II. Epidemiology
- Test sensitive for fetal well-being after 28 weeks
III. Precautions
- Fetal Kick Counts are no longer recommended in United States
- Fetal Kick Counts result in increased patient anxiety, additional triage visits without improvement in fetal outcomes
IV. Physiology of normal third trimester fetal movement
- Fetus spends 10% of its time making gross movements
- Active fetal periods last 40 minutes
- Inactive fetal periods last 20 minutes (<75 minutes)
- Fetal activity peaks with maternal Hypoglycemia
- Usually occurs between 9 pm and 1 am
- Activity not increased after meals or Glucose load
V. Technique
- Patient self monitors kick counts daily at home
- Count performed at same time every day
- Choose a time of day that fetus is most active
- Consider performing after stimulating activity
- After walking or Exercise
- Lie on left side in comfortable location
- Count fetal movements to a count of 10 in one hour
VI. Management of Inadequate kick count
- Fetal Assessment (Nonstress Test) needed immediately
VII. References
- Campbell (1982) Am J Obstet Gynecol 142:363 [PubMed]
- Pearson and Weaver (1976) BMJ 1:1305 [PubMed]
- Gabbe (1996) Obstetrics, Churchill, p. 336