Decreased fetal movement: Maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcome

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Published Nov 24, 2023
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Vol. 101 No. 11 (2023): Tunis Med nov

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Khaoula Magdoud
Department of Emergency , Maternity and Neonatology Centre of Tunis, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
Abir Karoui
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics "C", Maternity and Neonatology Centerof Tunis ,Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
Hassine Saber Abouda
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics "C", Maternity and Neonatology Centerof Tunis ,Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
Sana Menjli
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics "C", Maternity and Neonatology Centerof Tunis ,Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
Haithem Aloui
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics "C", Maternity and Neonatology Centerof Tunis ,Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
Mohamed Badis Chanoufi
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics "C", Maternity and Neonatology Centerof Tunis ,Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia

Abstract

Introduction : Decreased fetal movement is a common reason for consultation. It can reveal an intrauterine death or fetal distress.


Aim: To evaluate the epidemiological profile of decreased fetal movement and to identify the predictive factors of poor pregnancy outcome. 


Methods: We performed a retrospective and descriptive study in the department of Maternity between January 2015 and December 2019 including patients hospitalized for decreased fetal movements.                         


Results: The study included 150 patients with a mean age of 30.7±5.8 years. The patients were primiparous in 45.3% of cases. The mean term of pregnancy was 37.17±2.97 weeks. Cardiotocography was pathological in 22.7% of patients. The delivery rate during the hospitalization was 87.3% with a mean term of 37.9±2.5 SA. Poor pregnancy outcome was noted in 22.1% of cases. The identified predictive factors of poor pregnancy outcome were: gestational term less than 37 weeks (ORa=9.42), insufficient prenatal care (ORa=2.85), delayed maternal reporting of decreased fetal movement (ORa=1.29), complications during pregnancy (ORa=3.01),small symphysiofundal height for gestational age (ORa=6.17), pathological cardiotocography (ORa=1.66), fetal growth restriction (ORa=6.17), abnormal Umbilical Artery Doppler (ORa=6.51).


Conclusion: Decreased fetal movement can be a false alarm but it is important to identify predictive factors of poor pregnancy outcome to recognize patients at increased risk and optimize their management.

Keywords:

Fetal movement, Fetal distress, Stillbirth, Pregnancy outcome, Predictive factors

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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