Is it normal to have no obvious fetal movement at 20 weeks?

For pregnant mothers who do not have obvious fetal movements at 20 weeks, they must be very anxious, fearing that there is something wrong with the fetus in their belly. So is it normal for the fetus to have no obvious movement at 20 weeks? I believe many friends want to know the answer to this question. Next, this article will discuss with you the question of whether it is normal for fetal movement to be unclear at 20 weeks. If you want to know the answer, please continue reading! Please see the detailed introduction below.

Fetal movement is an indicator of whether the fetal development is normal. When the fetus develops to a certain extent, his activities can be felt by the pregnant mother, so pregnant mothers are very concerned about when the fetal movement occurs. Is it normal to have no obvious fetal movement at 20 weeks of pregnancy?

Pregnant women who are pregnant for the first time will feel fetal movement for the first time around 18-20 weeks of pregnancy, but the amplitude of the fetal movement is very small. Most pregnant mothers can clearly feel the movement of the fetus after 4 months of pregnancy, that is, from the 5th month.

The 16th to 20th week of pregnancy is the period when fetal movement can just begin to be felt. At this time, the baby's movements are not very large and are not intense. Pregnant mothers usually feel that the fetal movements at this time are like fish swimming, or "gurgling" and spitting bubbles, which are a bit like the feeling of bloating, gastrointestinal motility or hunger. Inexperienced pregnant mothers often cannot distinguish them. At this time, the location of fetal movement is closer to the belly button.

Some pregnant mothers are more sensitive and can feel fetal movement very early, but others may need to wait until later. If fetal movement does not occur as expected, pregnant mothers should not worry. It may be that the baby is too small and the movement is not large enough. If you are really worried, you can go to the hospital for a prenatal check-up. As long as the check-up is normal, there will be no problem with the baby.

Necessity of observing fetal movement:

1. Observing fetal movements in early pregnancy is helpful in estimating the prognosis of pregnancy. It is reported that at 7 weeks of pregnancy, the miscarriage rate for those with fetal movement is only 3%, while the miscarriage rate for those without fetal movement can be as high as 98%. In cases where no fetal movement is seen at 9 weeks of pregnancy, miscarriage is inevitable; while in cases where fetal movement is seen, it is a sign of threatened miscarriage, and about 90% of the fetuses can avoid miscarriage. For patients who have been infertile for many years and hope to maintain the fetus, observation of fetal movements in early pregnancy can provide a reference for the possibility of continuing the pregnancy.

2. Ultrasound is also sensitive in observing fetal movements in the middle and late stages. Sometimes smaller fetal movements are not felt by the pregnant woman but can be seen during ultrasound.

Normal obvious fetal movements should be no less than 3 to 5 times per hour, and more than 30 to 40 times in 12 hours. However, due to the large individual differences among fetuses, some fetuses may move about 100 times in 12 hours. As long as the fetal movements are regular, rhythmic, and do not vary much, it proves that the fetal development is normal. Normal fetal movement indicates that the placenta is functioning well, that the fetus is receiving sufficient oxygen, that the fetus is growing and developing healthily in the uterus, and that the fetus is moving happily.

The above is the relevant introduction on the question of whether it is normal if the fetal movement is not obvious at 20 weeks. From the above introduction, we can know that at 20 weeks, the baby is still very small, and many pregnant mothers only feel the first fetal movement at 20 weeks. Therefore, as long as there is no problem with the prenatal examination, generally speaking, it is normal for the fetal movement to be not obvious at 20 weeks.