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Maternal perception, tocodynamometric findings and real‐time ultra‐sound assessment of total fetal activity
Author(s) -
Schmidt W.,
Cseh I.,
Hara K.,
Kubli F.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/0020-7292(84)90018-3
Subject(s) - medicine , fetus , fetal movement , perception , pregnancy , ultrasonography , ultrasound , audiology , obstetrics , surgery , psychology , neuroscience , radiology , genetics , biology
“Total” fetal motor activity was determined in 111 healthy patients between 25 weeks of pregnancy and term using two real‐time ultra‐sound devices simultaneously. Furthermore tocographic findings and also maternal perception of fetal movements of the same patients were stored synchronously on magnetic tape. A comparison was drawn between these three methods, i.e. real‐time ultrasonography, maternal perception and tocographic tracings (“spikes” indicating fetal movements). Of all fetal movements, as assessed by real‐time ultrasonography, the mothers perceived a total of 38% whereas “spikes” in tocographic tracings corresponded with fetal motor activity (excluding “breathing”) in only 25% of the cases (P < 0.001). Also major statistically significant differences could be found between maternal perception of fetal body movements with or without fetal limb movements in 56% and routine‐tocography in 37% (P < 0.001). Also isolated limb movements were most often detected by mothers (23%) than were revealed by tocographic findings (14%; P < 0.001). Maternal signals were truly positive in 74% compared to tocography in only 56% of the cases (P < 0.001). It is concluded that maternal perception of fetal movements is a more reliable method of monitoring fetal motor activity than analysis of tocographic tracings.