Jess is a doctor and began listening for a fetal heartbeat as soon as she found out she was pregnant. When is she most likely to first detect a heartbeat?

Question

Jess is a doctor and began listening for a fetal heartbeat as soon as she found out she was pregnant. When is she most likely to first detect a heartbeat?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Fetal heart tones can usually be detected by a Doppler device between 9 to 10 weeks of gestation. It is not possible to detect a fetal heartbeat at 2 to 3 weeks or 4 to 5 weeks as the fetal heart has not yet developed. Although a fetal heartbeat can sometimes be detected as early as 6 weeks with a transvaginal ultrasound, it is not a reliable method of determining heartbeat until after 9 weeks of gestation. By 14 to 15 weeks, the fetal heartbeat should easily be detected with a Doppler device.

Jess Is a Doctor and Began Listening for a Fetal