When can you hear your baby's heartbeat with a stethoscope?

Listening to the baby's heartbeat can be done starting between 18 and 20 weeks. Before that, mothers who wanted to listen to the baby's heartbeat (fetal heart rate) needed to use other devices such as ultrasound machines. sound or fetal heart doppler. The stethoscope is designed to amplify sound from touching matter. It consists of a diaphragm and a stethoscope. The diaphragm captures sound, and then transmits the audible sound onto the stethoscope.
MORE: Fetal heart formation and things to know

Here are step-by-step tips on how to use a stethoscope to listen to your baby's heart rate:
Choose a quiet place: The quieter the environment, the clearer your baby's heartbeat will be when you place the headset on it. Lie down on a soft surface: You can hear your baby's heartbeat on the bed or sofa. Feel around the belly and find the baby's back: The baby's back is the ideal position to listen to the heartbeat. When you touch your belly, the area feels hard but smooth. Listen to the fetal heart: Put the headset on the abdomen, feel the baby's back and start listening. The fetal heart may be audible immediately or it may need more time to move up and down to catch the sound. The fetal heart rate is like a ticking clock under the pillow.

Stethoscopes can be widely sold at medical supply stores, drug stores, or online. To choose the right product, you need to read product reviews and descriptions.
The stethoscope you need to buy must have good sound quality, light weight to comfortably wear around the neck, large stethoscope for fast sound transmission to the ears.
SEE ALSO: Is it okay to have an ultrasound at 8 weeks of pregnancy but sometimes there is no heartbeat?

You shouldn't panic when you can't hear your baby's heartbeat. Using a stethoscope is one way to listen to your heart rate at home, but it doesn't always work.
There are many reasons why it is difficult to hear the baby's heartbeat such as the baby's position is not convenient to listen to the fetal heart, the baby is not yet pregnant enough to be able to hear the heartbeat through the stethoscope or the placenta in front causes difficulty hearing. . In this case, you can try auscultation at another time or see your doctor if you suspect something abnormal.
SEE ALSO: Is a pounding belly a fetal heart beat?

A stethoscope is not the only way to hear your baby's heartbeat at home. Some other types of devices can also help to listen to the fetal heart such as:
Fetoscope : Fetoscope can be used to listen to the fetal heart starting as early as the 20th week of pregnancy. However, this product is not easy to find in stores. If you want to buy, you can ask your doctor or other healthcare professional where to buy the device. Fetal Doppler: The fetal heart Doppler device is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for home use nor is there sufficient evidence to demonstrate its safety and effectiveness when used at home. Cell phone microphone: You can use heart rate apps on your phone to listen to your baby's heartbeat. However, its reliability is not high when many studies have proven that heart rate is not accurately determined via mobile devices. In addition, the baby's heartbeat can sometimes be heard through the naked ear by pressing the ear to the mother's belly.
The formation of the fetal heart is a sign of the existence of the fetus in the womb, a special period in pregnancy. Accordingly, between 18 and 20 weeks, the mother feels and hears the baby's heartbeat. At this time, mothers need to pay attention to the fetal heart rate, regular and scheduled fetal ultrasounds to check the cardiovascular status as well as the child's development, in order to detect birth defects early and have appropriate methods. early treatment.
Vinmec International General Hospital offers a Package Maternity Care Program for pregnant women right from the first months of pregnancy with a full range of antenatal care visits, periodical 3D and 4D ultrasounds and routine tests to ensure that the mother is healthy and the fetus is developing comprehensively.
Pregnant women will be consulted and checked for health under the close supervision of experienced and specialized Obstetricians, helping mothers have more knowledge to protect their health during pregnancy as well as reduce reduce complications for mother and child.

Reference source: healthline.com