Fetal movement is an inevitable situation for every expectant mother. Recently, many expectant mothers around me have said that they have been feeling their baby's movements more prominently. So, what is fetal movement, and is it a normal reaction? Today, I will share some knowledge about fetal movement with you all.
What is fetal movement?
Fetal movement refers to the actions of the fetus in the uterine cavity that impact the uterine wall. After 4 months of pregnancy, the mother can clearly feel the movements of the fetus, such as stretching, kicking, and impacting the uterine wall. These are fetal movements. The number, speed, and strength of fetal movements indicate the well-being of the fetus.
Normal fetal movement is a special "letter" that the fetus sends to the mother to report its safety. It is also a manifestation of the fetus's good condition. Abnormal fetal movement indicates that the fetus is currently facing difficulties or dangers. Therefore, expectant mothers need to learn to observe fetal movements. Before the baby is born, mothers rely on perceiving various fetal movements to understand the baby's daily routine and health condition, while the baby inside the belly communicates with the mother through "punches and kicks".
Four types of fetal movements
1. Whole-body movement: Movement of the entire body, such as turning over. This type of movement is relatively strong and each movement lasts for 3-30 seconds.
2. Limb movement: Stretching arms, twisting the body, etc. Each movement lasts for 1-15 seconds.
3. Leg movement: This refers to the kicking movements of the baby that we often feel. These movements are fast and relatively weak, and each fetal movement lasts less than 1 second.
4. Chest wall movement: Relatively short and weak, mothers usually don't easily feel it.
Regular patterns of fetal movement:
1. Biological sleep cycle (active-rest cycle): In the 5th to 6th month of pregnancy, it lasts for an average of 62.3 minutes (average awake time is 39.5 minutes, average sleep time is 27.8 minutes).
The sleep cycles of each fetus are different, and their waking and sleeping times are not necessarily the same. Generally speaking, the fetus's sleep time is about 20 to 75 minutes, and then it wakes up and moves a bit, possibly falling back asleep. The fetus's sleep time is long, but it is fragmented sleep.
2. Day and night variation: More frequent movements from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm, gradually decreasing, reaching a minimum from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm, and increasing again from 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm.
How many fetal movements are considered healthy?
Expectant mothers should measure their fetal movements for 3 hours each day, 1 hour each in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Multiply the total number of fetal movements measured 3 times by 4, which will serve as a record of the baby's movements in a 12-hour period.
If there are fewer than 3 movements per hour, the measurement time should be extended to 6 to 12 hours each day. Decreased or stopped fetal movements may indicate that the fetus is experiencing hypoxia. If no fetal movements are felt within 12 hours, or if there are less than 4 movements in a day, or if there is a decrease of more than half compared to the previous day, it is advisable to seek medical attention immediately.
A fetal heart rate monitor is a device that can detect and record the fetal heartbeat and uterine contractions. During the monitoring process, not only can the frequency and shape of the fetal heartbeat be observed, but also the number and intensity of uterine contractions can be measured.
During regular prenatal check-ups, if the pregnant woman is considered high-risk, the use of a fetal heart rate monitor may be arranged depending on the situation. The detection method involves having the mother lie flat, hold the fetal movement button, and press the button when there is fetal movement, which will be displayed on the recorder. If there are at least two fetal movements within 20 minutes, accompanied by an acceleration of the fetal heart rate of more than 15 beats per minute, lasting at least 15 seconds, it is considered normal. If there are too few or no fetal movements, it indicates that the fetus may be sleeping or in a hypoxic state.
Fetal movement is related to the baby's health. In order to better monitor fetal movements, expectant mothers can purchase a home fetal heart rate monitor to check the baby's heart rate and understand the baby's health condition.
It's enlightening to learn that there is so much knowledge about fetal movement. Expectant mothers should always observe the number and frequency of their baby's movements, as it is closely related to whether the baby is experiencing hypoxia. It is directly linked to the baby's life and health index.
