Your confidence matters. Alongside our practical guidance, we include direct links to national clinical guidance and charities so you can see the evidence behind the advice. We want you to have consistent, trustworthy information. 

If you are worried about your baby's movements, it's important that you report your concerns to your midwife or maternity unit. Here you can find what to expect when you do this, depending on your stage in pregnancy.

Less than 24 weeks pregnant

Most people won't have a regular pattern of movement by 24 weeks, but if you do and you have noticed a reduction you may be asked to go in.

If you are asked to go in a midwife will check your baby's heartbeat to confirm viability. An ultrasound scan may be arranged and you may be seen by a specialist to check your baby's wellbeing if a problem is suspected.

Between 24 and 28 weeks pregnant

You should contact your midwife and they should see you the same day.

• checking the size of your baby by measuring your bump
• checking your blood pressure
• testing your urine for protein

If your baby is smaller than expected, an ultrasound scan may be arranged to check on your baby's growth.

Over 28 weeks pregnant

You must contact your midwife or local maternity unit. You must not wait until the next day to seek help and you should be seen on the same day. If it is out of hours you may be asked to go to the labour ward and wait to be seen.

1. You will be asked about your baby's movements
2. You will have an antenatal check-up including checking your baby's heartbeat and measuring the size of your bump.
3. Your baby's heart rate will be monitored using a CTG, usually for at least 20 minutes.

You should not be discharged until you are happy with baby's movements again.

You may also have an ultrasound scan if:

• your baby is smaller than expected
• your pregnancy has others factors that are associated with a higher risk of stillbirth

The ultrasound scan is usually done within 24 hours.

These checks usually show that all is well. Most women who have one episode of reduction in their baby's movements go on to have a healthy baby.

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The information above is based on recommendations made by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists about treatment of women who report reduced fetal movements. It was developed by Tommy's and is endorsed by NHS England and supported by Kicks Count. If you are not offered the care detailed above, discuss it with your healthcare professional.

All our fetal movement advice is based on research and evidence and is written with other charities and organisations to ensure it is always consistent wherever you get your advice. If you would like to have the advice confirmed or backed up you can find advice from other sites here. This advice will be identical to the advice from Kicks Count so you can be reassured by getting it from multiple sources. 

The following are resources for professionals. You can use these if you do not feel you are being given the right care. Please remember these are factual professional guidelines and the language used is medical which some may find upsetting. 

This is taken from the saving baby's lives care bundle 

Suggested checklist for the management of reduced fetal movements (RFM)

1. Ask

• Confirm there is maternal perception of RFM? How long has there been RFM? Is this the first episode? When were movements last felt?

2. Act

• Auscultate fetal heart (hand-held Doppler/Pinnard) to confirm fetal viability.

• Assess fetal growth by reviewing growth chart, perform SFH if not performed within last 2 weeks (if not on an ultrasound surveillance pathway already).

• Perform CTG to assess fetal heart rate in accordance with national guidelines (ideally computerised CTG should be used).

• Ultrasound scan for fetal growth, liquor volume and umbilical artery Doppler only need to be offered on first presentation of RFM if there is an indication for scan (e.g., the baby is SGA on clinical assessment).

• Ultrasound scan for fetal growth, liquor volume and umbilical artery Doppler should be offered to women presenting with recurrent RFM after 28+0 weeks’ gestation.

• Scans are not required if there has been a growth scan in the previous two weeks.

• In cases of RFM after 38+6 weeks discuss induction of labour with all women and offer birth to women with recurrent RFM after 38+6 weeks.

3. Advise

• Convey results of investigations to the mother. Mother should be encouraged to re-attend if she has further concerns about RFM.

Saving baby's lives care bundle - Reduced Movements 

The following is taken from the RCOG Green Top Guidelines 

8.2 What should be covered in the clinical examination?

If a woman presents with RFM in the community setting with no facility to auscultate the fetal heart, she should be referred immediately to her maternity unit for auscultation.

When a woman presents with RFM in the community or hospital setting, an attempt should be made to auscultate the fetal heart using a handheld Doppler device to exclude fetal death. Clinical assessment of a woman with RFM should include assessment of fetal size with the aim of detecting SGA fetuses. 

Methods employed to detect SGA fetuses include abdominal palpation,measurement of symphysis–fundal height and ultrasound biometry.The RCOG guidelines on the investigation and management of the SGA fetus recommend use of a customised fundal height chart. 61 Consideration should be given to the judicious use of ultrasound to assess fetal size in women in whom clinical assessment is likely to be less accurate, for example those with a raised body mass index. As pre-eclampsia is also associated with placental dysfunction, it is prudent to measure blood pressure and test urine for proteinuria in women with RFM.

RCOG Green Top Guidelines Reduced fetal movement