Gross movement counting of fetuses conceived with assisted reproductive technology using a fetal movement acceleration measurement recorder

Abstract

Abstract To investigate whether assisted reproductive technology (ART) affects gross fetal movement. A prospective cohort study. 65 women who conceived with ART (ART group) and 211 women (control group) without ART recorded fetal movement with the fetal movement acceleration measurement recorder at night weekly after 28 weeks. The number ratio of 10 s epochs with fetal movement to all epochs was calculated as the fetal movement parameter. When no fetal movement was observed for more than 5 min, it was defined as a no fetal movement period, and the average number per hour, the average duration, and the longest duration of the no fetal movement periods were calculated as the no fetal movement parameters. Gestational weeks were classified into 28–33 and 34–39 weeks, and the fetal movement parameter and the no fetal movement parameters were compared using the Student’s t-test. The fetal movement parameters at 28–33 weeks were 17.43% (ART) and 16.58% (control) (p = 0.219), and those at 34–39 weeks were 11.72% (ART) and 11.96% (control) (p = 0.590). In the same way, for the no fetal movement parameters, the average numbers were 1.58 and 1.63 per hour (p = 0.357), and 2.36 and 2.30 per hour (p = 0.503). The average durations were 8.30 and 8.46 min (p = 0.712), and 9.20 and 9.51 min (p = 0.188). The longest durations were 16.26 and 17.02 min (p = 0.295), and 22.34 and 22.87 min (p = 0.534). ART does not affect gross fetal movement count.

Keywords

• Fetal development
• Fetal movement
• Fetal movement acceleration measurement recorder
• Assisted reproductive technology
• In vitro fertilization