Women and health professionals' views and experiences of reduced fetal movements in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND

Raising awareness of reduced fetal movement (RFM) is a potential approach to prevent stillbirth. To date, research regarding fetal movements has largely been conducted in high-income countries. However, conclusions drawn from this setting may not be applicable to other settings with a higher burden of stillbirth due to differences in sociodemographic factors and healthcare systems.

AIM: To explore women's and health professionals' experiences regarding fetal movements, and interventions on encouraging the awareness of RFM in low- and middle-income countries.

METHODS

A comprehensive search for peer-reviewed studies and grey literature in any language was conducted; the search strategy was not restricted by publication dates, and the last search was conducted in June 2025. Databases searched included: CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, AJOL, LILACS, and Garuda.

FINDINGS: The review identified 61 papers from 17 low- and middle-income countries published between 1988 and 2025. Studies reported wide variation in women's knowledge and perceptions about fetal movement and the time to seek help. There was limited literature on how health professionals discuss fetal movements and manage RFM in these settings. Most studies investigated fetal movement counting to raise awareness of RFM.

CONCLUSION

Despite variations in women's experiences of fetal movements across different settings, studies have primarily focused on awareness of the quantity of movements. Further research that delves deeper into the knowledge and experiences of women and health professionals utilising both quantitative and qualitative approaches is needed to better inform initiatives which aim to raise awareness of RFM to prevent adverse outcomes.