Knowing your heart rate Written by Dr. Harold Gunatillake-health writer A baby in the womb (intrauterine) develops its heart surprisingly quit early. Foetal heart rate varies from about 50bpm and by the 12th week in the womb raises approximately to 140-150bpm (beats per minute). Grown-ups have an average persistent heart rate between 70- 90 bpm depending on the physical fitness of the individual. If you are in the athletic range your heart rate can further drop depending on the extent of training. An Olympic athlete would bring down the heart rate even to as low as 40bpm depending on the extent of training. The heart muscles are so strong in a trained individual that it could pump more blood, so beating less number of times per minute. If you are sedentary and not active, the heart rate can go even up to 100bpm. In the latter situation, the heart is ...

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