Is it safe to listen to baby's heartbeat?

[Waitingformyrainbow]

Hi ladies, I had an early ultrasound last week at 7+3, we listened to the heartbeat via the scan which was done abdominally.

I've since read that's it's dangerous and they shouldn't do it? I'm so worried due to 2 previous miscarriages! Does anyone know anything about this please ? Thank you xx

It's fine

The reason you're advised it's dangerous to listen to the heartbeat is that sometimes people with home dopplers use it to reassure themselves that all is well with the baby and ignore signs that indicate that the baby may be in distress, like reduced movement.
If you are just using a doppler to enjoy your babies heartbeat and nothing else, then I believe it is fine. However a lot of the time you may be picking up your own heartbeat or other sounds so they aren't very reliable.
Have a look at the Kicks Count website for more information on home dopplers.

It’s not dangerous in a way which would actively damage your baby. The use of fetal dopplers at home to listen to the heartbeat is considered dangerous when women rely on them for reassurance when they are concerned about their baby. Women have been known to ignore other signs which suggest that baby is not well- reduced (or suddenly, drastically increased) movements, bleeding, unusual discharge, pain etc because they have heard a heartbeat. So long as baby’s heartbeat is only listened to by healthcare professionals or just because you like to hear it then it is not a problem, using a Doppler as first point of call for reassurance if you are worried is a problem.

Thank you ladies, a girl has posted saying her doctor refused to do it during the scan as it's dangerous so early on for the baby, she was 7+5

It used to be thought of as dangerous under a certain number of weeks of pregnancy, because you use slightly different sound waves to listen to the heartbeat compared to just getting an image, and it was thought that they were damaging to the baby. New research has shown that that’s not true, and that it is safe even in early pregnancy. Some midwives/doctors/ultrasound technicians still don’t do it, as a hangover from when it was thought to be damaging, so sometimes you still hear that it’s not safe, but we now think that it is safe, and the evidence it was unsafe was never particularly strong anyway.

Hope that makes sense!

Thank you so much x