Hearing the whooshing sound of your developing baby s heartbeat is the best part of a prenatal appointment and a heartbeat on an early scan is one of the strongest indications that your baby is doing well.
Unborn baby heartbeat sound.
So if you go in for an appointment and the doctor cannot detect a heartbeat it s understandable if you re concerned.
It s a type of ultrasound that uses a handheld device to detect changes in movement that are translated as sound.
A basic stethoscope is one of the easiest ways to listen to the fetal heartbeat at home.
Simply place the stethoscope on your belly and listen.
Using a transvaginal ultrasound a developing baby s heartbeat should be clearly visible by the time a woman is seven weeks pregnant.
If you are less than seven weeks pregnant it s unlikely to find a heartbeat by ultrasound.
Abdominal ultrasound is considerably less sensitive so it can take longer for the heartbeat to become visible.
The sound of a fetal heartbeat is the sound baby.
When you are between 18 and 20 weeks pregnant the heartbeat should be strong enough for you to listen to with this method.
Studies have shown the sound of a fetal heartbeat can help baby to sleep.
A fetal doppler is a test that uses sound waves to check your baby s heartbeat.