Abstract The emergence of spontaneous fetal motility during the first 20 weeks of gestation was studied longitudinally in 11 healthy nulliparae, using real-time ultrasound. The aim of this investigation was to study the onset and developmental course of spontaneously generated specific fetal movement patterns. 60-min observations were repeated weekly from 7 to 15 weeks and at 16/17 and 18/19 weeks. The qualitative aspects of fetal motility and posture were analyzed during video recording. Sixteen distinct movement patterns (just discernible movements; startle; general movements; hiccup; breathing; isolated arm or leg movements; isolated retroflexion/rotation and anteflexion of the head; jaw movements; sucking and swallowing; hand-facecontact; stretch; yawn; rotation), closely resembling those observed in preterm and fullterm newborn infants, could be distinguished and a detailed description is presented. The first movements were observed at 7.5 weeks postmenstrual age. A scatter of two weeks was found for the ages at which frequently occurring movement patterns could be observed for the first time. By the age of 15 weeks all 16 movement patterns could be observed. There were no major changes between 8 and 20 weeks in the appearance of the different movements, which meant that they were easy to recognize at all ages studied. A systematic assessment of position and posture showed a preference for the supine position before 16 weeks, and for the lateral position after 16 weeks. There was no consistent intra-individual preference for position or posture. Two specific motor patterns could be identified as causing either somersault or rotation around the longitudinal axis. The number of changes in fetal position increases from 10 weeks onwards, reaches a peak at 13–15 weeks and decreases after 17 weeks.


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    Title :

    The emergence of fetal behaviour. I. Qualitative aspects


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Early Human Development ; 7 , 4 ; 301-322


    Publication date :

    1982-11-29


    Size :

    22 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




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