Premium
Low Maternal Awareness of Fetal Movement is Associated With Small for Gestational Age Infants
Author(s) -
Saastad Eli,
Ahlborg Tone,
Frøen J. Frederik
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of midwifery and women's health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.543
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1542-2011
pISSN - 1526-9523
DOI - 10.1016/j.jmwh.2008.03.001
Subject(s) - fetus , medicine , odds ratio , fetal movement , obstetrics , pregnancy , gestational age , confidence interval , population , gestation , odds , small for gestational age , logistic regression , genetics , environmental health , biology
Our aim was to identify associations between information given to pregnant women about fetal activity, level of maternal awareness of fetal activity, maternal concern about decreased fetal movement, and pregnancy outcomes. This was a population‐based cross‐sectional study. Mothers with a singleton delivery were invited to answer an anonymous structured questionnaire before discharge from the delivery unit. Six hundred and ninety‐one mothers participated (60.4% of eligible women). Women were highly aware of fetal activity. Yet, 25% did not receive any information from care providers about expected normal fetal activity. Receiving information about fetal activity was associated with increased maternal awareness (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2–3.4). Low maternal awareness of fetal activity was associated with an increased risk of having a small for gestational age infant (odds ratio, 6.5; 95% CI, 3.5–12.3). Expectations about the normal frequency of fetal movements, as reported by the mothers, varied from 25 kicks/hour to 3 kicks/24 hours. Receiving information about expected fetal activity was associated with maternal concerns about decreased fetal movement, but not with improved outcomes. We conclude that receiving information about expected fetal activity was associated with maternal concerns, but not with improved outcomes.