[Experiencing fetal movements. A psychologic investigation of 386 pregnant and recently delivered women (author's transl)].

During the first half of pregnancy fetal movement can be quite well assessed with the ultrasound technique. In the second half, however, one depends largely on the subjective comments of the women. Which are the factors influencing the experience of fetal movements? 386 pregnant women and those after delivery were sent a questionnaire including psychologic data. First fetal movements were clearly observed by about one third, weakly by about two thirds of patients. The intensity of this experience depended on the level of intelligence and the personality factor neuroticism. About three quarters of the women judged the first fetal movements to be very important, one quarter of only medium or minor importance. How significant these signs of pregnancy were for them, depended inter alia on their age, personality dimension extra-or introversion, the experience of gynecologic happenings, their attitude towards pregnancy, relations to their partner, attitude towards sexuality and their role as women. The results showed that registering and experiencing fetal movements depended too much on external social factors and on the personality of the women to be of use in assessing the fetus during the second half of pregnancy. They were tested for significance with the X2-method.