title: The effect of (induced) maternal emotions on fetal behaviour: a controlled study.
abstract: In ten healthy near-term pregnant women the effect of induced maternal emotions on fetal motor behaviour was studied. Emotions were induced by showing a film of a normal delivery. Fetal behaviour was recorded by means of real-time ultrasound observations of general movements and eye movements and by fetal heart rate monitoring. The observations had a duration of 2 h. The data were compared with those obtained during a 2-h control period, which took place the day before (n = 5) or after the study period (n = 5). Maternal emotions (induced) were measured by means of psychological tests. No effects on fetal motor activity or on behavioural state organization could be found as a result of this film. There was, however, a significant positive correlation (P less than 0.01) between the mean level of anxiety of the women and the motor activity of the fetuses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Van den Bergh
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poelmann-Weesjes
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bekedam
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Prechtl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000502:physiology; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005324:Fetal Movement; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011581:Psychological Tests; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000502:physiology