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Quantification of fetal motor activity in early pregnancy
N P Jørgensen1, K Marsál, K Lindström
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
Real-time ultrasonography in obstetrics has proved that active movements are already present in the first trimester of pregnancy. A new semi-automatic ultrasound method was developed for objective quantitative recording of fetal movements in early pregnancy using a real-time multi-linear array scanner and a Time-Distance recorder. The equipment registers changes in the distance between a fixed marker and the fetal structures displayed on the screen of the ultrasound scanner. The output signals are recorded on a polygraph. Fetal movements were recorded continuously for 30 min in 62 normal 10-, 11- and 12-week-old fetuses. The median number of movements did not differ significantly in the three groups, being 150, 159 and 154, respectively. The median time incidence of movements was 17, 18 and 17%, respectively. The method is now being applied in studies evaluating various drug effects on fetal motor behaviour in early pregnancy.
Real-time ultrasonography in obstetrics has proved that active movements are already present in the first trimester of pregnancy. A new semi-automatic ultrasound method was developed for objective quantitative recording of fetal movements in early pregnancy using a real-time multi-linear array scanner and a Time-Distance recorder. The equipment registers changes in the distance between a fixed marker and the fetal structures displayed on the screen of the ultrasound scanner. The output signals are recorded on a polygraph. Fetal movements were recorded continuously for 30 min in 62 normal 10-, 11- and 12-week-old fetuses. The median number of movements did not differ significantly in the three groups, being 150, 159 and 154, respectively. The median time incidence of movements was 17, 18 and 17%, respectively. The method is now being applied in studies evaluating various drug effects on fetal motor behaviour in early pregnancy.