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Regular fetal movements indicate that the fetus is healthy. Movement can be in the form of kicks or turns that will usually be felt when the pregnancy reaches 16 to 28 weeks of age. However, in general, the baby's movements will decrease before delivery. What causes this condition and is it dangerous?
Understand fetal movements in the womb
A healthy fetus, usually characterized by active movement in the stomach. At first, it may be difficult for you to tell whether it is your fetal or bowel movements.
However, as time goes by before delivery, the various fetal movements you feel become more distinctive and you can tell the difference.
In order for you to better recognize fetal movements, understand the following guidelines:
- At 12 weeks pregnant, baby starts moving. However, you don't feel anything because the baby is very small.
- At 16 weeks pregnant, the mother begins to feel small movements in the abdomen.
- At 20 weeks pregnant, the mother can begin to feel more active and faster movements.
- At 28 weeks pregnant, your baby is already making movements such as kicking and hitting.
You need to be suspicious if the baby is less active in the womb at that age. This could be a sign of a problem with the baby in the womb.
Even so, reduced movement in the fetus does not necessarily indicate problems with the unborn baby. At certain times, the baby will indeed reduce the movement in the stomach, precisely before delivery. What's the reason, huh?
The reason why fetal movement decreases before delivery
A study in the journal BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, explains the cause. The movement of the baby will decrease when the pregnancy is past 30 weeks, as well as just before delivery.
Compared to rotating movements, pregnant women will often feel a writhing motion that causes tingling. It may also be a sudden, uncomfortable kicking motion. This condition occurs because the baby's body is getting more perfect and the space for movement is getting narrower.
In the same study, researchers who looked at babies 'movements a week before delivery, concluded that babies' movements did not actually decrease but rather slowed down.
As many as 40 pregnant women reported that the baby's movements were slower, but stronger.
Apparently, there are several factors that cause a mother to have difficulty feeling the movements of the fetus before childbirth. This disturbance makes them think that fetal movement will be reduced, which is not the case.
In addition, there are also several other things that cause pregnant women to have difficulty feeling the movements of the baby before childbirth, including:
- Incorrect volume of amniotic fluid
- The presence of an anterior placenta (the placenta is attached to the front side of the uterus)
- The mother has a smoking habit and is overweight
- Nuliparitas, namely women who have never given birth before
To find out the health of the fetus through its movements, keep a journal. Record how often the baby makes movements and what movements you feel.
Next, consult the obstetrician. If you feel abnormal changes, do not delay to have them checked.
If your doctor determines that the amount of fetal movement is low before delivery, you will undergo a series of tests. One of them, namely the non-stress test (NST). This test is done to evaluate the baby's heart rate in relation to the baby's activity in the womb.
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