Maternal perception of fetal movement type: the effect of gestational age and maternal factors

Abstract

Most pregnant women could discriminate changes in fetal movement type that follow a general pattern through the third gestational trimester, however this can be affected by maternal employment, parity and time of perception.

Visualization and quantitation of fetal movements by real-time three-dimensional ultrasound with live xPlane imaging in the first trimester of pregnancy

“…The incidence of GM and startle was 100% and 84%, respectively, which was similar to the results of Hantoushzadeh et al (90.8% and 74.2%, respectively) (32). Similarly, studies using 4D US have reported that GM is the most frequent fetal movement pattern (27,33,34).…”

Measurement of Maternal Mindful Awareness of Fetal Movement

“…This study adds to the literature on the relationship between maternal perception of fetal movement and psychological variables. The correlation of noticing with gestational age is consistent with studies showing that women's perceptions of fetal movement qualitatively change with advancing gestation in the third trimester . Finding an association between noticing and higher levels of maternal‐fetal attachment is consistent with a previous study that found a correlation between higher prenatal attachment and feeling frequent fetal movement on 3 or more occasions in a 24‐hour period .…”

“…In that study, the association became nonsignificant in a multivariate model, and perception of fetal movement and concern about fetal movement were measured differently from the current study. In another study, being employed was associated with decreased prospective counts of gross body movement in the third trimester . The associations between mindful awareness of fetal movement and demographics such as education level and employment need to be explored further with a more developed instrument.…”

“…The Qualtrics survey software included questions about fetal movement for those participants who responded positively to the question, “Have you begun to feel regular movement of your baby(ies) inside you?” Because there are no published tools to assess perception or concern about fetal movement, 9 exploratory fetal movement questions were developed and rated on a 5‐point Likert‐type scale from “rarely or very rarely true” to “very often or always true.” Items were developed based on extensive clinical experience and a review of the fetal movement literature, which identified elements of the maternal experience of fetal movement, including perception of different types of movements, temporal patterns in movement and behavioral states, movement as a response to stimuli, and a moderating effect of maternal activity and maternal psychological state . Word choice was informed by mindfulness theory and included notice , attention , and awareness .…”

Pregnancy Outcome in Women with Decreased Sensation of Fetal Movements at Term According to Parity

“…Although it is known that multiparous women perceive fetal movements earlier than nulliparous women, the effect of parity on the outcomes of pregnancies complicated by DFM is not well understood. While some authors found no influence of parity on fetal movement perception , others suggested the opposite in such a way that multiparity is associated with an enhanced perception of fetal movements .…”