Kick chart

A kick chart is a form or graph used by a pregnant woman in the later stages to record the activity of her fetus.[1] If too few kicks are felt within a specified time (usually 12 hours) this could indicate a problem.[1]

A frequent question posed by midwives is how "many times has the baby kicked in the last twelve hours?" The unborn foetus should move five times per hour,[2] or ten times in any twelve-hour period. In the UK this is regarded as best indication of the health of the baby from the second trimester.

Once routine, use of these charts has declined,[3] since women often forgot to complete them and fetal movement patterns are very varied, leading to unnecessary concern.

Foetal kick counters

A more recent trend in the United Kingdom has been the replacement of the kick chart with jewelry-based counters. A pregnancy bracelet is a wearable form of kick counter.

The bracelets available work on similar principles: the baby kicks, the mother moves a marker. The idea is that this is more practical than using a pen and paper.

The two most widely advertised bracelets are currently undergoing the patent application process.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Kick Chart". National Childbirth Trust. 2006. Archived from the original on 24 December 2007.
  2. ↑ "#7. The Importance of Counting Kicks". The National Stillbirth Society. 10 September 2007. Archived from the original on 8 November 2010.
  3. ↑ "Your baby's movements in pregnancy". BabyCentre L.L.C. March 2013.
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