Admission to the labor ward
Postnatal women remembered being asked about FMs on admission to the
labor ward (24/28, 85.7%; either by a research assistant as part of
this study or by routine nurse-midwives). However, only 9/28 (32.1%)
women had FMs findings documented in their hospital file. Nurse-midwives
were almost unanimous in reporting that they always ask mothers about
FMs on admission to the labor ward. Although many claimed they assessed
timing and perceived changes in FMs, only information about the presence
or absence of FMs was documented on the patient file.
‘I will ask whether the baby is playing and then after she
answers I will ask again how he plays: is it a lot or is it less?’ (Healthcare provider)
‘You ask the mother: ‘Is the baby playing?’ and she will say
it moves normally or not normally compared to how she used to feel it.’ (Healthcare provider)
‘You ask the mother ‘How are your baby’s movements today?’ and
will say ‘It’s normal or today the playing increased it decreased or I
didn’t feel the baby move today.” (Healthcare provider)
‘…when we assess the mother and find no fetal heart rate we
always ask about fetal movement to confirm fetal condition of health and
viability.’ (Healthcare provider)