Asked for Female, 34 Years

Hello, I m 18 weeks 4 days pregnant. I dont feel any fluttering or movements at all. At 17 weeks 3 days and 4 days, i did felt 2 - 3 all together small kicks. But then nothing. I had scan at 16 weeks 4 days. And had a healthy baby as wat doc said. When i saw on screen it was not moving, may be sleeping. But i cud see heart beats. Shud i be worried and go to doc immediately?? Kindly pls advise.

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Disclaimer : The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Pregnancy and Infertility

Fetal movement - how and when does it occur

1. At what time does fetal movement begin
2. Fetal movement rate
3. Methods for assessing the "sufficiency" of fetal movements
4. Changes in fetal activity
5. Determination of the condition of the fetus

“Dear patients, we are glad to welcome you to the website of the Fetal Medicine Center – a medical center of expert level in the field of modern prenatal medicine.

We see our mission in making the expectation of a child and its birth a happy, calm and most comfortable period for every woman. By providing professional medical support, we help couples plan pregnancy, control its harmonious course, conduct expert-level prenatal diagnostics, providing comprehensive care for the health of the expectant mother and baby.”

Roza Saidovna Bataeva

Head of the Fetal Medicine Center in Moscow

From the very beginning of pregnancy, every expectant mother begins to listen carefully to the sensations inside her growing belly. Can't wait to feel your baby move. When does the fetus begin to move? At what time can a pregnant woman begin to listen carefully to herself, waiting for the first movements of her child? Should I be worried if they are not felt or the baby suddenly calmed down? And can movements carry any other information, besides communicating with mom?

At what time does the fetal movement begin

The first movements of the future baby begin early - already at 7-8 weeks of pregnancy . It was at this time that the first muscles and the rudiments of the nervous system of the fetus are formed. Naturally, at this time, the movements of the embryo are still very primitive - these are muscle contractions in response to nerve impulses.

Approximately from 10 weeks of pregnancy the fetus begins to move more actively in the uterus, and, encountering an obstacle on its way (walls of the uterus), change the trajectory of movements. However, the baby is still very small and the impacts on the uterine wall are very weak, the expectant mother cannot yet feel them. At 11-12 weeks of intrauterine life, a little man already knows how to clench his fists, grimace, frown, by 16 weeks of pregnancy he begins to react to loud, sharp sounds with increased motor activity, at 17 weeks the first facial expressions appear, and at 18 weeks he covers his face with his hands and plays with the umbilical cord, compresses and unclenches the fingers of the hands.

Gradually, with increasing gestational age, movements become more coordinated and more like conscious. When the baby grows up, the pregnant woman begins to feel his movements.

When does the fetal movement begin during the first and subsequent pregnancies

It is generally accepted that during the first pregnancy, the expectant mother feels the first fetal movements at 20 weeks of pregnancy, with repeated pregnancies - at 18 weeks. This is not entirely true. A mother who is expecting her first child, indeed, most often begins to feel the movements of the fetus a little later than a multiparous woman. This is due to the fact that "experienced" mothers know how the movements of the crumbs are felt at first and what they should feel. Some primigravidas perceive the first movements of the fetus as an increase in intestinal peristalsis, “gaziki”. Many women describe the first movements of the fetus as a feeling of fluid transfusion in the abdomen, "fluttering butterflies" or "swimming fish."

The first movements are usually rare and irregular. The time of the first sensations of fetal movements naturally depends on the individual sensitivity of the woman. Some future mothers feel the first movements as early as 15-16 weeks, and someone only after 20. Slender women, as a rule, begin to feel movements earlier than full ones. Women who lead an active lifestyle, work hard, usually feel the movements of the fetus later.

By 20 weeks, due to the formation of the spinal cord and brain, as well as the accumulation of a certain amount of muscle mass in the fetus, movements become more regular and noticeable .

From 24 weeks of pregnancy, the movements of the fetus are already reminiscent of the movements of a newborn - the expectant mother feels how the fetus changes position, moves its arms and legs. The motor activity of the fetus increases gradually and its peak falls on the period from the 24th to the 32nd week of pregnancy. At this time, the activity of the baby's movements becomes one of the indicators of its normal development. After 24 weeks, the child begins to "communicate" with the mother with the help of movements, respond to the sounds of voice, music, and the emotional state of the mother. With an increase in the gestational age of more than 32 weeks, the motor activity of the fetus gradually decreases due to the fact that the baby is growing up and he simply does not have enough space for active movements. This becomes especially noticeable at the time of childbirth. By the end of the third trimester of pregnancy, the number of fetal movements may decrease somewhat, but their intensity and strength remain the same or increase.

Fetal movement rate

The baby in the mother's belly moves almost constantly. At the 20th week of pregnancy, the fetus makes about 200 movements per day, and between the 28th and 32nd weeks, the number of movements reaches 600 per day. Naturally, a pregnant woman does not feel all the movements of the fetus, but only a small part of them. So, after 28 weeks, the frequency of fetal movement, according to the sensations of a woman, is usually 4 to 8 times per hour, with the exception of periods of fetal sleep (3-4 hours in a row).

In the third trimester, a pregnant woman may notice that her baby has regular sleep and wake cycles. Children are usually most active from 19:00 to 4:00 in the morning, and the period of "rest" occurs more often from 4 to 9:00 in the morning. Of course, the movements of the fetus depend on the mood of the mother, if the mother is worried or happy, the baby can move more actively, or vice versa, calm down. The fact is that when a mother rejoices, her body significantly increases the amount of hormones of joy - endorphins, which regulate the work of the heart and blood vessels, including the vessels of the placenta. During stress or pronounced negative emotions, biologically active substances are also produced - stress hormones, they also affect the work of the heart and blood vessels. It is thanks to this biological interaction between the organisms of mother and baby that the fetus feels the state of the mother. When the expectant mother is resting, the baby usually becomes more active, if the pregnant woman is active, busy with some kind of work, the child most often calms down. The movements also change depending on the satiety of the expectant mother. Usually the baby begins to move actively after the mother eats, especially something sweet. At the same time, the level of glucose in the blood increases sharply, which causes the fetus to be more active.

Fetal movements are the language in which the unborn child speaks to the mother. Naturally, a pregnant woman should listen to the movements, because in some cases, changes in the movements of the fetus may indicate a violation of its intrauterine state and a not entirely successful pregnancy.

If, after 20 weeks of pregnancy, the expectant mother does not feel the movement of the fetus, it may be worthwhile to see a doctor and make sure that everything is in order with the baby.

Methods for assessing the "sufficiency" of fetal movements

Counting the number of movements

The easiest way to assess fetal movements is to count the number of movements of the pregnant woman herself. Self-assessment methods are very easy to use, do not require additional equipment, the presence of a doctor and are easily reproducible by any woman. Their disadvantages are that each woman has different thresholds of susceptibility.

Count to ten

The most common method for assessing fetal movements is called count to ten . It can be carried out after 28 weeks of pregnancy, when the fetus is mature enough for active movements. Its essence lies in the fact that the expectant mother counts the movements of the fetus for a 12-hour time interval, for example, from 9 am to 9 pm. The time when a pregnant woman catches the tenth movement is recorded on a tablet. If the fetus makes less than 10 movements in 12 hours, this is a reason to consult a doctor for an additional examination.

Sadowski Method

In the evening after dinneruntil 11 p.m.), the woman lies on her left side and counts the movements of the fetus. At the same time, everything is considered, even the smallest movements. If 10 or more movements are noted within an hour, this indicates that the baby is moving quite actively and feels good. If the fetus moved less than 10 times in an hour, then the movements are counted for the next hour. Evening time for this assessment method was not chosen by chance. It is in the evening hours, especially after dinner and the associated increase in glucose, that the greatest activity of the fetus is noted. If the number of fetal movements during this test is less than 10 per two hours, this should be considered as a sign of a violation of his condition and additional studies should be carried out.

For an obstetrician-gynecologist, fetal movements are also an important diagnostic criterion for some deviations in the course of pregnancy from the norm. Too active, violent, painful fetal movement or weak, rare movements may indicate its unfavorable condition.

Changes in fetal activity

Changes in fetal activity may be associated with external influences. For example, if a pregnant woman lies on her back for a long time, then the enlarged uterus compresses a large vessel - the inferior vena cava, the blood flow to the fetus is disrupted, which immediately causes its violent reaction - active movements. The same changes in the activity of the baby can occur in any other uncomfortable position of the mother - if she leans forward, squeezing her stomach, sits with her legs crossed, the child forces her mother to change her position with her activity. A similar situation occurs if the baby himself squeezes or presses the loops of the umbilical cord, limiting the flow of blood through it. He begins to move more actively, changes his position and relieves pressure on the umbilical cord. However, in some cases, an increase or vice versa, a subsidence of fetal movements can be a sign of a serious pathology.

After 28 weeks of pregnancy, if your baby does not let you know for 3-4 hours, he may just be sleeping. In this case, the expectant mother needs to eat something sweet and lie down on her left side for half an hour. If these simple manipulations do not lead to a result, it is worth repeating them again after 2-3 hours. If this time the baby does not make itself felt, this is an occasion to consult a doctor. Rare and weak movements can also indicate a fetal problem, most often a lack of oxygen for the baby, that is, fetal hypoxia.

Determining the condition of the fetus

To determine the condition of the fetus, the doctor conducts a series of examinations:

Auscultation (listening)

The simplest is auscultation (listening) using a special wooden tube (obstetric stethoscope) or a special device that captures the fetal heartbeat, doctor listens to the baby's heartbeat. Normally, it is about 120-160 beats per minute. A decrease in heart rate less than 120 or an increase of more than 160 indicates intrauterine suffering of the child.

Ultrasound and dopplerometry

During ultrasound, the doctor visually assesses the size of the fetus, the correspondence of the development of the fetus to the gestational age, because with oxygen starvation, the growth rate of the fetus slows down and its size lags behind the norm for each period of pregnancy. Also important is the structure of the placenta, the presence of signs of aging in it, as a result of which the function of transferring blood, oxygen and nutrients to the fetus usually worsens. During ultrasound, the amount and type of amniotic fluid is assessed, which can also change with intrauterine fetal suffering. Dopplerometry of the vessels of the placenta and umbilical cord is a method for studying blood flow velocities in these vessels. With a decrease in the speed of blood flow in any vessel, one can speak of fetal malnutrition of varying severity.

Learn more about the services:

• Pregnancy ultrasound
• Ultrasound in the first trimester of pregnancy
• Make KTG
• Do a fetal echocardiogram

Cardiotocography (CTG)

This is an important method for assessing the condition of the fetus. CTG is performed at a gestational age of 33 weeks or more, since only in this period of intrauterine development of the baby is a full-fledged regulation of the activity of the cardiovascular system of the fetus by the centers of the spinal cord and brain. Recording of fetal heartbeats is carried out for at least 40 minutes, and if necessary, the study can be extended up to one and a half hours. The device registers and records the baby's heart rate. For example, with a decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the blood of the fetus, the supply of oxygen to the cells of the nervous system decreases, which in turn affects the heart rate, especially during the period of wakefulness of the child. The obstetrician-gynecologist evaluates the heartbeat recording curve, episodes of slowing down and a sharp increase in the fetal heart rate, and based on these data, makes a conclusion about how comfortable the baby feels in the mother's stomach.

If during additional methods for assessing the condition of the fetus, initial disturbances in the supply of oxygen to the baby are detected, drug treatment is carried out aimed at increasing the access of blood and oxygen through the placenta and mandatory control examinations against the background of ongoing therapy. If the changes are deep and the baby experiences a pronounced deficiency of oxygen and nutrients, his condition suffers, an emergency delivery of such a patient is performed.

Fetal movements are not only an indicator of his condition, it is a way of communication between the baby and parents. The movements of the crumbs in the mother's tummy are unforgettable sensations that a woman can experience only in this short, but such a happy period of her life.

Center for Fetal Medicine in Moscow:

The main activities of our center are the early detection of congenital malformations in the fetus, prenatal screening for the detection of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus, as well as pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, fetal growth retardation and threatened abortion.

Our center is organized in such a way that the whole range of services is concentrated in one place, where a woman receives the results of various types of examinations, including ultrasound, biochemical, and specialist consultation within 1-1. 5 hours. In the presence of a high risk for chromosomal diseases in the fetus, invasive diagnostics and genetics consultation are carried out here in the center.

Fetal echocardiography is given special attention in our center, since congenital heart defects in the fetus are increasingly common today, but, unfortunately, are often missed during ultrasound during pregnancy.

In view of the ever-increasing number of multiple pregnancies, which requires more time and a special approach, the observation of women with multiple pregnancies has been allocated to us in a separate clinic for multiple pregnancies.

All examinations in the center are carried out according to the international standards FMF (Fetal Medicine Foundation) and ISUOG (International Society for Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology). In complex clinical cases, we can consult with specialists from King's College Hospital, King's College Hospital (London, UK).

The team is a special pride of the center. Our doctors are not only one of the leading specialists, professors, doctors and candidates of medical sciences, doctors of the highest categories, they are also a team of like-minded people and real enthusiasts in their field. All ultrasound diagnostic doctors in our center have international FMF certificates. Having extensive experience in prenatal diagnostics, we share our knowledge with our colleagues by conducting training courses.

The Center is equipped with the most modern diagnostic equipment: these are the latest generation ultrasound machines, GE Voluson E8 Expert, with a complete set of modern technologies, including three-dimensional ones, this is a biochemical analyzer, Delfia Xpress, these are workplaces with professional computer programs.

what is happening at this time?

The 18th week of pregnancy refers to the second trimester, the fifth month of gestation. In fact, it is not much different from, say, the 17th or 19th, yet this week is important in that a woman can feel the movements of her child.

What happens to the woman's body and the developing fetus?

So, 18 weeks of pregnancy: what happens to the woman and the unborn child? As a rule, at this time, a woman clearly begins to feel the movements of her baby. If you are 18 weeks pregnant and not moving, then this is not a serious cause for concern, especially if this is your first pregnancy. In fact, the unborn child begins to move from the moment the heart is launched, which does not stop its contractions until the very end of the life path. It's just that the little man is still so small that the expectant mother cannot hear his movements. Nevertheless, at the next appointment with a gynecologist, the first thing a pregnant woman should report is: “I am 18 weeks pregnant, I don’t feel any movement.”

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General condition of the woman and child

The second trimester of pregnancy is the most favorable period for both the baby and the mother. 18 weeks pregnant - what happens at this time? As a rule, morning toxicosis and ailments are a thing of the past, the woman feels great, her mood has already leveled off, her tummy is not very big yet, but it is already noticeable to others.

The fruit is over 14 cm long and weighs about 200 g or even more. There is enough space for him in the uterus, the child moves in different directions, actively turns over, kicks. Such movements during ultrasound can even interfere with determining gender.

18th week of pregnancy: sensations of the expectant mother

At this gestational age, there may be sensations of pulling pains in the abdomen when taking an uncomfortable position. You should not be afraid of this, this phenomenon occurs due to the rapidly growing uterus, which stretches the ligaments. A yellowish discharge may appear and, regrettably, constipation - due to the fetus pressing on the intestines. And, most importantly, there is a good appetite! A woman who is expecting a baby needs to balance her diet so that the baby receives as many nutrients as possible, especially when it is the 18th week of pregnancy.

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"I don't feel the baby move!" - another complaint? A reason to be wary, but you should not panic either, after all, everything is individual for everyone. Someone first feels the movements of the crumbs at week 15, and someone at the 22nd. A woman is rapidly gaining weight, this happens, in particular, due to the developing fetus, gaining weight and growth, an increase in the uterus, and the amount of amniotic fluid. The mammary glands increase in size and prepare for the production of milk. The belly at the 18th week of pregnancy is already quite noticeable. Many want to touch this miracle of nature; to allow this to be done or not is a matter of taste and desire of the mother herself.

Fetal development

Fetal development, 18th week of pregnancy - at this time the following events occur:

- the immune system is no longer so helpless, it produces substances that can fight viruses and infections;

- the baby has grown, its length can reach 20 cm, weight - from 150 to 250 g;

- adipose tissue appears, the skeletal system is strengthened, there are sprouts of molars;

- a child at the 18th week of pregnancy may for the first time clearly inform the expectant mother of his existence in the form of movements;

- unique fingerprints have formed, pens can grab one another;

- the sex organs have developed, it is possible to determine the sex of the baby;

- a heart has formed, motor activity has increased;

- eyes can distinguish between light and darkness;

- and, most interestingly, your baby is already able to hear his mother's voice; you can start singing and telling him bedtime stories.

18 weeks pregnant, no movement! Norm or deviation?

The expectant mother can hear the first movements before going to bed, when she calms down. Thin women will feel tremors a little earlier than those who are overweight. If the pregnancy is the first, the feeling will appear a little later than with subsequent ones. Women say that joyful and expected kicks are similar to the movement of gases through the intestines or the slight tickling of butterfly wings, and anywhere in the abdomen. The baby is still very small, he has enough space in his tummy, and he tumbles in it as he pleases. As the baby grows, the tremors become more and more distinct. Therefore, both active movements of the crumbs and their absence are the norm. But if a mother says to her relatives: “18 weeks pregnant, I don’t feel any movement,” she should calm down, the period for such a pleasant event is rather individual.

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Required research at this time

During this period, a woman visits her doctor at least once a month. At each visit, weighing, measuring blood pressure, listening to the fetal heartbeat, measuring the height of the fundus of the uterus. Urine is taken for analysis. A visit to specialized specialists is made according to indications for a particular woman and her condition.

Lifestyle and diet of a pregnant woman

Proper nutrition, outdoor activities, exercise for pregnant women are all essential components of a healthy lifestyle. A woman's diet should be balanced. For the proper development of the baby, replenishing the need of the growing body for calcium and preventing osteoporosis in a woman, it is necessary to add milk, cottage cheese, sour-milk products to the diet, otherwise the baby will take calcium from her mother's reserves (usually teeth). Additionally, you should not use chemical preparations containing this element, everything should be in moderation. Products that contain high-grade proteins, meat and fish must be in the diet! To prevent constipation, it is necessary to consume as much fiber as possible, contained in fresh vegetables and fruits. A woman can receive vitamins both from natural products and from complexes for pregnant women prescribed by her gynecologist.

What dangers lie in wait for this period

At all periods of gestation, their dangers may lie in wait. This week is no exception to the rule. The danger of a miscarriage does not leave the pregnant woman even now. The risk of its occurrence becomes higher due to the existing chronic or acquired diseases of the expectant mother. The threat of spontaneous abortion as a result of uncontrolled intake of medications is not excluded. The greatest danger is the discharge from the genital tract of a reddish hue, in this case, contacting a doctor should be immediate! Control your bowel. Listen carefully to your feelings, to the movements of the baby, especially when the 18th week of pregnancy is coming. There is no movement of the crumbs, although before that you clearly felt his weak tremors? Lie down, relax, put your hand on your stomach and listen. If nothing happened, change the position of the body, move a little. Perhaps the baby is just sleeping, and if the baby was active before, then silence for a long time should alert. In this case, to exclude the possibility of a miscarriage, consult your doctor.

Instead of a conclusion

Perhaps the most important advice. The right mental attitude is the main thing that should be. First of all, understand for yourself what the state of a woman's body is - natural, she fulfills her destiny, laid down by nature - to endure and give birth to offspring. Therefore, everything that happens to your body is a normal process. Set yourself up only for the best, think more often about your baby, about how he will stretch out his tiny hands to you and say “mom”. Avoid stress. The baby already hears and feels everything. The nervous behavior of the mother, chronic fatigue and depression will lead to a disorder of the nervous system and a decrease in the protective properties of the child's immunity.

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