Fetal heartbeat is the heartbeat of the fetus. Fetal heartbeat monitoring is the main test to correctly assess the condition of the fetus in utero by using the principle of ultrasound to monitor the condition of the fetus in utero. The fetal heart rate is regulated by sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. The curve of the monitoring graph formed by the signal tracing of the instantaneous fetal heart changes can be used to understand the response of the fetal heart during fetal movement and contractions, in order to presume whether the fetus is hypoxic in the uterus. Fetal heart monitoring is safe for the fetus because it uses the principle of ultrasound to monitor the fetus in utero. 1.What is fetal heartbeat? Fetal heartbeat is the heartbeat of the fetus. The fetal heart is the earliest functional organ in the development of the whole body, and the fetal heartbeat can directly reflect the health condition of the fetus. 2.How long after pregnancy is there a fetal heartbeat? Generally speaking, the fetal heart starts beating 3-4 weeks after pregnancy. At first it is slow, only 60 to 70 times a minute, when the fetal heartbeat is still very weak. By the 8th week of pregnancy, the fetal heartbeat can reach about 180 beats per minute. After 14 weeks of pregnancy, the fetal heart rate drops to about 140 beats per minute, and then remains at 120-160 beats per minute. 3.How long after pregnancy can I hear the fetal heartbeat? Generally, you can hear the fetal heartbeat at 17-20 weeks (about four months) using a general stethoscope in the abdomen. The fetal heartbeat is 120-160 beats per minute, sometimes faster and less regular, but at the end of pregnancy it is more regular. As the fetus grows and the fetal position varies, the position of the fetal heart will also change. The fetal heart sounds are mostly from the back of the fetus, and can be heard most clearly at the back of the fetus near the scapula, so the fetal head in head position can be heard on both sides of the lower abdomen, the fetal head in breech position can be heard on both sides of the upper abdomen, and the fetal heart can be heard at the umbilicus or the midline of the abdomen under the umbilicus in transverse lateral position. 4.What are the signs of normal fetal heartbeat? Normal fetal heartbeat is regular and strong, like a clock ticking sound, 120-160 times/min, if it is <120 times/min or >160 times/min, you can repeat listening once at an interval of 10-20 minutes. 5.How to monitor fetal heartbeat at home? In daily life, if you go to the hospital every day to test the fetal heart rate, it will be very hard for pregnant mothers. Experts suggest that pregnant mothers can usually measure the fetal heart rate at home, three times a day, morning, noon and night, for 2-3 minutes each time, to monitor whether the fetal heart rate is in the normal range: 120-160 times/minute, to understand the health of the fetus, if the fetal heart abnormalities need to go to the hospital in time. 6.What are the signs of abnormal fetal heartbeat? What are the causes? The normal fetal heart rate is between 120 beats/min and 160 beats/min. If the fetal heart rate is <120/min or >160/min for more than 10 minutes, it indicates that the fetal heart rate is abnormal. The factors that trigger abnormal fetal heart rate are: (1) Fetal lack of oxygen in the mother’s womb, which affects the beating of the fetal heart. (2) The pregnant mother has a cold and fever, when the fetal heart often exceeds 160 beats per minute. (3) Pregnant mother has hyperthyroidism, her own heart rate is fast and the fetal heart rate will often exceed 160 beats/min. (4) The use of certain medications by the pregnant mother can also cause the heart rate of both the pregnant mother and the fetus to increase.