Question:medium
The fetal heart starts contracting at approximately what age of gestation?
The fetal heart starts contracting at approximately what age of gestation?
Show Hint
The heart is the first organ to function, beating around day 22.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
- 10-12 days
- 10-12 weeks
- 3-5 weeks
- 3-5 months
Show Solution
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Anchor on the embryology timeline: the heart is the first organ to function, and its tube assembles in week $3$.
Step 2: Around day $22$ the tubular heart begins to beat, even before it is fully septated. Converting to weeks, this lands squarely in the $3$ to $5$ week band.
Step 3: The other choices miss the mark: at $10$ to $12$ days no heart tube exists yet, and $10$ to $12$ weeks or $3$ to $5$ months describe a heart that is already long active.
\[\boxed{\text{3 to 5 weeks}}\]
Step 2: Around day $22$ the tubular heart begins to beat, even before it is fully septated. Converting to weeks, this lands squarely in the $3$ to $5$ week band.
Step 3: The other choices miss the mark: at $10$ to $12$ days no heart tube exists yet, and $10$ to $12$ weeks or $3$ to $5$ months describe a heart that is already long active.
\[\boxed{\text{3 to 5 weeks}}\]
Was this answer helpful?
0
