When Can You Hear Your Baby’s Heartbeat?

Cardiac activity on an early ultrasound

In early pregnancy, a clinician looks for embryonic cardiac activity using ultrasound rather than listening for a home-recorded sound. Timing varies with gestational age, scan type, uterine position, and development. If a very early scan is inconclusive, a repeat scan may be recommended.

In the first trimester, ‘embryonic cardiac activity’ is the more accurate term. The familiar heartbeat-like sound is generated by ultrasound equipment from the signals it detects.

When clinicians listen during appointments

A midwife or doctor may use a handheld Doppler during routine care. Many services begin at around 16 weeks, although finding a signal can still take time. Practice varies by country and individual pregnancy.

The anatomy scan is commonly offered at 18–22 weeks. It assesses development, position, movement, and heart rate—not simply the sound.

When a phone-microphone app may work

Bubbi is not a Doppler and emits no ultrasound; it uses the phone’s built-in microphone. Bubbi suggests around 18–22 weeks as a guide, but results depend on the phone, gestation, baby and placenta position, body type, movement, and background noise. A recording is never guaranteed.

Treat each session as a bonding moment and keepsake, not a health check.

What to remember

No home recording can confirm that a pregnancy is healthy. Never delay professional advice because of a sound you did—or did not—capture.

• Attend recommended prenatal appointments and scans.
• Do not use a recording to calculate or interpret fetal heart rate.
• Seek medical advice for pain, bleeding, fluid leakage, feeling unwell, or changes in your baby’s usual movements.