What is the normal heart rate at 17 weeks of pregnancy?

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Le Hong Lien - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital. Doctor Lien has over 10 years of experience as a radiologist in the Department of Ultrasound at the leading hospital in the field of obstetrics and gynecology in the South - Tu Du Hospital.

One of the important milestones of pregnancy is the 17th week of pregnancy. This is the time when the fetus begins to move, so mothers often pay special attention to the baby in the belly. However, not all mothers know how much the heart rate at 17 weeks of pregnancy is normal.

A 17-week-old fetus is about 13cm long and weighs about 140g, about the size of an onion. Your baby's skin is now transparent (blood vessels can be seen under the skin). A thin, smooth, white layer called plastid covers the baby's body, helping to protect the baby's skin in the amniotic fluid environment as well as making it easier for the baby to move around. A remarkable point in the 17th week of pregnancy, the baby's brain is in a strong development stage, the nervous system related to taste has matured. Hearing begins to work, hearing sounds outside the womb (music, noise...).
The baby begins to swallow amniotic fluid and the kidneys start working to produce urine. The first hairs appear on the top of the baby's head and a fine layer of hair covers the entire body. The baby's face at 17 weeks will continue to develop and perfect. This is the period of strongest growth in fetal weight.

The 17th week fetal heart rate is about 140-150 beats/minute, almost twice the mother's heart rate. In addition, this time the respiratory organs also allow the fetus to breathe in and out, despite being surrounded by amniotic fluid.
Some mothers have low or high 17-week fetal echocardiography results of 140-150 beats/min, don't worry too much because at this gestational age, fetal heart rate less than 160 times is still normal. Pregnant women should wait until about 24-26 weeks and ask the doctor for a fetal echocardiogram (specialized) to investigate further.

At this stage, the baby will sleep a lot and accumulate energy for the formation and development of the body. At the same time, the mother will also recognize the baby's activities when the baby turns around and the machine kicks the mother's belly, especially when the mother is sleeping. Usually, pregnant women will feel the fetal movement when entering the 17th week of pregnancy. Your baby can play, kick, wriggle and hiccup, suck, wink, and play with the umbilical cord.
However, there are quite a few mothers who are 17 weeks pregnant and still have not noticed any fetal movement. This is because each fetus has a different development process, depending on the thickness of the mother's belly skin, so the time when the mother is pregnant is also different, so don't worry too much. Only when after the 5th month of pregnancy, the pregnant woman still cannot feel the fetal movement, she needs to see a doctor.

At 17 weeks pregnant, mothers need to consume 340 extra calories per day, more than usual. To get enough of these calories, the mother needs to supplement nutrients from foods with high nutrient content such as:
Protein supplements in lean meat, fish, eggs, milk... Vitamins and minerals Minerals: folate, iron, vitamin A and calcium. According to a study by the Institute of Medicine, pregnant women need 600mcg folate, 27mg iron, 770mcg vitamin A and 1000mg calcium per day. Foods such as: spinach, broccoli, orange juice, poultry, red meat, fortified cereals, soybeans... Supplementing with DHA needed for visual and neurological development of children baby: pregnant women at week 17 need 200-300 mg of DHA per day from seafood such as salmon, tuna, catfish. Mothers need to eliminate foods that cause heartburn symptoms such as: spicy foods, baked goods, chocolate, coffee, wine, beer and carbonated drinks. Pregnant women should say no to mackerel, swordfish, tilefish... because it has a high mercury content, which affects the baby's nervous system.