If at your first ultrasound your provider can't see the future heart pulsating, it may simply be that your dating is off and it's too soon to see the heart motion. This ultrasound can also be used to screen for heart problems, which may be important if there's a family history of congenital heart problems. If you have a first trimester ultrasound (perhaps because you've had a previous pregnancy complication), it's possible to see cardiac activity this early. When can you see your baby's heartbeat?Īround 4 weeks after conception, or 6 weeks after your last menstrual period, the fast flickering of the embryo's developing heart tube can be seen on ultrasound. For this reason, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) defines the fluttering of cells in the embryonic heart tube as 'cardiac activity' rather than a heartbeat. When you're 6 weeks pregnant, however, the heart isn't fully developed.
