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. 1988 Oct;7(10):573-5.
doi: 10.7863/jum.1988.7.10.573.

First trimester fetal cardiac activity. Sonographic documentation of a progressive early rise in heart rate

B S Hertzberg  1 , B S Mahony, J D Bowie
Affiliations

First trimester fetal cardiac activity. Sonographic documentation of a progressive early rise in heart rate

B S Hertzberg et al. J Ultrasound Med. 1988 Oct.

Abstract

The heart rates of 124 first trimester fetuses were determined with real-time sonography and were analyzed with regard to gestational age. The mean embryonic heart rate increased from 101 beats per minute (bpm) at 5 to 5.95 menstrual weeks to 143 bpm at 8 to 8.95 weeks. After nine weeks, the rate reached a plateau, ranging from 137 to 144 bpm. Slower heart rates are normal early in the first trimester and should not be misinterpreted as an abnormal finding or mistaken for maternal pulsations.

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  • Fetal heart rates.
    DuBose TJ, Butschek CM, Hill LW, Dickey D, Porter L, Poole EK. DuBose TJ, et al. J Ultrasound Med. 1989 Jul;8(7):407-8. doi: 10.7863/jum.1989.8.7.407. J Ultrasound Med. 1989. PMID: 2664217 No abstract available.

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