Does the fetus pulse appear after 40 days?

The process of fetal heart development develops during the fifth and sixth weeks of pregnancy, as certain cells within the fetal stem begin to show a palpitation-like movement. At this stage, the heart is shaped like a tube called the “developing heart tube,” and is still far from its final four-chambered form.

This tube goes through stages of bending and twisting to gradually form the heart in the shape we know. During these stages, devices used to monitor the fetus, such as ultrasound, may pick up signals that are interpreted as “pulses,” when in fact they are a translation of the electronic fetal heart activity.

It is important for the mother to be aware that these signals may not represent actual heartbeats until the fetal heart is fully developed, and as this development is complete, the presence of stable cardiac activity can be determined more clearly, which is known as the fetal heartbeat, which can be clearly heard in later periods of pregnancy.

Causes of delayed fetal heartbeat

In some cases, parents may become concerned if the fetal heartbeat is not detected in the expected period, and there are several factors that may lead to this:

First, the delayed appearance of the fetal heartbeat may be due to differences in calculations of the duration of pregnancy. The methods used to calculate weeks vary, as some calculate pregnancy from the beginning of the last menstrual period, which may make the pregnancy appear less than it actually is, and thus the heart may not have formed yet.

Secondly, in pregnancies where the woman has a retroverted uterus, locating the fetus and hearing its heartbeat becomes more complicated. The retroverted uterus is located far from the front wall of the abdomen, making the pulse difficult to detect in the early stages of pregnancy.

Third, the fetus may be in a position where it is difficult to detect its pulse by Doppler, especially when the fetus is small in the first weeks. The position taken by the fetus may prevent Doppler waves from reaching it directly.

Fourth, weight gain during pregnancy can affect the ability to hear the fetus's heartbeat. Fatty layers may prevent sound waves from arriving efficiently, necessitating the use of ultrasound imaging techniques to determine the pulse more accurately.

Fifth, the location of the placenta can also affect the ability to hear the fetal heartbeat. If the placenta is in the anterior portion of the uterus, a pulse may be difficult for the Doppler to detect, although a blood flow examination may give some indication of the presence of a pulse.

In all of these cases, it is important to receive advice and examination by a doctor to determine the next steps and ensure a healthy pregnancy.

Male fetal heartbeat

In a study of 966 women in the 477th week of pregnancy, researchers used ultrasound to determine the sex of the fetus, then repeated the examination between the 244th and 233th weeks. Of these, there were only XNUMX women that the researchers were able to study, and it turned out that XNUMX of them were carrying females, and XNUMX were carrying males.

The fetal heart rate has also been used as a means of estimating its sex, as research has shown that the average heart rate of male fetuses in the first trimester of pregnancy was 154.9 beats per minute, while the average heart rate of female fetuses in the first trimester was 151.7 beats per minute. However, this method has not been shown to be very effective in distinguishing between the sexes due to the similarity in their heart rates during this stage of pregnancy.

Fetal heart rate

During pregnancy, the fetal heartbeat undergoes clearly noticeable changes. In the initial weeks, the fetal heart rate is between 90 and 110 beats per minute, and as the stages of pregnancy progress, this rate gradually increases.

Normally, the fetal heart rate stays within the normal range, which ranges from 110 to 160 beats per minute. This rate is subject to change based on several factors and circumstances during pregnancy.

It is important to monitor the fetal heart rate; If the pulse turns out to be very low, very fast, or irregular, this may be considered an indication of a problem that may require careful medical follow-up. In these cases, doctors advise increasing medical visits to ensure the safety of the fetal heart and maintain a healthy pregnancy.