FHR (Fetal Heart Rate) is the most important indicator to determine the health of the baby in the womb. This measurement can help doctors monitor the health of the fetus’ heart while in the womb.
In general, fetal heart rate beats begin to appear at 5 weeks of gestation. The fetal heart will beat spontaneously at that time. However, the fetal heartbeat can only be detected with an ultrasound device after the gestational age reaches 6-9 weeks.
Even though it can be detected using an ultrasound device, fetal heart sounds cannot always be heard. The reason is, the sound of the fetal heartbeat can usually only be heard from the ultrasound device at 10-12 weeks of gestation. The doctor will check the fetal heart activity every time the mother has a consultation or pregnancy check-up.
Getting to Know Normal Fetal Heart Rate, Read Here!
Normal fetal heart rate at the beginning of pregnancy ranges from 80-85 bpm (beats per minute). The number of fetal heartbeats will continue to increase by 3 seconds every day for one month since the heart first formed in the 5th week of pregnancy.
The following are the number of normal fetal heartbeats based on gestational age:
- Week 5-7 of pregnancy : The normal fetal heart rate at this age is still quite slow, namely 90-110 bpm.
- Weeks 8-12 of pregnancy : At this age, the normal fetal heart rate increases to 149 bpm to 170 bpm at 9 weeks of gestation. However, at week 12 the baby’s heart rate will decrease slightly.
- Weeks 13-26 of pregnancy : The average normal fetal heart rate at this age ranges from 110-160 bpm.
- Weeks 27-40 of pregnancy : during the last trimester of pregnancy, the normal fetal heart rate is around 110-160 bpm. The heart rate will slow down slightly in the last 10 weeks of pregnancy (30th to 40th week).
What If The Fetal Heartbeat Is Abnormal?
If the heartbeat is abnormal, there is a possibility of a decrease (deceleration) or increase (acceleration) of the fetal heart rate, this condition can indicate the presence of a certain medical condition in the fetus.
Several factors that cause the fetus to experience decelerations are:
- Early decelerations usually start before the peak of contractions and indicate that the baby’s head in the womb is experiencing pressure. The condition generally does not harm the fetus.
- Slow decelerations generally indicate that the baby in the womb is not receiving enough oxygen supply. In this condition, the doctor will usually recommend a caesarean section to the mother. If not born immediately, the baby is at risk of running out of oxygen due to continuous contractions.
- Variable decelerations, a drastic decrease in the fetal heart rate due to compression of the umbilical cord or disruption of the placenta which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the baby.
An increase in the baby’s heart rate or what is known as acceleration is a short-term increase in heart rate of at least 15 seconds per minute, which lasts at least 15 seconds. Most fetuses experience spontaneous acceleration at various points during pregnancy and labor.
Doctors may try to induce acceleration if they are concerned about the baby’s condition in the absence of acceleration. Doctors can trigger acceleration by:
- Slowly shake the mother’s stomach
- Press the baby’s head through the cervix with your finger
- Short vocal delivery (vibro acoustic stimulation)
- Give the mother food or fluids
If these techniques trigger an increase in the fetal heart rate, it is a sign that the baby is fine.
Important Tools For Checking Fetal Heartbeats Are Here!
For you or professional experts, you can check the fetal heart rate using a Fetal Doppler device. You can order directly from us, we provide various medical equipment. You can also order according to your needs.
You can order tools from us PT. Solo Abadi Indonesia by filling in the ask for price form, or you can also place an order via our WhatsApp. To order directly, you can go through our E-Catalog.
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