Areyouareconcerned asyourbaby’sheartbeatisnotdetectedeveninthe3rdmonthof pregnancy?Donotworryandfindthereasonswhyyourbaby’sheartbeatcannot bedetected.Iam inmy3rdmonthandcannothearmybabysheartbeat Thereisalsothepossibilitythatyou couldhavemiscalculatedyourdate.Sojusthavepatienceanddonotworry. Still,ifyoulike,youcanrequestyourdoctorforanultrasound,whichis suretopickupthefoetalheartbeat.Quitelikemusictoyourears.How isbaby’sheartbeatdetected? Itispossibletodetectababy’s heartbeatbyusingdifferentmethods.Thebabysheartbeatcanbeseenon anultrasoundataround7weeks.IncaseofDopplertestitmaybepossibleto heartheheartbeatataround10to14weeks.Whilemakinguseofstethoscope youcanhearitonlyduringthelatepregnancystages.Inmajorityofcasesthe heartbeatcanbeheardonlyby15to16weeksofpregnancyoratthebeginning ofthesecondtrimester. Thedetectionofheartbeatdependsontwo importantfactors-sizeofthebabyandhowquicklyitisgrowinginyour womb.Sinceeachwomanandherpregnancy areboundtobedifferentthereisnostandardtimeafterwhichheartbeatofa babyinthewombcanbeheard.Why isitnotpossibletodetecttheheartbeatsometimes? Sometimesthepositionoftheuterusandthe positionofthebabywithintheuteruscanalsomakeitdifficulttohearthe heartbeat.Anotherprobablereasonfortheheartbeatnotbeingheardcouldbe thepresenceofanadditionallayeroffatjustabovethepubicbone.Since scanningforheartbeatisdonefromthispartofthebody,listeningforfaintfoetal heartbeatcanbecomealittlehardbecauseoftheextralayerofbodyfat.In certainrarecasestheplacentapositioncanalsointerferewhiledetectingthe baby’sheartbeat. Donotbeundulyworriedifyoucannotfind aheartbeat.Inmostcasestheheartbeatwillnotbehearduntilatleastthe 14thto16th week.How ismybabygrowing? Bythismonth,thefoetushasbecome21/2to 3incheslongandweighsabout1/2anounce.Thecirculatoryandurinarysystems areinoperation,thereproductive organshavedevelopedandtheliverhasstartedproducingbile.Butstill, thegenderisundistinguishable. Thebabyinmedicaltermsisnowconsidered afoetus.Thegrowingbabyloseshisorheryolksacandstartsfeedingon nutrientsfromtheumbilicalcord.Thecirculatoryandurinarysystemsofthe babystartfunctioning.Theurineproducedispassedintotheamnioticfluid whichisthenpassedthroughyoursystem.Thereproductiveorgansdevelopand theliverstartsproducingbilebythetimeyourbabyis12weeksoldinthe womb. Youwillnotbeabletosenseyourbaby’s movementinthewomb.However,whenstimulated,heorshemaysquint,openthe mouthormakemovementofthemouth,fingerortoes.Thedigestivesystemwill makecontractionssoastopushfoodthroughthebowels.Thebabywillnotbe abletoabsorbsugaralso.Hormonesareproducedbythepituitaryglandsbythe timethefoetusis12weeksold. Thegrowingbabydevelopsreflexesandthebrainisalmostfullyformedbythis time.Thefoetuswillbeinapositiontofeelpain.Thebabymayevenstart suckingthethumb.Theeyelidsofthebabywillstartcoveringtheeyeswhich willremainclosedtilltheseventhmonthtoprotectthedelicateopticalnerve fibres. Soft,non-pigmentedhairwhichplaysan importantroleinprotectingthebabysskinbeforebirthwillbegintoappear onthebaby’sbodyatweek12.Mostofthishair,calledlanugos,will disappearsoonafterbirth. Byweek12thebodyofthebabyhasa completeprofilewithalittlechinandatinynose.Themouthiswell developedwithmouthfoldedtissuesjoiningintoformthepalateinsidethe mouth. Itisinterestingtonotethatittakes aboutapproximately20weeksforababytobeformedfullyinthewombfromthe dayofitsconception.Tobebornhealthyittakesanother22 weeksforthebabytogrowanddevelopinthewomb.
Are you are concerned
as your baby’s heartbeat is not detected even in the 3rd month of
pregnancy? Do not worry and find the reasons why your baby’s heartbeat cannot
be detected.
I am
in my 3rd month and cannot hear my baby's heartbeat
There is also the possibility that you
could have miscalculated your date. So just have patience and do not worry.
Still, if you like, you can request your doctor for an ultrasound, which is
sure to pick up the foetal heartbeat. Quite like music to your ears.
How
is baby’s heartbeat detected?
It is possible to detect a baby’s
heartbeat by using different methods. The baby's heart beat can be seen on
an ultrasound at around 7 weeks. In case of Doppler test it may be possible to
hear the heartbeat at around 10 to 14 weeks. While making use of stethoscope
you can hear it only during the late pregnancy stages. In majority of cases the
heart beat can be heard only by 15 to 16 weeks of pregnancy or at the beginning
of the second trimester.
The detection of heart beat depends on two
important factors - size of the baby and how quickly it is growing in your
womb. Since each woman and her pregnancy
are bound to be different there is no standard time after which heartbeat of a
baby in the womb can be heard.
Why
is it not possible to detect the heartbeat sometimes?
Sometimes the position of the uterus and the
position of the baby within the uterus can also make it difficult to hear the
heartbeat. Another probable reason for the heart beat not being heard could be
the presence of an additional layer of fat just above the pubic bone. Since
scanning for heartbeat is done from this part of the body, listening for faint foetal
heartbeat can become a little hard because of the extra layer of body fat. In
certain rare cases the placenta position can also interfere while detecting the
baby’s heartbeat.
Do not be unduly worried if you cannot find
a heartbeat. In most cases the heart beat will not be heard until at least the
14th to 16th
week.
How
is my baby growing?
By this month, the foetus has become 2 1/2 to
3 inches long and weighs about 1/2 an ounce. The circulatory and urinary systems
are in operation, the reproductive
organs have developed and the liver has started producing bile. But still,
the gender is undistinguishable.
The baby in medical terms is now considered
a foetus. The growing baby loses his or her yolk sac and starts feeding on
nutrients from the umbilical cord. The circulatory and urinary systems of the
baby start functioning. The urine produced is passed into the amniotic fluid
which is then passed through your system. The reproductive organs develop and
the liver starts producing bile by the time your baby is 12 weeks old in the
womb.
You will not be able to sense your baby’s
movement in the womb. However, when stimulated, he or she may squint, open the
mouth or make movement of the mouth, finger or toes. The digestive system will
make contractions so as to push food through the bowels. The baby will not be
able to absorb sugar also. Hormones are produced by the pituitary glands by the
time the foetus is 12 weeks old.
The growing baby develops reflexes and the brain is almost fully formed by this
time. The foetus will be in a position to feel pain. The baby may even start
sucking the thumb. The eyelids of the baby will start covering the eyes which
will remain closed till the seventh month to protect the delicate optical nerve
fibres.
Soft, non-pigmented hair which plays an
important role in protecting the baby's skin before birth will begin to appear
on the baby’s body at week 12. Most of this hair, called lanugos, will
disappear soon after birth.
By week 12 the body of the baby has a
complete profile with a little chin and a tiny nose. The mouth is well
developed with mouth folded tissues joining in to form the palate inside the
mouth.
It is interesting to note that it takes
about approximately 20 weeks for a baby to be formed fully in the womb from the
day of its conception. To be born healthy it takes another 22
weeks for the baby to grow and develop in the womb.
