title: Women's experiences of two different self-assessment methods for monitoring fetal movements in full-term pregnancy--a crossover trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low maternal awareness of fetal movements is associated with negative birth outcomes. Knowledge regarding pregnant women's compliance with programs of systematic self-assessment of fetal movements is needed. The aim of this study was to investigate women's experiences using two different self-assessment methods for monitoring fetal movements and to determine if the women had a preference for one or the other method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected by a crossover trial; 40 healthy women with an uncomplicated full-term pregnancy counted the fetal movements according to a Count-to-ten method and assessed the character of the movements according to the Mindfetalness method. Each self-assessment was observed by a midwife and followed by a questionnaire. A total of 80 self-assessments was performed; 40 with each method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 40 women, only one did not find at least one method suitable. Twenty of the total of 39 reported a preference, 15 for the Mindfetalness method and five for the Count-to-ten method. All 39 said they felt calm, relaxed, mentally present and focused during the observations. Furthermore, the women described the observation of the movements as safe and reassuring and a moment for communication with their unborn baby.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the 80 assessments all but one of the women found one or both methods suitable for self-assessment of fetal movements and they felt comfortable during the assessments. More women preferred the Mindfetalness method compared to the count-to-ten method, than vice versa.
authors.forename: Mari-Cristin
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Malm
authors.forename: Ingela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rådestad
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rubertsson
authors.forename: Ingegerd
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hildingsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden. helena.lindgren@ki.se.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lindgren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005324:Fetal Movement; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D057240:Patient Preference; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult