What does "no fetal heartbeat" mean?
Sep 05, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Lv Aiming
Introduction
No fetal heartbeat means the embryo has stopped developing. "No fetal heartbeat" refers to the inability to detect or hear the fetal heartbeat through fetal heart monitoring after a woman has been pregnant for some time. Generally, after 12 weeks of pregnancy, doctors can use a fetal Doppler or ultrasound device to listen for the fetal heartbeat. If no heartbeat can be detected, it is referred to as "no fetal heartbeat."
Absence of fetal heartbeat means that embryonic development has ceased. The detailed analysis is as follows:
Absence of fetal heartbeat refers to the inability to detect or hear the fetal heartbeat via fetal heart monitoring after a woman has been pregnant for some time. Generally, after 12 weeks of gestation, doctors can use a fetal Doppler or ultrasound device to listen for the fetal heartbeat. If no heartbeat can be detected, it is referred to as absence of fetal heartbeat. This condition is usually serious and may indicate that the fetus has died. Further evaluation and diagnosis by a physician are required, typically involving ultrasound imaging to confirm the fetal status. When an embryo stops normal development due to developmental abnormalities—such as chromosomal abnormalities, structural malformations, or placental dysfunction—it may result in cessation of growth. Certain intrauterine infections, including bacterial or viral infections, may also cause fetal developmental arrest and ultimately lead to absence of fetal heartbeat. Abnormalities in the uterine environment, such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, endometrial abnormalities, or uterine maldevelopment, may impair normal fetal development and cardiac function.
If fetal demise is confirmed, medical intervention is recommended to induce natural miscarriage or proceed with surgical termination of pregnancy.
