Maternal Response to Daily Fetal Movement Counting in Primary Care Settings

ABSTRACT

Maternal counting of fetal movement (FM) to assess fetal well-being was studied in 394 pregnancies followed by family physicians. Counting was well accepted, with 85% of women finding it reassuring and 91 % wanting to include it in subsequent pregnancies. Eighty-eight percent of women reported counting five or more days per week. Thirteen women reported decreased activity a total of 20 times. A nonstress test (NST) was performed 20 times and an oxytocin challenge test (OCT) was performed four times as a result of these reports. One of the 20 reports of decreased activity was followed by a nonreactive NST and suspicious OCT, and led to the induction of a viable 38-week fetus. There were no stillbirths in the group and only one neonatal death of an anencephalic infant.