Maternal understanding of fetal movement in third trimester: A means for fetal monitoring and reducing stillbirth

Background: Fetal movement, a sign of life, is widely considered as an indicator of fetal health status. Therefore, perceived alteration in regular fetal movement after the age of viability may signify impending adverse perinatal outcome.Aims: This study aimed to determine maternal knowledge, behavior, and concerns about abnormal fetal movement in the third trimester of pregnancy.Materials and Methods: A total of 225 women were surveyed using a self.administered questionnaire at the out-patient prenatal clinics of two tertiary health facilities in Nigeria between December 1, 2012 through January 31, 2013. Questions addressed knowledge, perception behavior, and concerns about experience of abnormal fetal movement.Results: Correct Knowledge of excessive and decreased fetal movement was found in 47% and 31.1% of respondents, respectively. Majority of women (87.6%) either had no knowledge of normal parameters of fetal activity or did not recall being told that movement frequency and strength should increase in the third trimester. The proportion of women who expressed concern over excessive and decreased fetal movement was 31.1% and 21.8%, respectively. Maternal education was significantly associated with correct knowledge of decreased fetal movement (P = 0.026). Almost 36% of respondents had knowledge of at least one potential consequence of abnormal fetal movement.Conclusion: Maternal educational level is an important factor in the early identification of abnormality of fetal movement. The unsatisfactory  knowledge and poor perception behavior among respondents reflect the need for a guideline, particularly during antenatal care, on information and management of abnormal fetal movement in our setting to preventavoidable stillbirth. Key words: Antenatal care, concerns, fetal movement, knowledge,  maternal knowledge, pregnancy, surveillance, stillbirt

Experience and use of ultrasound scan for fetal evaluation among obstetricians in an African population

Aim: To assess the experience and the use of ultrasound scan for fetal evaluation among obstetriciansMaterial and Methods: Fifty three Obstetricians who attended an international conference on Fetal Medicine and Obstetric Ultrasound scan held in May 2014 at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital were recruited for the study.Results: A large majority of the respondents (89%) reported having had knowledge of Ultrasound scan and have used it before while only 11% of the respondents have never used an ultrasound scan. The average duration of ultrasound use among those who reported having some experience was 3.30±2.13 years. Twenty nine (55%) of the respondents had ultrasound experience spanning a duration of 1-4 years while eighteen (34%) had the experience of ultrasound use of between 5-9 years. Among those who reported having some knowledge, only 30% have had formal training in ultrasonography while the remaining 70% had no formal training.Conclusion: There is a high level of awareness of obstetric ultrasonography among Obstetricians. The use of ultrasonography was low due to low levels of formal training. Developing guidelines and creating training centres for obstetricians will help improve the experience and use of ultrasonography