title: Fetal movements: What are we telling women?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Information that women receive about the importance of monitoring fetal movements and what to do if there are changes is inconsistent and may not be evidence based.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This paper reports a summary of the kind of messages a group of South Australian midwives (n=72) currently give pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comment data from two questions in a larger survey asking (1) what information midwives routinely provide to women about fetal movements and (2) their practice regarding advice they give to women reporting reduced fetal movements. Data were analysed using summative content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four main recurring words and phrases were identified. With respect to information midwives give all women about monitoring fetal movements, recurring words were "10", "normal", "kick charts" and "when to contact" their care-provider. Recurrent words and phrases arising from answers to the second question about advice midwives give to women reporting reduced fetal movement were "ask questions," "suggest fluids," "monitor at home and call back" or "come in for assessment".
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that a group of South Australian midwives are providing pregnant women with inconsistent information, often in conflict with best practice evidence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As giving correct, evidence based information about what to do in the event of an episode of reduced fetal movement may be a matter of life or death for the unborn baby it is important that midwives use existing guidelines in order to deliver consistent information which is based on current evidence to women in their care.
authors.affiliation: University of South Australia, School of Nursing and Midwifery, City East Campus, Centenary Building, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia. Electronic address: jane.warland@unisa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Warland
authors.affiliation: The Flinders University Adelaide, School of Nursing and Midwifery, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. Electronic address: Pauline.glover@flinders.edu.au.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Glover
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D005324:Fetal Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008880:Midwifery; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Kick counting; Management of reduced fetal movement; Midwives knowledge; Reduced fetal movements; Women's knowledge