The Effect of Self-made Fetal Movement and Position Tracking on Prenatal Attachment and Pregnancy Distress

This study was conducted to determine the effect of self-made fetal movement counting and fetal position tracking on prenatal attachment and prenatal distress.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Distress; Prenatal Attachment; Fetal Position Tracking
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Experimental

Detailed Description

Attachment, which is the basis for establishing social relationships, is the intense feelings that people develop towards the people they consider important. These strong emotions begin with the mother, who is the first person to interact with the individual. When the woman learns that she is pregnant, she becomes curious about her baby, dreams related to the baby, and starts communicating with her baby. Therefore, when baby movements are felt, prenatal attachment becomes stronger, and the cornerstones of attachment are formed.

The early development of safe and positive attachment composes the basis of healthy development. In the later years of childhood, safe attachment is effective on healthy processes, such as being more positive, establishing close, constructive and respectful relationships, and a high sense of trust, while unsafe attachment is associated with emotional, social, physical, and mental psychopathologies.

The mother's touching her baby over her abdomen, trying to guess the parts of the baby, following baby movements, communicating with the baby by focusing and spending private time with the baby increase the physical and psychological contact with the baby. Thus, the baby can be accepted by the mother as an individual, and the attachment between the mother and baby can increase.

Fetal movement counting is defined as tracking uninterrupted fetal movements for at least 15-20 minutes by lying on the left side in a calm environment at any time during the day when this baby is awake. Fetal position tracking is described as trying to guess the parts of the baby by placing the mother's hand on the abdomen. Thanks to fetal movement and position tracking, the state of fetal health can be determined, mother-baby attachment can be increased, and pregnancy distress can be reduced. Pregnant women also may experience negative emotions because of stress, anxiety, anxious anticipation, deterioration of body perception, adaptation to the new situation, anxiety about being a parent, increasing financial needs, fear of birth, and insufficient social support. Hence pregnancy distress can prevent a pleasant pregnancy period and can cause a negative effect on mother-baby attachment.

In order to increase attachment, mothers can be trained on fetal movement and position tracking. This training can be integrated into routine prenatal care since it can be taught quickly. Moreover, it is helpful and economically viable and providing early recognition of fetal risk.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of self-made fetal movement and position tracking on prenatal attachment and pregnancy distress.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 85
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Kayseri̇, Turkey, 38280
    • Erciyes University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 19 years to 35 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• least literate
• between the ages of 19-35
• Effective communication
• first pregnancy
• having a single fetus
• Pregnancy week between 24 and 28.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy using assisted reproductive techniques
• Having a risky pregnancy (preeclampsia, placenta previa, gestational diabetes etc.)
• Pregnant women with a chronic disease (heart, systemic, circulatory disorder, psychiatric, etc.) were not included in the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Experimental group; In the first stage, pregnant women were trained to implement fetal movement count and position tracking. The training was provided face to face and lasted 30-45 minutes. How to determine the position of the fetus and I. and II. Leopold maneuvers are also taught. In the second stage, the pregnant women were interviewed twice a week by telephone.Thus, it was provided that pregnant women had fetal tracked at least once a day, at any time of the day, when the fetus was awake and most active, in a suitable position and a comfortable environment, for at least 15-20 minutes continuously for four weeks. Pregnant women phoned the researcher when they wanted. At the same time, the participants continued to their routine prenatal care.	Behavioral: Experimental; Pregnant women were trained to implement fetal movement count and position tracking. The training was provided face to face and lasted 30-45 minutes. The training content included topics such as setting a comfortable environment and suitable position for the pregnant, when the fetus is active and asleep during the day, how to count and how to evaluate the movements. How to determine the position of the fetus and I. and II. Leopold maneuvers are also taught. In the second stage, the pregnant women were interviewed twice a week by telephone.Thus, it was provided that pregnant women had fetal tracked at least once a day, at any time of the day, when the fetus was awake and most active, in a suitable position and a comfortable environment, for at least 15-20 minutes continuously for four weeks. Pregnant women phoned the researcher when they wanted. At the same time, the participants continued to their routine prenatal care.
No Intervention: Control Group; The pregnant women continued to their routine prenatal care. No intervention was applied to the pregnant women in addition to their routine prenatal care.The pregnant women were called about whether continuing their routine care or having any problems during the research.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The mean prenatal attachment level (mean±SD)	The mean prenatal attachment was assessed using ''Prenatal attachment inventory''. The inventory consists of 21 Likert-type items. Each item is scored between 1 and 4. Therefore, the minimum score of the inventory is 21, while the maximum score of the inventory is 84. The pregnant between 24-28 gestational weeks were filled with face-to-face interviews at the first interview and 30 days after the training.	between 24-28 gestational weeks and after 30 days
The mean pregnancy distress level (mean±SD)	The mean pregnancy distress was assessed using "Pregnancy Distress Scale".The TPDS consists of 16 items and two sub-dimensions as negative affect and partner involvement. The TPDS is 4-point likert type. Each item is scored between 0 and 3. Thus, the total score of TPDS is ranged between 0 and 48 on the scale. The higher the score, the higher the pregnancy distress. The pregnant between 24-28 gestational weeks were filled with face-to-face interviews at the first interview and 30 days after the training.	between 24-28 gestational weeks and after 30 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: TC Erciyes University
• Collaborators: Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Badem A, Mucuk S. The effect of self-evaluation of foetal movement and position tracking on prenatal attachment and distress. J Reprod Infant Psychol. 2022 Sep 1:1-10. doi: 10.1080/02646838.2022.2117290. Online ahead of print.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 15, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 15, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): May 20, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 7, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 28, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): April 6, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 6, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 28, 2022
• Last Verified: March 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Pregnancy; Distress; Prenatal attachment; Fetal Position Tracking; Fetal Movement Count
• Other Study ID Numbers: KKYFHTPBVGDE85

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No