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Fetal and neonatal hand movement
J W Sparling1, J Van Tol, N C Chescheir
1University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. jwspar@med.unc.edu
Physical Therapy
|January 27, 1999
Summary
Fetal hand movements show developmental trends from gestation to birth. These movements are directed and can be reliably scored to understand human development.
Area of Science:
- Human embryology
- Developmental biology
- Prenatal development
Background:
- Fetal movement is an early indicator of human gestation.
- Ultrasound imaging allows observation of fetal movements.
- Understanding fetal hand movements aids in studying low-risk human development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify specific fetal hand movements.
- To analyze developmental trends in fetal hand movements.
- To enhance understanding of low-risk human development.
Main Methods:
- Descriptive study of 21 low-risk pregnancies.
- Ultrasound imaging at 14, 20, 26, 32, 37 weeks gestation.
- Videotaping at 1 day postnatal; analysis of 7 hand movements.
Main Results:
- Fetal and neonatal movements are directed, not random.
- Hand movement durations show developmental trends (linear decrease, U-curves).
- Fetal movements toward the head/face at 32 weeks predict neonatal movement.
Conclusions:
- Fetal hand movements can be reliably observed and scored.
- Scoring fetal movements offers insights into human motor development.
- This research contributes to understanding typical human development patterns.