Patient's question:
I am currently 26 weeks pregnant, and my abdomen often feels tight and hard in waves, contracting inward. During these contractions, I cannot move at all, but there is no pain or sensation of bloating. I went to the hospital for a check-up, and the doctor had a bad attitude. She asked if I had bloating, and I said no. She replied, "How can it be hard without bloating? If there's no bloating, it must be fetal movement." Is it true that hard contractions are accompanied by bloating? I feel that this tightness and hardness is quite different from the usual fetal movement I experience.I would like to ask if the doctor's words are correct; is this phenomenon contractions or fetal movement; and do I need any additional tests? She prescribed ritodrine hydrochloride tablets. Should I take them or not?
Doctor's answer:
Hello:Contraction: During the last few months of pregnancy, irregular contractions occur, especially in the final weeks. After feeling fetal movement, placing your hand on your abdomen will make you notice it hardening at irregular intervals. These contractions are unpredictable, lack a regular cycle, and do not cause pain.
So, how can you determine if the fetal movement is normal? Here are two different methods:
Rayburn's method: Measure fetal movement for one hour each day at fixed times—morning, noon, and evening. If the number of movements per hour is three or fewer, and this persists for two consecutive days, it is considered abnormal.
Grant's method: Calculate the time it takes to feel 10 instances of fetal movement. It may take at least three hours each day. If the time taken to feel 10 movements exceeds three hours, you should go to the hospital for a check-up.