Fetal Movements in late Pregnancy : Categorization, Self-assessment, and Prenatal Attachment in relation to women’s experiences

Aim: To explore how pregnant women experience fetal movements in late pregnancy. Specific aims were:  to study women’s experiences during the time prior to receiving news that their unborn baby had died in utero (I), to investigate women’s descriptions of fetal movements (II), investigate the association between the magnitude of fetal movements and level of prenatal attachment (III), and to study women’s experiences using two different self-assessment methods (IV). Methods: Interviews, questionnaires, and observations were used. Results: Premonition that something had happened to their unborn baby, based on a lack of fetal movements, was experienced by the participants. The overall theme “something is wrong” describes the women’s insight that the baby’s life was threatened (I). Fetal movements that were sorted into the domain “powerful movements” were perceived in late pregnancy by 96 % of the participants (II). Perceiving frequent fetal movements on at least three occasions per 24 hours was associated with higher scores of prenatal attachment in all the three subscales on PAI-R. The majority (55%) of the 456 participants reported average occasions of frequent fetal movements, 26% several occasions and 18% reported few occasions of frequent fetal movements, during the current gestational week.  (III). Only one of the 40 participants did not find at least one method for monitoring fetal movements suitable. Fifteen of the 39 participants reported a preference for the mindfetalness method and five for the count-to-ten method. The women described the observation of the movements as a safe and reassuring moment for communication with their unborn baby (IV). Conclusion:  In full-term and uncomplicated pregnancies, women usually perceive fetal movements as powerful. Furthermore, women in late pregnancy who reported frequent fetal movements on several occasions during a 24-hour period seem to have a high level of prenatal attachment. Women who used self-assessment methods for monitoring fetal movements felt calm and relaxed when observing the movements of their babies. They had a high compliance for both self-assessment methods. Women that had experienced a stillbirth in late pregnancy described that they had a premonition before they were told that their baby had died in utero. 

Kvinnors upplevelser av missfall : och dess påverkan på nästkommande graviditet

En övervägande stor grupp kvinnor drabbas av missfall, antingen tidigt eller sent i graviditeten, ochför många är det en traumatisk upplevelse. Syftet med denna litteraturstudie var att beskriva aktuellforskning om hur kvinnor upplever ett missfall och hur den upplevelsen påverkar den psykiskahälsan i nästkommande graviditet. Litteraturöversikten baserades på tjugotre vetenskapliga artiklarpublicerade mellan 1995 och 2007. Sökning har skett i fyra olika databaser med ett antalsökkombinationer.Resultatet visade att missfall är ett komplext tillstånd där många olika känslor är involverade.Blandade känslor i form av sorg, oro, förtvivlan, depression och skuld beskrevs av kvinnorna. Vidnästkommande graviditet upplevdes en stark oro och ett hot mot graviditeten och barnet. Studiervisade även en lägre grad av prenatal anknytning till barnet hos de kvinnor som upplevt missfall.Upplevelsen av att sakna stöd efter missfallet och under nästkommande graviditet påtalades avföräldrarna. Skillnad i sorgearbete mellan kvinnan och mannen beskrevs, liksom att kvinnan visadehögre grad av depression och oro än mannen. Flera studier betonar vikten av planerad uppföljningefter ett missfall.Nyckelord; missfall, kvinnors upplevelse, oro, sorg, skuld och nästkommande graviditet.

To achieve safe and respectful maternity care in tertiary level hospitals in Nepal, relatives are a valued addition to the provision of maternity care

Introduction: The White Ribbon Alliance for safe motherhood believes respectful maternity care is the universal right of every childbearing woman. Methods: NHRC in 2012 approved an inquiry of respectful care at facility-based childbirth. Individual-, focus group interviews and content analysis was used for gathering and analysis of data. Findings: The participating women and the SBAs shared similar views, and this was that together the SBAs and relatives ensured the women remained within the comfort and safety zone when giving birth in a tertiary level maternity unit. Conclusion: The SBAs strategy of having relatives provides basic care alongside the provision of medical care by the SBAs is a strategy that Nepal could use to improve the quality of its maternity care without any additional costs. Clinical implication: Prenatal classes might contribute to preparing relatives. Further Research: Further research could evaluate such a strategy in order to determine its effectiveness in reduction of morbidity and mortality.