title: Maternal and ultrasound measurements of elicited fetal movements: a methodologic consideration.
abstract: Two methods of evaluating fetal movement responses elicited by vibroacoustic stimulation--maternal perceptions and ultrasound scan observations--were compared in 58 low-risk and 35 high-risk pregnancies from 23-36 weeks' gestation. Maternal perception of vibrator-elicited fetal movement was poor compared with ultrasound scan observation. Regardless of gestational age or risk status, the mothers perceived 27-75% fewer movements than observed with ultrasound scan. In addition, maternal movement perceptions on vibrator versus no-stimulus control trials were not reliable until 29-32 weeks' gestation, with the percentage of movement responses increasing across gestation from 11 to 48%. In contrast, ultrasound scan observations of movement were reliable on vibrator compared with no-stimulus control trials from 26 weeks, with the percentage of movement responses increasing from 22% at 23-25 weeks to 94% at 35-36 weeks. We conclude that maternal perceptions of fetal movements cannot be substituted for ultrasound scan observations for accurate assessment of fetal movements during vibroacoustic stimulation testing.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Departments of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kisilevsky
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Killen
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Muir
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Low
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005324:Fetal Movement; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers; D010465:Perception; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal