Fetal movement: What time of day should I count?

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Huynh Thi Hien - Obstetrician and Gynecologist - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital. The doctor has over 32 years of experience specializing in examination and treatment in the field of obstetrics and gynecology - family planning.

Counting the number of pregnancies is a pregnant woman's first experience of the presence of another body that is developing day by day in her own body.

The length of time a woman begins to feel these fetal movements varies. For pregnant women with multiple babies, the time to start counting is 18 - 20 weeks; For pregnant women, it can be a few weeks earlier.
The mother feels the baby's movements most clearly after the 28th week of pregnancy.

When the fetal state is abnormal, fetal movement will be reduced, the purpose is to reduce oxygen consumption and reduce energy consumption. However, fetal movement depends not only on abnormal changes inside the body, but also on other factors such as: fetal sleep state, amount of amniotic fluid, position of placenta (decreased during pregnancy) placenta on the front); position (fetal movement in standing or sitting position is less than when lying down); the mother drinks alcohol, smokes or uses drugs (sedatives of the diazepam group, methadone, opioids...), the mother is obese or pregnant for the first time.

Before counting the number of pregnancies, pregnant women need to urinate to empty their bladder, lie down and put their hands on their abdomen to count the number of fetal movements. Count the number of fetal movements within an hour.
The fetus is healthy when there are at least 4 movements in 1 hour. If there are less than 4 fetal movements, the pregnant woman must lie down and count fetal movements for the next 1 hour or for 2 hours. If in the next 2 hours, there are less than 10 fetal movements, it is necessary to immediately go to a medical facility to monitor the pregnancy status by other methods. Every day, mothers should choose the same time to easily monitor and evaluate fetal movements, maybe after breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is best to count the number of pregnancies after eating and after urinating. It is recommended to count fetal movements 2-3 times a day, at fixed hours. When the fetus is asleep, the number of mechanical pregnancies will be reduced or absent. The time the fetus sleeps is about 20-40 minutes, usually no more than 90 minutes.

Normally, the fetus is healthy when there are more than 4 movements per hour. If in 2 hours in a row, the fetus has less than 3 times or less, this is an alarm sign to suspect that the fetus is weak, the mother should go to the doctor to monitor the fetal health with a Monitor. The average number of fetal movements per day is 16-45 times; Maximum interval recorded between pregnancies is 50 - 75 minutes. You may not be able to feel your baby's movements while the baby is asleep. Fetal sleep time is usually 20-40 minutes, rarely more than 90 minutes. The mother should rest in the lying position, and focus on counting the number of fetal movements (kicks, punches, turns, rolls) within 1 hour, along with the time it takes to get 10 fetal movements, and record in 1 chart. thing. Avoid fetal sleep cycles (maybe 20 to 75 minutes). Night to night is when the fetus is most active. The number of ectopic pregnancies is usually highest at around 28-32 weeks, then decreases slightly around the time of delivery. At the time of birth, the average number of mechanical pregnancies in 1 hour when the fetus is active is 31.

Counting time for 10 fetal movements is the most commonly used method today. The average time it takes to count 10 fetal movements varies widely, ranging from 10 to 21 minutes, according to different research groups. 90% of women count 10 movements within 25 minutes at 28-36 weeks and 35 minutes at 37-40 weeks.
There is not a single number used as a reference for Vietnamese mothers and Vinmec International General Hospital is building that reference range through the practice of mothers visiting and giving birth here. Most importantly: If the number of pregnancies is less than 10 within 2 hours, it is a dangerous sign and needs to go to the hospital for treatment and monitoring as soon as possible.
Reducing the number of pregnancies can be encountered in the following cases: Too much or too little amniotic fluid, past due date or intrauterine growth retardation, multiple pregnancy, and maternal diseases such as high blood pressure or high blood pressure. diabetes. In these cases, the doctor will evaluate the fetal status through further investigations such as creating and monitoring the physiological profile of the fetus.
Vinmec International General Hospital will provide mothers with a fetal movement counting chart and bring this chart with you every time you visit, which proves that the fetus is not only monitored by doctors, but also by the mother herself. Each fetus has a different tendency to move, so counting the number of fetal movements every day will tell the mother what is the normal value for her fetus.
In addition, to protect mother and baby during pregnancy, Vinmec also provides Maternity Package with a complete "painless delivery" service during and after birth. Help monitor the health status of mother and baby comprehensively, periodically check antenatal care with leading Obstetricians and Gynecologists, perform all important tests and screenings for pregnant women, consult and intervene in a timely manner. when detecting abnormalities in the health of mother and baby.
Especially when giving birth by cesarean section at Vinmec, pregnant women will receive pain relief with non-morphine epidural and neuromuscular anaesthesia. During the birth process, the mother will be guided by the midwives on how to push and breathe properly, the baby will be born in just 10-15 minutes. After birth, the baby will be cared for in a sterile room before being returned to the mother.
Pregnant women will rest in a high-class ward, designed according to international hotel standards, 1 mother 1 room with full facilities, modern, comfortable space like at home. Mothers will be consulted by nutritionists on how to feed the baby before being discharged from the hospital. Postpartum follow-up with both mother and baby with leading Obstetricians and Pediatricians.