heart rate respectively.

It should be borne in mind that the audibility of the heart rate depends on the position of the fetus (pelvic, head), position (how the baby is turned), the nature of the mother’s abdominal tissue, etc.

The norm in the second trimester is considered to be a heart rate of 140-160 beats per minute. A reading below 85 and above 200 is considered not normal and a diagnosis or disorder is made. The initial stage is indicated by a reading above 160 beats per minute. When a child experiences an acute lack of oxygen, the heart rate drops below 120 beats.

During childbirth

If the pregnancy is high-risk, then the fetal heart rate is monitored throughout the entire period of labor. In a full-term pregnancy, 140 beats per minute is considered normal; in a preterm pregnancy, about 155 beats per minute during labor. During childbirth, the number of contractions of the fetal heart is usually monitored using auscultation (listening with a special tube with an extension at the end). Some clinics use special sensors.

Fetal heart rate will be continuously measured during labor in the following cases:

in the presence of IUGR (developmental delay) of the fetus and chronic hypoxia;
if childbirth occurs earlier or later than expected;
multiple pregnancy during natural birth;
if epidural anesthesia is used;
if labor stimulants are used;
in the presence of chronic diseases in the mother (severe);
with gestosis.

How is heart rate measured?

To obtain accurate data regarding the fetal pulse rate, CTG, ECG, ultrasound and auscultation are used.

Ultrasound of the fetus and its heart

On early stages During pregnancy, a specialist will determine your heartbeat using a transvaginal sensor. Afterwards, the sound of the heart will be heard during diagnosis with a transabdominal sensor (the doctor runs it over the woman’s stomach).

A "four-chamber slice" of the fetal heart is used to determine developmental disorders. Often it is heart defects that cause a decrease or increase in heart rate. With this “cut”, the doctor clearly sees 2 atria and 2 ventricles of the fetus on an ultrasound.

If suspicions arise and the number of fetal heartbeats is not normal, additional research methods are prescribed.

ECG (echocardiography)

This diagnostic method is carried out according to indications if an ultrasound revealed abnormalities: intrauterine growth retardation, heart function does not correspond to norms, pathology of the heart structure or fetal development. With its help, you can check in detail the structure of the heart, the performance of all functions and the presence of blood flow disorders in all parts of the heart.

For ECG, two- and one-dimensional images and Doppler measurements are used. The most informative period is 18-28 obstetric weeks due to the sufficient level of AFI.

In addition to the referral after ultrasound, echocardiography will be prescribed for a woman if she is over 38 years old and has endocrine diseases ( diabetes) or cardiovascular (congenital heart disease - congenital heart disease, for example) systems. The gynecologist may also decide to conduct an ECG if during pregnancy the expectant mother suffered infectious diseases(especially severe) or she has children with congenital heart disease.

Auscultation of the fetal heart

In the early stages, this method is not used due to its ineffectiveness. But after 20 weeks, the gynecologist will definitely listen to the fetal heartbeat with a special tube (wooden, plastic or aluminum) during each examination. During the procedure, the expectant mother should lie on her back on the couch.

Every week the doctor will hear the fetal heartbeat more clearly among the sounds of the intestines or uterine vessels. Often the doctor has to look for the most favorable point for using auscultation, because the clarity of tones depends on the position of the fetus, its movements and placenta previa.

With the help of auscultation, you can guess how the baby is located in the womb. If the heartbeat is best heard at the level of the woman’s navel, then the baby is in a transverse position. If below the navel or on the left, then the baby is in a cephalic presentation. If above the navel - .

It is important that the gynecologist hears the rhythm of the knocking. If the heart rate is without rhythm, then one can suspect hypoxia (in this case, the beat still becomes muffled) or congenital heart disease.

Sometimes the doctor cannot listen to the heartbeat:

at or ;
If ;
with maternal obesity;
if the child is currently very active.

CTG (cardiotocography)

Around this time, a fairly effective method for diagnosing heart function - CTG - comes to the fore. This method is good because it simultaneously records the functioning of the vessels of the uterus and the fetus. If the pregnancy is completely healthy and the doctor does not suspect any abnormalities, then CTG may not be performed on the pregnant woman.

Procedure: 2 sensors are attached to the expectant mother’s stomach, with which she should remain for about an hour (sometimes 30 minutes is enough). CTG does not affect the health of the fetus or the woman’s condition in any way.

Cases when cardiotocography is mandatory:

increased maternal body temperature (above 38-38.5 degrees);
there is a scar on the uterus after surgical intervention;
a pregnant woman suffers from chronic endocrine or cardiovascular diseases ();
gestosis (late toxicosis with);
or post-term pregnancy;
during childbirth, used when stimulation of labor is prescribed;
oligohydramnios or polyhydramnios;
IUGR fetus (intrauterine growth retardation);
Dopplerometry revealed;
During auscultation, the gynecologist observes a slowdown, acceleration of the rhythm, and other disturbances.

If the fetal heart rate in response to uterine contractions becomes less frequent, this may indicate disturbances in the uteroplacental blood flow and fetal hypoxia. It is especially dangerous to reduce the frequency of contractions to 70 or less within 1 minute.

Fetal bradycardia

This complication is an abnormally low fetal heart rate, which is usually temporary. Symptoms of bradycardia: a decrease in heart rate to 110 or lower, as well as a slowdown in fetal activity, which can be seen on CTG.

Bradycardia is most often observed during childbirth, when a woman is taking analgesics, synthetic hormones, and drugs that are injected into the epidural space of the spinal cord to relieve pain.

Other causes of bradycardia include low blood pressure in a pregnant woman and umbilical cord compression. When the fetus does not receive enough oxygen, fetal distress occurs, resulting in a slow heart rate. When the expectant mother lies on her back, pressure is created that negatively affects a large blood vessel called the superior vena cava. This can slow down the flow of oxygen to the baby in the womb and lead to bradycardia. Many doctors recommend that women after the 2nd trimester avoid resting and sleeping on their backs; it is best to lie on their left side.

Also, fetal bradycardia can be caused by autoimmune diseases of the mother, gestosis, and anemia. In this case, treatment of the complication will lead to normalization of heart rate.

Reason This complication can also include congenital malformations. These may be structural abnormalities that can be refuted or confirmed by ECG.

Fetal tachycardia

Fetal tachycardia is not common - it occurs no more than 0.5-1% of all pregnancies that have been diagnosed.

Gestational age, duration of tachycardia, and the presence of cardiac dysfunction can help the doctor determine the nature of tachycardia.

Tachycardia can range from simple sinus to various “tachyarrhythmias.”

Causes:

on the maternal side: hyperthyroidism or medications taken;
from the fetus: intrauterine infection, hypoxia, fetal anemia, chromosomal abnormalities: trisomy 13 or Turner syndrome.

Treatment: the long-term prognosis with timely treatment is usually favorable, tachycardia disappears during the first year of the child’s life.

Oh yes, we almost forgot. It is impossible to determine the sex of a baby by its heartbeat, so don’t believe in old wives’ tales.

Every mother wants to hear the sound of her unborn baby’s heartbeat as soon as possible. Of course, this is one of the most pleasant and exciting experiences. After all, if you can hear the heart beating, it means that the fetus is growing.

But the sound of the fetal heart not only indicates that a new life is actively developing, but can also provide a lot of important information about the baby’s health.

The question of when a fetal heartbeat appears is relevant for every expectant mother, as is such an important point as fetal movement during pregnancy, the norm of which may be different for each woman. The heartbeat can also be heard for the first time at different times.

Women who are interested in how long the heartbeat appears should understand that the fetal heart does not start beating at once. When the formation of this organ begins, part of the tissue that will subsequently develop into the ventricles of the heart performs contractile movements. Of course, the period when the fetal heartbeat is heard on an ultrasound comes later.

The gynecologist will tell you at what week this sound is heard: it can sometimes be heard already in the very early stages. At what hCG whether a heartbeat is heard and how long it is “visible” on an ultrasound also depends on the power of the device used for the study. Using a regular abdominal ultrasound probe, the doctor can hear heartbeats as early as 5 weeks. And with the help of a vaginal sensor, beats can be heard already at 3-4 weeks, that is, immediately after the fetal heart begins to beat.

The heart rate depends on what week the heart beats. It is different at different stages of pregnancy.

When the period is 6 weeks - 8 weeks, the fetal heart rate is 110-130 beats per minute.
In the period from 8 to 11 weeks - heart rate can increase to 190 beats.
Already from 11 weeks the frequency is 140-160 beats.

The table below shows the heart rate at different stages of gestation. It is very easy to understand how many beats per minute the baby’s heart should beat during different periods of pregnancy.

Fetal heart rate table by week:

Those who are interested in the table of fetal heart rate by week by gender of the child should know that both girls and boys have the same heartbeat.

The doctor evaluates not only the fetal heartbeat by week, but also additional factors, such as the child’s activity phase, diseases of the mother and fetus, the time when the frequency is determined, etc.

If the normal fetal heartbeat is disrupted by week, this may be due to for various reasons.

Why is the heart rhythm abnormal?

If heart rate is less than 120 beats per minute

The causes of a weak heartbeat in the early stages may be due to various reasons. It can be fixed for a short period of time - up to 4 weeks. At week 6, the embryo's pulse can be 100-120 beats. A pulse of 130 beats also indicates that everything is fine with the baby. But if a very low heart rate is recorded, less than 80 beats, then there is a risk of pregnancy loss.
If an ultrasound at 12 weeks or more shows a low heart rate, this may be due to chronic hypoxia fetusA or his reaction to the fact that the umbilical cord is being squeezed. If the heartbeat is 120 beats per minute, the doctor should tell you what to do, based on the research results.
Before birth, a weak rhythm may be evidence of acute or chronic fetal hypoxia, as well as compression of the umbilical cord during contractions.

If your heart rate exceeds 160 beats per minute

In the first weeks of pregnancy, this is usually normal, but in some cases it indicates a placentation disorder.
After 12 weeks of pregnancy, the fetus may react in this way to its own movements or to the stress experienced by the mother.
fetus in later stages may be a consequence of chronic fetal hypoxia or a reaction to movement or contraction.

Sounds are dull, tones are hard to hear

If listening is carried out in pregnant women in the early stages, this may indicate that the period is too short, or the study is carried out with a faulty sensor, or the listening device is outdated. This is also possible if the mother has . But also hard-to-hear tones in the early stages may be evidence that the baby has blood vessels.
After 12 weeks, muffled tones can be heard if the mother is obese, as well as feto-placental insufficiency , presentation (if the placenta is located on the anterior wall), oligohydramnios or polyhydramnios. Sometimes dull tones are recorded if the position of the baby in the womb is inconvenient for listening. However, heart or vascular defects are also possible.
In late tones, this phenomenon indicates that active contractions have begun or fetal hypoxia is noted.

No heartbeat

At the earliest stages, the sound of a heartbeat is absent if the period during listening is very short, or an outdated sensor is used. However, sometimes this is evidence that the pregnancy has stopped or is beginning.
For a period of 12 weeks or more, as well as in the last weeks, the absence of a heart sound can either be evidence of an incorrect place of auscultation or a breakdown of the CTG sensor, or indicate that something has happened antenatal fetal death .

The presence of a heartbeat and the rate of fetal heartbeat are determined during pregnancy for a specific purpose.

To determine that pregnancy is progressing

After the expectant mother takes a pregnancy test and it comes back positive, the woman goes to the hospital to have an ultrasound scan. Modern ultrasound machines make it possible to hear the heartbeat of the embryo already during the first examination - at 4-5 weeks. But if you can’t hear the baby’s heart at the first ultrasound, you shouldn’t panic. As a rule, when the procedure is repeated, you can hear the expected sound. However, sometimes a heartbeat does not appear, and the fertilized egg becomes deformed. This condition is defined as frozen pregnancy. In such a situation, medical termination of pregnancy is performed using special drugs. If such a situation occurs, then the woman is not recommended to become pregnant for about six months after this.

To assess fetal development

There are clear indicators of what is considered normal heartbeat at what stage. That is, a normal heartbeat per minute is determined depending on the period of development of the baby. The embryo's heart reacts to any changes in the world that surrounds it. After all, stress or illness of the mother directly affects children. Also, the rate of heart beats per minute varies depending on the period of activity or sleep of the fetus. The level of oxygen in the air also affects the heart rate. However, any disturbances associated with exposure to such factors are temporary.

If the heart rate is too high for a long time, the doctor may suspect a disturbance in the blood supply to the fetus, the so-called fetoplacental insufficiency . As a rule, this condition is chronic. Sometimes, when the child's compensatory capabilities are depleted, the heart rate is too slow. This indicates that the condition of the fetus has worsened. In such a situation, a decision is sometimes made to perform an emergency delivery. The doctor takes into account what the heartbeat should be in which week, and when exactly the pathology appeared, determines the treatment tactics.

Determination of fetal condition during labor

During childbirth, the baby experiences very strong stress, lack of oxygen and compression. If everything goes well, then his heart and blood vessels cope normally with such loads. However, sometimes emergency conditions occur, e.g. placental abruption , umbilical cord clamping , which require fast health care. That is why during childbirth the doctor determines how many beats the heart rate is after each contraction, so as not to miss the development of an acute lack of oxygen.

Ultrasonography

The first method to determine whether the heart rate is normal or not is an ultrasound examination. During an ultrasound, together with an assessment of the heartbeat, the doctor assesses the condition of the placenta and the size of the fetus.

The sounds of the heart are listened to very carefully, and its structure is studied if the woman has already given birth to children with vascular and heart defects. If the mother suffered infectious diseases during pregnancy, special attention is paid to the work and structure of the heart.

If necessary, an ultrasound of the fetal heart is performed during pregnancy. At what time to do an ultrasound of the fetal heart is determined by the doctor. The most optimal time to study echo CG is 12 weeks. But a woman can conduct an echocardiography at her own request to make sure that everything is fine with the child.

This method involves listening to heart sounds using a special obstetric stethoscope. True, the answer to the question of whether it is possible to hear a heartbeat in the early stages with a stethoscope is negative. The period when you can hear with a stethoscope is 18-20 weeks. An experienced doctor can determine a number of indicators using such a device. He will listen to the approximate rate at which the heart beats, determine the clarity of the tones and find the place where they are heard best. The algorithm for listening to the fetal heartbeat and determining heart rate is simple: this can be done using a stopwatch.

But sometimes auscultation with a stethoscope is difficult or even impossible. This is likely if the mother is very heavy, if the placenta is located on the anterior wall of the uterus (in this case, the noise of the vessels interferes), if there is very little or a lot of amniotic fluid.

Cardiotocography (CTG)

This is an informative method with which you can evaluate the fetal heartbeat. This procedure makes it possible to determine the oxygen starvation of the fetus in the early stages and promptly eliminate this problem.

A CTG machine is an ultrasound sensor that sends and receives reflected signals from the heart. In this case, all rhythm changes are recorded on tape. During the procedure, the doctor installs not only the main sensor, but also a uterine contraction sensor, with which you can determine the activity of the uterus. The most modern devices have fetal movement sensors, and sometimes there is a special button so that the woman herself can record the movements.

The entire process of CTG examination takes about 60 minutes. During this period, in most cases, it is possible to record the period of sleep and activity of the fetus. But sometimes there is a need to examine the condition of the fetus throughout the day. Then the sensors attached to the stomach are left for a day.

Heart rate analysis is carried out taking into account the stage of pregnancy at which the study was carried out. The first CTG is performed at 32 weeks. If it is carried out earlier, at 30 weeks or even earlier, the results will be uninformative. When the 31st week passes, a relationship is formed between cardiac activity and fetal motor activity.

Most often, a pregnant woman undergoes this test twice – at 32 weeks and before giving birth. This procedure does not harm either the woman or the baby, so it can be performed as many times as needed.

A specialist deciphers the CTG tape and compares the results with test and ultrasound data. However, cardiotocography is not a source of definitive diagnosis.

What is a “good” CTG

“Good” CHT is considered if the indicators are as follows:

Normal heart rate is from 120 to 160 beats per minute;
when the baby moves, the heart rate increases;
There is no decrease in heart rate or it is observed very rarely and in small quantities.

The device analyzes these indicators and, based on its results, issues a special PSP index. If the condition of the fetus is normal, then this index is not more than one.

However, it must be taken into account that a variety of factors influence how a child’s heart works. And only a specialist can evaluate them correctly.

Why is a “bad” CTG determined?

Most often, changes on CTG are determined if fetal hypoxia . An increase in heart rate is characteristic of a condition when the fetus does not have enough oxygen, and the heart is forced to work very intensely.
When a contraction or movement occurs, the baby's heart rate may slow down, which is not normal.
Short changes on the tape are recorded if the umbilical cord is pressed against the fetal head. In this case, the results look the same as with oxygen starvation, but the baby feels normal.
If the sensors were not attached correctly, the results obtained may also be “bad”.

If detected hypoxia When listening to the fetal heartbeat, the doctor conducts additional studies to confirm or refute the diagnosis. If hypoxia is confirmed, treatment is carried out, or the doctor decides on emergency delivery.

Echocardiography

Echocardiography is used if there is suspicion of heart defects in the fetus at 18-28 weeks of pregnancy. Using this method, you can determine the structural features of the heart and blood flow. This procedure is carried out in the following cases:

the expectant mother already has children diagnosed with heart defects;
infectious diseases were suffered during pregnancy, especially in the first weeks;
the mother has congenital heart defects;
the expectant mother is over 38 years old;
The woman is diagnosed with;
intrauterine growth retardation is noted;
the fetus has malformations in other organs, and there is a possibility of developing birth defects hearts.

This method is used both as a two-dimensional ultrasound and using other modes of an ultrasound scanner: Doppler mode, one-dimensional ultrasound. With this combination of techniques, it becomes possible to carefully study the structure of the heart and the features of blood flow.

Is it possible to determine the sex of a child by heartbeat?

Many women at a certain period of pregnancy are actively worried about how to determine the sex of the child by the fetal heartbeat. Indeed, among pregnant women and even among some medical workers, “there is a legend” that such a determination is possible, as well as the assumption that the size of the fetus can help determine who will be born - a boy or a girl.

It is believed that girls' hearts beat faster, and at 13 weeks or later their heart rate is up to 160 times per minute. According to this “belief,” boys’ heartbeat is 135-150 beats. But those who actively ask doctors questions: “How to find out the sex of a child by heartbeat at 12 weeks” or “At what age is this possible”, you need to take into account that such a method is not scientifically based. Although there is an opinion that this method is only relevant up to 20 weeks.

The question of how many weeks it is possible to determine the sex of a child in this way is not relevant in principle, and heart rate is not a determining indicator. After all, it is possible to determine whether a boy or a girl is a boy or a girl by frequency only with an accuracy of 50%.

True, there is an opinion that in this case the fetal heartbeat is also important. Some “experts” claim that in boys it is more rhythmic, and in girls it is more chaotic.

There is one more sign: in boys, the heart rhythm coincides with the rhythm of their mother, but in girls it does not. But all these methods have nothing to do with medicine. After all, heart rate reflects the fetus’s ability to overcome a lack of oxygen, and not gender. Therefore, for mothers who begin to “guess” the gender immediately when the embryo’s heart begins to beat, it is better to get a high-quality ultrasound from a good specialist who will help find out the baby’s gender with high accuracy.

Is it possible to hear heartbeats with a phonendoscope? Those who are interested in how to listen to the heartbeat at home can use several methods. You can hear this sound, pleasant for parents, at home using a stethoscope, a portable device - a fetal doppler, and, finally, simply by placing your ear to your tummy.

How to listen to the heartbeat at home will be discussed below. After all, there is no need to visit a antenatal clinic for this. If the expectant mother and her entourage have experience, the heart can be heard earlier. After all, a more experienced woman notices fetal movement earlier during her second pregnancy. The normal heart rate, however, must be monitored by a doctor.

Using a stethoscope

You can listen to the heart using an ordinary obstetric stethoscope. It is necessary to purchase an obstetric tube and use someone's help. Of course, it will not be possible to listen to a fetus at 12 weeks of pregnancy at home. If this person does not have experience, then it will not be possible to hear anything earlier than 25 weeks. But if the fetus is listened to at 30 weeks, then it is much easier to hear the beats. You just need to practice a little and get the hang of it. In this case, it is necessary to clearly distinguish what it is - the pulse, the peristalsis of the pregnant woman, the movements of the fetus, or its heartbeat.

Using fetal doppler

If you wish, you can buy a special device - a fetal doppler. This is a portable ultrasound detector that works like a regular CTG machine, but the image is not captured on film. Sometimes headphones are included so you can hear sounds clearly. With the help of Doppler, you can hear heart sounds starting at 8 weeks. However, it is better to start using this device a little later. It is important that the study itself does not last longer than ten minutes.

The advantages of this device include the ability to listen to the heartbeat in the early stages, as well as ease of use and the ability of a woman to do this without help.

The disadvantages of using Doppler are its high cost and limitations in use. In addition, this device should not be used without measure.

Putting your ear to your stomach

Sometimes you can hear the heart just by putting your ear to your tummy. This is possible in the last weeks of gestation. However, a positive result can only be obtained if the expectant mother does not have too much fat.

You need to listen to the heart in a certain place in the abdomen, depending on how the baby is positioned. If it lies head down, then you need to listen to the heartbeat below the woman’s navel. If the baby's head is at the top, then it is advisable to listen to the tones above the mother's navel. During multiple pregnancies, the heartbeat of each fetus can be heard in different places.

conclusions

Thus, heart rate is a very important indicator of child development. monitored by a doctor during pregnancy. Expectant mothers should know that severe heart pathologies are very rare, and in most cases, babies are born healthy. But, nevertheless, it is important to regularly undergo all tests and monitor your heartbeat. The rate of beats per minute in women and children are important indicators, and the doctor takes this into account. But the expectant mother herself should be very careful about her own health and “listen” to the baby.

Heart rate is an integral indicator, which is influenced by many factors: blood oxygen saturation, hemoglobin level, anatomical features heart, the effects of hormones and the autonomic nervous system. That is why by the nature of the fetal heartbeat one 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 and 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 does not even suspect a 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 heart of the embryo 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 (chorionic gonadotropin) over time, after 2-3 days. At week 5, the level of this hormone ranges from 1000 to 3100 mIU/ml. When normal developing pregnancy in the early stages, the hCG level doubles every 2-3 days. But you need to know that the determination of hCG is reliable only up to the 10th week of pregnancy, because at later stages 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

A very important aspect in assessing the cardiac activity of the embryo is knowledge of 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:

Week of pregnancy	Fetal heart rate by week	Determination methods
5	90-110	-
6-7	100-130	Ultrasound diagnostics
8-9	130-150
10-11	130-160
12-13	140-170
14-15	140-180
16-17	140-170
18-19	130-170
20-21	140-170
22-23	130-160	Cardiotocography, ultrasound
24-40	120-160	Ultrasound diagnostics, CTG Listening with a stethoscope (heartbeat can be heard from 27-28 weeks of pregnancy)

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 most accessible way to 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: they 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:

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, no earlier than 27-28 weeks 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 the heartbeat even later, at 29-30 weeks. 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

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 is very good because the recording can be quite long (about an hour, more if necessary), and you can 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:

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,” which can cause fetal arrhythmias.
The ultrasound sensor is placed on the anterior abdominal wall of the pregnant woman in the place where the heartbeat can best be 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.
It is better to install a sensor for recording tone in the fundus of the uterus.
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 ones occurred at rest. This technique is called a non-stress test, since in response to fetal movement, the rhythm normally increases.
The cardiotocograph is also equipped with sound devices, with the help of which a woman can hear the heartbeat of her baby. In most cases, it has a calming effect on pregnant women.
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.
This method can be used from 22-23 weeks of pregnancy.
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, 21-23 weeks, 31-32 weeks).

Heart rate assessment is carried out in conjunction with other important studies. However, if necessary, you can examine the frequency of heart contractions, as well as conduct certain non-stress tests more often (for example, in case of 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 involves ultrasound recording of heart activity over a long period of time (at least 60 minutes).

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

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

Causes of fetal heart rhythm disturbances

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

Factors leading to rapid heartbeat (tachycardia):

at the mother's.
A decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the fetus (for example, with) causes an acceleration of blood flow, as well as a compensatory reaction in the form of tachycardia.
Placental insufficiency.
Bleeding in the mother (for example, due to placental abruption).
Increased temperature in a pregnant woman (febrile state).
Inflammatory process in the membranes (amnionitis).
Taking some medicines. 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.
Pathology of the umbilical cord (, entanglement, etc.).
Acute intrauterine hypoxia can cause a sharp increase in the fetal heart rate to 200-220 per minute.
Loss of umbilical cord loops.
Increased fetal pressure.

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 drugs 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 fetal developmental anomalies.
in the blood of 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 will not hear a heartbeat until 21-22 weeks. 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 level;
The presence or absence of certain pathological conditions during pregnancy (hypoxia, severe gestosis, bleeding, Rh conflict, etc.).

An 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 in the prenatal period is extremely important. The presence of a large number of techniques, as well as their accessibility, greatly simplifies 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.

When a representative of the fairer sex receives a positive pregnancy test, she has a number of questions and doubts. So, a woman thinks about how quickly her tummy will grow. The expectant mother is interested in her own well-being. Another important issue that worries a woman is determining the sex of her unborn baby. Will it be a boy or a girl? This article will tell you about how gender determination is carried out. You will learn the peculiarities of the rhythm of muscle contractions in boys and girls. It is also worth saying that at 12 weeks it is determined more accurately than earlier or later.

Gender of the child: general description of formation

At the moment of fertilization of the egg, only one sperm penetrates into its cavity. It can carry sex gametes with an X or Y chromosome. Accordingly, the gender of the future baby is determined already at this moment. During this period, the embryo has not yet fully formed, and you will not be able to determine its gender.

Around this time, reproductive organs begin to form. Girls and boys look the same at this moment. However, in the future there will be a major transformation and completely distinct genitals will appear.

Determining the sex of a child by heartbeat in the womb

To begin with, it’s worth saying what meanings exist and how this affects the baby’s gender.

Rhythm of contractions. The boys can boast of a measured and clear rhythm. Their heart beats smoothly and evenly. In future girls, the muscle contracts chaotically and excitedly. It seems that girls are more emotional individuals even in the womb.

Dependence on maternal pulse. There is an opinion that a boy’s heart beats not only clearly and monotonously, but also much louder. Also, all contractions coincide with the maternal pulse. Girls have no dependence on the beat of their mother’s heart. The tones of muscle contractions of future daughters are more muffled and not as clear.

Belly side. There is a version that the boy’s heart beats on the left. If the sound comes from the right, then most likely a girl will be born.

truth or myth?

Is it possible to believe the above-described pattern? Many people use this method in order to find out who will be born to them as early as possible. However, the probability of a correct answer is only 50%.

Doctors argue that research in this way is nothing more than simple entertainment. This technique is not officially recognized and has no substantiated confirmation.

How can you calculate your heart rate?

So, you already know how to determine the sex of a child by heartbeat. The options proposed above can be grouped and combined with each other. However, to draw any conclusion, you must first count the baby in the womb. This manipulation can be carried out in several ways:

using a stethoscope (this option is suitable for measurements after 12 weeks of pregnancy, when the reproductive organ leaves the pelvis);
using a tube (this method is used after 20 weeks of pregnancy, when the fetus is already quite large);
cardiotocography apparatus (research and measurements are made after 30 weeks of pregnancy);
using Doppler (the device is used after 15 weeks of child development and looks like a miniature ultrasound machine);
during an ultrasound (diagnosis can be carried out in the earliest stages of pregnancy).

How to determine the gender of a baby at 12 weeks?

If you want to find out the sex of the baby by heartbeat at 12 weeks, then you need to do an ultrasound examination. During diagnostics, the specialist can turn on the sound of the device. This will allow you not only to calculate the number of contractions, but also to hear them.

The doctor can also display a curved line of the cardiogram on the screen. A special program measures and counts heartbeats. The operation of the technique allows us to avoid errors that could occur when counting blows by a person. So, how to determine the gender of the baby by heartbeat at 12 weeks?

What is typical for girls? During this period, the frequency of muscle contractions ranges from 150 to 170 beats per minute. The knocks are quick and muffled. The rhythm is chaotic and you have a hard time catching the monotony. Also, an experienced specialist may have his own ways of determining the sex of the baby by the sound of his heart.

What is typical for boys? The heartbeat is observed from 120 to 140 times per minute. The sound produced is clear and loud. The contractions are more like the beating of an adult human heart. A special rhythm is also determined. When the blood pressure rises or the mother becomes agitated, the baby’s heart begins to beat faster. This pattern is present in most cases.

Summing up and a short conclusion

So, now you know how to determine the sex of a baby by heartbeat at 12 weeks. Remember that as the period increases, the number of muscle contractions gradually decreases. By the time of birth it reaches 100-120 beats per minute.

Also, measuring too early can lead you to an erroneous result. In the period from 8 to 10 weeks of development of the baby, his heart can beat at a frequency of up to 180 beats per minute. At the same time, boys are practically no different from girls.

Remember that an ultrasound examination, which is carried out afterwards, will help to more accurately determine the sex of the unborn child. That is why you should not be too trusting of all methods early diagnosis gender of the child. Good luck to you and the birth of healthy children!

While expecting the birth of a child, future parents strive to find out its gender as quickly as possible. You can guess by listening to the fetal heartbeat whether it is a boy or a girl, which one is inside. The embryo's heart begins to beat in the 2nd month of pregnancy. The heart rhythm is regularly listened to by the gynecologist observing the pregnant woman.

How to find out the gender of a child by the nature of the heartbeat?

Experienced midwives and gynecologists are able to determine with a high degree of probability the gender of the unborn child by the nature of its heartbeat:

1. Heart rate. In a male fetus, the heart muscle contracts less frequently than in girls. If the heart beats less than 140 times within one minute, most likely a boy is developing in the womb. When the heart muscle contracts more than 140 times per minute, the pregnant woman is carrying a girl. The reliability of such testing is highest around the 20th week of pregnancy. In later pregnancy, a heart rate greater than 150 beats per minute is a reliable sign of the development of a female infant. If the readings are below 130 beats per minute, you can prepare for the birth of your son. However, if the fetal heart rate is in the range of 130-150, the probability of having a boy or girl is 50%. The difference in the number of heart beats per minute between boys and girls persists until childbirth.
2. The rhythm of heartbeats. In boys, the heart muscle contracts calmly, monotonously and clearly. It is believed that the heartbeat of a male fetus resembles that of its mother. In girls, rhythm is not as pronounced as in boys. Subtle slowdowns and accelerations in heart rate may occur.
3. Experienced gynecologists determine the sex of the fetus by the place where sounds are best heard. The heartbeat is best heard in the immediate vicinity of the baby's heart - the source of sound waves. If the heart beats clearly on the left side of a pregnant woman's belly, she is carrying a boy. If sounds are more pronounced on right side belly, a girl will be born.
4. Pitch of heartbeat sounds. The sound of a heartbeat in a male fetus is louder and more distinct. The girl's heartbeat is accompanied by slightly muffled and less distinct sounds.

Changes in heart rate during pregnancy

At different stages of development, the baby's heart rate changes.

The first heartbeats can be recorded in the fifth week of pregnancy.

Immediately after its formation, the heart muscle does not obey the child’s nervous system, so the heartbeat can be chaotic. At 5-6 weeks of pregnancy, the fetal heart beats about 80 beats per minute. By the 7-8th week, the heart rate gradually increases to 150-170 beats per minute. In the 9th week, the contraction speed can reach 195 beats per minute.

From the 10th week, the heart muscle begins to receive signals from the vagus nerve. Under their influence, the activity of the organ slows down and is streamlined. The heart rate usually does not exceed 120-140 beats per minute.

Determining the sex of a baby by heartbeat at 12 weeks and earlier is difficult. At the initial stage of development, the differences between the activity of the heart muscle of fetuses of different sexes are insignificant.

After the 18th week, the heart speeds up and begins to beat at an average speed of 130-150 beats per minute. The acceleration is associated with the development of the fetal autonomic nervous system. After the 27th week, the formation of sympathetic innervation of the heart ends. From this point on, the heart rate may speed up slightly.

Factors influencing fetal heart rate

It is difficult to determine the sex of a child by the nature of the heartbeat, since various factors can affect the functioning of the heart.

The heart rate depends on whether the baby is awake or asleep. During wakefulness and active movements, the number of heartbeats of the child increases due to the predominance of signals emanating from the sympathetic part of the nervous system. An active child's heart beats faster than a calm child's. Fetal activity can be recognized by characteristic sounds. However, an awake child in a calm state can be mistaken for sleeping. In a sleeping child, the decrease in heart rate is caused by the predominance of signals coming from the vagus nerve.

The rate of contraction of the heart muscle depends on its characteristics. A rapid heart rate may be due to heredity. A slow rhythm may be observed due to delayed development of the fetal cardiovascular system. Changes in the rhythm of heart beats cause pathologies of the heart muscle.

The tone of the uterus affects the baby's heart rate. When the uterus is toned, uncontrolled contractions of the organ occur. During contractions, a spasm occurs in the blood vessels located in the thickness of the walls of the uterus. The spasm causes a deterioration in uteroplacental blood flow. As a result, the fetus receives less nutrients and oxygen than it needs. Moderate hypoxia leads to a slowdown or acceleration of the heart rate.

Muffled heartbeat sounds can be caused by polyhydramnios, high weight of the pregnant woman, or the placement of the placenta on the anterior wall of the uterus.

A slow or fast heartbeat, as well as muffled sounds, can be caused by chronic oxygen deficiency in the fetus or fetal weakness. The weakness of the baby is due to anemia of the pregnant woman.

The fetal heart rate is affected by the condition of the mother. If she is very worried or in a stressful situation, her baby's heart will beat faster. The emotions that a pregnant woman experiences are transmitted to her baby. The stress hormone cortisol, produced in her body, enters the blood of the fetus. In late pregnancy, the baby can produce cortisol itself, increasing the mother's stress response.

Listening technique

With the help of an ordinary wooden tube, fetal heartbeats can be clearly heard already at 18-20 weeks of pregnancy. The wooden tube is called a stethoscope. It has a funnel-shaped depression at one end. This end of the stethoscope is applied to the pregnant woman's stomach. The doctor places the other end with a flat circle to his ear. Clear rhythmic beats are heard through the abdominal wall, reminiscent of the clatter of a galloping horse's hooves. Those listening to a child's heart for the first time may be intimidated by the rapid pace of its contractions. However, a rapid heartbeat is normal for the fetus.

The heartbeat sounds against the background of the noise of amniotic fluid and the slight whistling of blood pumping through the vessels. Dull and soft sounds of fetal movements may be heard. If the baby hiccups, the doctor will hear periodically repeated paired beats. Listening is called auscultation. To reliably determine the characteristics of the fetal heartbeat, the doctor looks for the most suitable place for auscultation.

The first heartbeats at the very beginning of pregnancy can only be recognized using ultrasound equipment. The ultrasound machine will determine the exact number of beats per minute. During an ultrasound examination, you can hear the baby's heartbeat. This will allow you to evaluate the tone and rhythm of heart contractions. In the last months of pregnancy, the functioning of the fetal organ is studied using an echocardiograph. During childbirth, a cardiotocograph is used.

You can determine the frequency and pattern of the fetal heartbeat at home without outside help using a portable fetal doppler. The device looks like a player. Headphones are used for listening. At periods up to 10 weeks, it is difficult to independently receive a signal due to the anatomy of the embryo. At later stages, the passage of sound may be obstructed by parts of the fetal body. During the procedure, you need to move the sensor smoothly.

To determine the nature of the fetal heartbeat and guess its gender, listening alone is not enough. It is necessary to measure the heart rate repeatedly. Measurements of heart rate at 18-22 weeks of pregnancy are especially indicative.