Abstract
Background
A newly developed fetal movement acceleration measurement recorder has made it possible to count gross movements for hours. The purpose of this study was to determine the normal reference values for such movements.
Methods
One hundred and six pregnant women recorded fetal movements by themselves when they slept at home weekly from 28 weeks to term. The normal reference values were determined based on the data that could be recorded for more than 4 h per night.
Results
A total of 2,458 h of data from 385 recordings from 64 women was available. The median ratio of 10-s periods in which fetal movements occurred to the total time interval was 17% at 28 gestational weeks, decreasing to ∼6% at term. The number of fetal movements was 74 times/h, decreasing to 29 times at term. The number, the mean, and the longest durations of periods with no fetal movement, meaning no fetal movements were found for more than 5 min, were 1.56 times/h, 7.95 and 14.25 min, respectively, at 28 weeks, and increasing to 2.54 times, and 9.63 and 19.67 min, respectively, at term.
Conclusions
This study provides normal reference values for gross fetal movement count using the fetal movement acceleration measurement recorder.
Similar content being viewed by others
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
References
Manning FA, Platt LD, Sipos L . Antepartum fetal evaluation: development of a fetal biophysical profile. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1980;136:787–795.
Hofmeyr GJ, Novikova N . Management of reported decreased fetal movements for improving pregnancy outcomes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012;18:CD009148.
Kurjak A, Miskovic B, Stanojevic M et al. New scoring system for fetal neurobehavior assessed by threeand four-dimensional sonography. J Perinat Med 2008;36:73–81.
Morokuma S, Fukushima K, Yumoto Y et al. Simplified ultrasound screening for fetal brain function based on behavioral pattern. Early Hum Dev 2007;83:177–181.
Ryo E, Nishihara K, Matsumoto S, Kamata H . A new method for long-term home monitoring of fetal movement by pregnant women themselves. Med Eng Phys 2012;34:566–572.
Ryo E, Kamata H . Fetal movement counting at home with a fetal movement acceleration measurement recorder: a preliminary report. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2012;25:2629–2632.
Nishihara K, Ohki N, Kamata H, Ryo E, Horiuchi S . Automated software analysis of fetal movement recorded during a pregnant woman’s sleep at home. PLoS ONE 2015;10:e0130503.
Kamata H, Ryo E, Seto M, Morita M, Nagaya Y . Counting fetal hiccups using a fetal movement acceleration measurement recorder. J Matern Fetal Neonetal Med 2017;30:475–478.
Patrick J, Fetherston W, Vick H, Voegelin R . Human fetal breathing movements and gross fetal body movements at weeks 34 to 35 of gestation. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1987;130:693–699.
Patrick J, Campbel K, Carmichael L, Natale R, Richardson B . Patterns of fetal body movements over 24-hour observation intervals during the last 10 weeks of pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1982;142:363–371.
Carmichael L, Campbell K, Patrick J . Fetal breathing, gross fetal body movements, and maternal and fetal heart rates before spontaneous labor at term. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1984;148:675–679.
Ten Hof J, Nijhuis IJ, Mulder EJ et al. Longitudinal study of fetal body movements: nomograms, intrafetal consistency, and relationship with episodes of heart rate patterns a and B. Pediatr Res 2002;52:568–575.
D’Elia A, Pighetti M, Moccia G, Santangelo N . Spontaneous motor activity in normal fetuses. Early Hum Dev 2001;65:139–147.
Fowlkes JB, Bioeffect Committee of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine consensus report on potential bioeffects of diagnostic ultrasound. J Ultrasound Med 2008;27:503.
Ang ES Jr, Gluncic V, Duque A, Schafer ME, Rakic P . Prenatal exposure to ultrasound waves impacts neuronal migration in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2006;103:12903–12910.
DiPietro JA, Costigan KA, Shupe AK et al. Fetal neurobehavioral development: association with socioeconomic class and fetal sex. Dev Psychobiol 1998;33:79–91.
Medina PG, Visser GH, Huizink AC et al. Fetal behavior does not differ between boys and girls. Early Hum Dev 2003;73:17–26.
Nijhuis JG, Prechtl HF, Martin CB Jr, Bots RS . Are there behavioural states in the human fetus? Early Human Dev 1982;6:177–195.
Whitty JE, Garfinkel DA, Divon MY . Maternal perception of decreased fetal movement as an indication for antepartum testing in a low-risk popuration. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1991;165:1084–1088.
Frϕen JF, Tveit JVH, Saastad E et al. Management of decreased fetal movements. Semin Perinatol 2008;32:307–311.
Arduini D, Rizzo G, Caforio L, Boccolini MR, Romanini C, Mancuso S . Behavioural state transitions in healthy growth retarded fetuses. Early Hum Dev 1989;19:155–165.
van Viet MA, Martin CB Jr, Nijhuis JG, Prechtl HFR. Behavioural states in growth-retarded human fetuses. Early Hum Dev 1985;12:183–197.
Bruni O, Novelli L, Miano S, Parrino L, Terzano MG, Ferri R . Cyclic altenating pattern: a wondow into pediatric sleep. Sleep Med 2010;11:628–636.
Prechtl HFR, Einspieler C, Cioni G, Bos AF, Ferrari F, Sontheimer D . An early marker for developing neurological deficits after perinatal brain lesions. Lancet 1997;349:1361–1363.
Acknowledgements
We thank Professor Takuya Ayabe and Mieko Fuse. We also appreciate the cooperation of the women who participated in this study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Additional information
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT:
This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI (Grant Number JP 16K10109).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ryo, E., Kamata, H., Seto, M. et al. Reference values for a fetal movement acceleration measurement recorder to count fetal movements. Pediatr Res 83, 961–968 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/pr.2017.328
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Version of record:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/pr.2017.328
