- A new app helps pregnant people at home.
- It lets them check the fetal heartbeat easily.
- The phone sends a sound and listens for echoes.
- Researchers made the app after personal losses in their family.
- Early tests used real patients in clinics nearby.
- Tests showed heart rates were close to clinic tools.
- The app could help people in remote places.
- It does not need extra devices or parts.
- Doctors should still recommend clinic visits for checks.
- Some users may feel more anxious, researchers warn.
Difficult words
- pregnant — carrying a baby inside the body
- fetal — relating to an unborn baby before birth
- heartbeat — the sound or movement of the heart
- echo — a sound that returns after it bouncesechoes
- clinic — a place where people see doctorsclinics
- anxious — worried or nervous about something
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Would you use this app?
- Do you have a clinic near your home?
- Would a home test make you feel anxious?
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