HHC Health & Home Care Clinical Policy And

HHC HEALTH & HOME CARE Section: 10-1
Antepartum: Method of Performing Fetal Kick Counts __RN
PURPOSE:
To teach a method of self-monitoring fetal well being by
counting fetal kicks.
CONSIDERATIONS:
1. Expectant women generally begin to feel movement
sometime between the 16th and 20th weeks of
pregnancy. Multiparas usually report movement
earlier in their pregnancy.
2. Use of fetal kick counts typically begins between the
28 to 30 th week of pregnancy.
3. Fetal kick counts is an important way an expectant
mother can assist health care providers to
determine if the baby is healthy.
4. Parameters should be set by physician as to what
the “low” number of fetal kicks is and when to call
the physician. If the number of fetal kicks is too low,
other diagnostic tests may need to be initiated.
5. There is more than one method of doing fetal kick
counts. The following instructions are based on the
Sadovsky Method.
PROCEDURE:
1. Instruct the expectant mother in the following steps:
a. Count the fetal movements three times each
day - for one hour after breakfast, for one hour
after lunch, and for one hour after dinner.
b. Lie down on her left side, if possible, and
concentrate on the baby's movements. If she
cannot lie down, she can sit quietly with feet
and legs propped up or supported.
c. Count each time the baby moves, including
"kicks" or "rolling" or "turning" type of
movements. If the baby has hiccoughs, stop
counting until they stop -- then start over.
d. Record an "X" on the line for each movement
she felt, on the kick count sheet.
e. After counting and recording four baby
movements stop counting for that one-hour time
period. (If physician has set different parameter
use that number for setting guidelines.)
f. If less than four movements in an hour are felt,
continue counting for one more hour. If, at the
end of the second hour, the movements are still
less than four, call the doctor.
2. Ask expectant mother to explain the procedure and
answer any questions she has regarding it.
AFTER CARE:
1. Document in patient's record:
a. Instructions given to patient.
b. Patient’s ability to return explanation of
procedure.
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