Fetal movement is usually not like a heartbeat. If a pregnant woman feels regular fetal activity like a heartbeat, it may be that the fetus is hiccuping, or the pregnant woman may feel the pulsation of her abdominal aorta.
From the 24th to 28th week of pregnancy, there is enough amniotic fluid in the amniotic cavity for the fetus to move freely in it. At this time, if the fetus swallows and absorbs the amniotic fluid, the diaphragm will be stimulated and hiccups will occur. Fetal hiccups are usually regular, moving every few seconds for several minutes and usually stopping within 10 minutes.
In late pregnancy, the enlarged uterus can compress the mother’s abdominal aorta, when the pregnant woman may mistake her abdominal aortic pulsations for fetal movements. The abdominal aortic pulsations are usually in line with the heartbeat rate, usually 60 to 100 times/minute. Fetal movement is often irregular and much less frequent, generally more than 10 times in 2 hours is considered normal fetal movement.
It is recommended to consult a medical professional for specifics.