The development of the fetal heart from the first to the third trimester

For expectant parents, one of the most intimate moments during pregnancy is hearing the heartbeat of the baby in the womb. Well, you already know what stage of fetal heart development is in the womb? Here are the steps you need to learn.

Fetal heart development at every stage

The following are the stages of fetal heart development in the womb:

Stage one fetal heart development, tube formation and heart rate

Quoting from What To Expect, at the gestational age of a month or 4 weeks after conception, generally the fetal heartbeat cannot be heard even though the heart has begun to develop.

Keep in mind, at this stage of development, a liver tube that becomes the embryo of the fetal heart will divide to form two parts, the heart and the valve.

Well, at the 5th week of pregnancy, usually the sound of the fetal heartbeat can be heard. If you can't hear the heart yet, that's okay and don't worry. I

This is because usually the new heartbeat will be heard clearly after entering the 12th week of gestation.

Meanwhile, at the 6th week of gestation, the development of the fetal heart reaches the formation of 4 heart cavities, namely the venous sinus, primitive atrium, primitive ventricle and bulbous cord. Usually the fetal heart will beat for 110 beats per minute.

At weeks 9 and 10, the fetal heart rate will increase to 150-170 beats per minute. This is almost double the heart rate of a normal adult.

However, after weeks 9 and 10, the fetal heart rate will range from 110-160 beats per minute.

This is when your doctor or midwife usually starts placing a handheld ultrasound (ultrasound) device called a doppler on your abdomen to confirm and record the sound of the fetus beating.

Stage two fetal heart development, ultrasound examination and congenital heart defects

In stage two, examination of fetal heart development has reached ultrasound tests and congenital heart defects. The following are the details of the examination according to the age of the womb for each trimester:

First trimester

Sometimes between 6 and 9 weeks of gestation, the doctor will perform an ultrasound on the pregnant woman's abdomen. This is done as a confirmation of pregnancy or an estimate of the due date of delivery in this first trimester.

If the growth and development of the fetal heart is in good condition, pregnant women will hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time at 9 weeks of gestation. The fetal heart rate is about 170 beats per minute.

Second trimester

Meanwhile, during the second trimester ultrasound, the doctor will examine the structure of the baby's heart and see if there is a problem (known as a congenital heart defect) or not and if it can be treated.

About 36,000 babies (or 9 out of every 1,000 babies) born each year have congenital heart defects. However, not all congenital heart defects can also be detected since the baby is still in the womb.

However, the detection of heart defects in babies is very useful for doctors in determining which place or heart hospital can be used as a place of delivery according to the medical problems that your baby is experiencing.

The good news is that most congenital heart defects can be corrected and managed if detected early and treated regularly.

If your child has a congenital heart defect, the child will need to visit a cardiologist regularly from childhood to adulthood.

Third trimester

The development of the fetal heart is quite mature at this time. However, the baby's circulatory system will continue to run slowly and steadily until 40 weeks of gestation.

Uniquely, the circulatory system when they are fetuses and after they are born is different. While in the womb, the baby will breathe through the mother's oxygen which is circulated through the blood vessels.

Then after birth, the baby will breathe through the lungs. Remember, before birth, the baby's lungs are not functioning because the fetus is not breathing in the womb.

Stage three fetal heart development can be heard through a stethoscope

At 12 weeks of gestation, generally the baby's bone marrow has started producing blood cells. Then, at week 17, the fetus's brain begins to regulate its heart rate in preparation for birth.

Meanwhile, in the next 3 weeks, namely the 20th week, parents can hear the fetal heartbeat through a stethoscope. Sometimes a special ultrasound device is needed to check the fetal heart between the 18th and 24th week of pregnancy.

At this stage too, the fetal capillaries have started to flow blood through the heart arteries to the tissues throughout the baby's body. It also makes deoxygenated blood return to the lungs.

This makes the small blood vessels change into the main component in the fetal circulatory system which is related to the development of the heart.

The fetal heart rate changes throughout pregnancy

Quoting from Healthline, the fetal heart rate changes throughout pregnancy because it is still developing.

Typically, a fetus's first heart rate begins between 90 and 110 beats per minute in the first week of pregnancy.

Then it will increase at 9-10 weeks of pregnancy, the fetal heart rate usually reaches 140-170 beats per minute.

After that, the fetal heart rate will return to normal, about 110 to 160 beats per minute. The development of the fetal heart rate varies during pregnancy at each consultation with the doctor.

The doctor will check all types of fetal heart rate, including accelerations (short-term increase in heart rate) and decelerations (decrease in heart rate). For acceleration, at least 15 times per minute which lasts for 15 seconds, this is a sign of a healthy fetal heart.

Meanwhile, decelerations are divided into three types, early, slow, and irregular variables. The initial deceleration is usually a normal heart rate. While slow can be a sign that the fetus is not doing well.

If the decelerations are irregular, the fetal heart rate moves very dynamically and the difference is quite large. Even on the display of the checking machine's heart rate, it looks jagged.

This condition occurs because the reception of unstable blood flow through the umbilical cord. This pattern is dangerous for fetal heart development.

If the doctor has concerns about the fetus's pacemaker beating too slow, fast, or irregular, this is a sign the fetus has a problem with its heart.

The doctor will perform a fetal echocardiogram examination to check the condition of further fetal heart development.

Tips for maintaining fetal heart health

Based on the explanation above, the baby's heart will develop rapidly while in the womb. So, mothers need extra care to maximize fetal heart growth.

Here are the important things you should do during pregnancy:

Take folic acid

To help the development of the fetal heart, take more folic acid before and during pregnancy. This aims to prevent and help avoid congenital heart disease in babies.

Avoid cigarettes and smoke

Avoid cigarettes and their smoke because experts diagnose that mothers who smoke during pregnancy can cause heart defects.

In addition, to maintain the development of the fetal heart, also avoid consumption of alcohol and illegal drugs.

Take care of blood sugar

If you have type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes, keep your blood sugar under control during pregnancy.

Because mothers who have diabetes are closely related to an increased risk of heart defects in babies. Routinely carry out examinations to the obstetrician on schedule to continue monitoring the development of the fetal heart.

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