Patient's question:
Pregnant for 32 weeks, but the baby's movements have not been regular recently. On Monday, I felt the movements were quite strong, as if the baby was stretching its arms and legs. However, in the following days, it hasn't been like that. The baby moves occasionally. Due to being very busy with work, I counted the baby's movements twice yesterday and couldn't determine if it was within the standard range. Is such movement normal? What should I do?Doctor's answer:
Normal pregnant women typically begin to feel fetal movement around 20 weeks of pregnancy. As the pregnancy progresses, the frequency of fetal movement gradually increases, reaching its peak between 32 and 34 weeks. After 38 weeks, fetal movement gradually decreases. If fetal movement is greater than or equal to 30 movements in 12 hours or greater than or equal to 4 movements per hour, it is considered normal. If fetal movement is less than or equal to 3 movements per hour for two consecutive days, it is considered abnormal, often indicating conditions such as fetal hypoxia or distress in the womb.During a day, there are two active peaks of fetal movement: one from 7 to 9 a.m. and another from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. the next day. At other times, especially in the morning, fetal movement is relatively less frequent. The general pattern is that there should be no fewer than 3 to 5 movements per hour, with approximately 30 to 40 movements in 12 hours. However, if fetal movement exceeds 10 movements per hour, it may be considered frequent and requires attention, with prompt medical consultation recommended.