Clinical trial NCT05313113: The Effect of Self-made Fetal Movement and Position Tracking on Prenatal Attachment and Pregnancy Distress
Official title: The Effect of Self-made Fetal Movement and Position Tracking on Prenatal Attachment and Pregnancy Distress
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Prenatal Attachment
Fetal Position Tracking
Distress
Keywords: Prenatal attachment
Pregnancy
Fetal Position Tracking
Fetal Movement Count
Distress
Lead sponsor: TC Erciyes University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University
First posted: 2022-04-06
Enrollment: 85
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 19
Maximum age (years): 35
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE

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

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.

Eligibility criteria: 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.

Primary outcomes:
measure: The mean prenatal attachment level (mean±SD)
timeFrame: between 24-28 gestational weeks and after 30 days
measure: The mean pregnancy distress level (mean±SD)
timeFrame: between 24-28 gestational weeks and after 30 days
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Kayseri̇
country: Turkey
facility: Erciyes University
Study officials:
References:
citation: Badem A, Mucuk S. The effect of self-evaluation of foetal movement and position tracking on prenatal attachment and distress. J Reprod Infant Psychol. 2024 Jun;42(3):439-448. doi: 10.1080/02646838.2022.2117290. Epub 2022 Sep 1.