The feeling of fetus movement felt by the mother is known as?

RRB Staff Nurse Kolkata-2015

Obstetrics and Midwifery Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: RRB Staff Nurse Kolkata-2015

Explanation

Quickening is the medical term for the first time a pregnant woman feels her baby move.
It is a subjective, or presumptive, sign of pregnancy because it is based on the mother's personal sensation, often described as flutters or bubbles.
This milestone typically occurs between 16 to 20 weeks of gestation, though it may be felt earlier in multigravida women compared to primigravida women.

Option A: Ballottement is an objective sign assessed by a healthcare examiner, not a subjective feeling experienced by the mother. It involves tapping the uterus and feeling the fetus rebound in the amniotic fluid.
Option B: Palmar Sign, more accurately known as Palmer's sign, refers to the rhythmic uterine contractions felt by an examiner during a bimanual exam. It is not the sensation of fetal movement.
Option C: Hegar's sign is the softening of the lower uterine segment (isthmus), a change that is assessed by a healthcare provider during a pelvic examination. It is a probable sign of pregnancy, not a sensation felt by the mother.

Visual 1: Infographic. A chart categorizing the signs of pregnancy into three columns: Presumptive, Probable, and Positive, with bulleted examples under each to clarify the differences.
Visual 2: Illustration. A drawing showing a pregnant woman's abdomen with visual cues like 'flutters,' 'bubbles,' or 'tiny kicks' to represent the sensation of quickening.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Signs of Pregnancy as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a crucial role in educating expectant mothers about the signs of pregnancy, including when to expect quickening. This helps in estimating gestational age and provides reassurance.
Monitoring fetal movements (kick counts) becomes an important tool for assessing fetal well-being later in pregnancy. The onset of quickening is the first step in this maternal-fetal awareness.
What if? If a primigravida woman at 24 weeks of gestation reports that she has not yet felt any fetal movement (no quickening), it would be a clinical red flag. The nurse should recommend an immediate follow-up, likely including an ultrasound, to assess fetal viability, rule out any issues, and confirm the gestational age.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key phrase in the question: 'feeling...felt by the mother'. This indicates a subjective experience.
Next, classify the signs of pregnancy. Remember they are divided into presumptive (subjective, felt by mother), probable (objective, found by examiner, but not 100% certain), and positive (conclusive proof of fetus).
Evaluate the options based on this classification.
Ballottement, Palmar's sign, and Hegar's sign are all 'signs' detected by a healthcare provider (examiner), making them probable signs.
Quickening is the only option that describes a sensation felt by the mother herself.
Therefore, quickening is the correct term for the mother's perception of fetal movement.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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