Please see the images below of a Pinard stethoscope (left image) and where it may be You will not hear anything yourself if a Pinard is used as only the midwife using the Pinard will be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat. One end is placed on your abdomen and the midwife will place their ear on the other end to hear your baby’s heartbeat. Images used with kind permission from Huntleigh Healthcare Ltd.Ī Pinard stethoscope is a non-electrical device. Please see the images below of a handheld doppler (left image) and where it may be placed on your abdomen (right image). It is waterproof and can be used in a birthing pool. You will then hear your baby’s heartbeat through the device’s speaker. a) With a handheld doppler or a Pinard stethoscopeĪ handheld doppler (often called a Sonicaid) is a battery operated ultrasound device that is placed on your abdomen (stomach). There are different devices we can use to listen to your baby’s heartbeat they are described below with photos of each device and explanations of how they are used in both pregnancy and in labour. How do we listen to your baby’s heartbeat and when will you Fetal monitoring might help detect changes in your baby’s normal heartbeat It does not predict birth outcomes but gives us a snapshot of how your baby is at that moment. What is fetal monitoring and why is it offered?įetal monitoring is a way of assessing your baby’s wellbeing by monitoring their heartbeat. If you have any further questions, please speak to a midwife or doctor caring for you. And yes, gender cannot be predicted with the help of FHR, so don’t believe in old wives’ tales.ĭisclaimer: This HerHaleness article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.This information explains how we assess your baby’s heartbeat in pregnancy and labour. Instead of worrying about the health of the baby, it is always better to consult your doctor if you have any doubts. It is normal if you notice different rates at different periods of time, during a day. FHR measured while resting and FHR during other activities can be different. It is necessary for the mothers to know that the fetal heart rate varies naturally during movements of the mother. So, FHR is used to estimate the age of the fetus. The pattern of increase in the FHR is fixed. The normal FHR range after 12th week is 120-160 bpm. Then it increases at an amazing rate, at about 3 beats per minute per day until the early 9th week! Then again, it settles down to about 150 bpm (average) at around 12th week. Initially, during the 5th week, the FHR is almost the same as the mother’s resting heart rate (80-85 beats per minute or bpm). The FHR is quite faster than the heart rate of an adult. The way FHR is measured may change from country to country.įetal heart starts beating at around 5th week. Mothers of different races may notice different heart rates as the rate of growth of the fetus may vary slightly, depending upon certain genetic factors.

FHR, as high as 180 or as low as 100 can be considered normal, as the average rate varies from fetus to fetus, and keeps on falling and rising during pregnancy. Some placental or umbilical cord problems, excessive physical exertion by the mother, mental stress, genetic problems or any other complications can lead to low or high FHR in early pregnancy or in latter half of the pregnancy. Unusually low or high FHR is one of the main fetal distress symptoms. If the baby’s heartbeat is not audible for a week or more, miscarriage is likely to happen. A fetal heart rate range of 100-160 is considered as normal. If the heartbeat of the fetus is normal, chances of miscarriage are very low. It should be kept in mind that audibility of the heart rate of the fetus depends upon the position of the fetus, and the position and the nature of the abdominal tissues of the mother, etc. The heart rate of a fetus in case of a full-term pregnancy is around 140 beats/minute (average FHR) during labor while the heart rate of a preterm fetus may be around 155 beats/minute during labor. In high risk pregnancies, FHR is monitored during labor. The FHR slows down slightly during the last (third) trimester before labor, but still, it is about twice the heart rate of an adult. During the third trimester, it is comparatively stable. The above chart describes how the heart rate of the fetus changes in the first and second trimesters. 2 mm embryo and gestational sac diameter of 20 mmĥ mm embryo and gestational sac diameter of 30 mm

Normal fetal heart rate at 6 weeks