Kick chart
A kick chart is a form or graph used by a pregnant woman in the later stages to record the activity of her fetus.[1] If too few kicks are felt within a specified time (usually 12 hours) this could indicate a problem.[1]
A frequent question posed by midwives is how "many times has the baby kicked in the last twelve hours?" The unborn foetus should move five times per hour,[2] or ten times in any twelve-hour period.Script error: No such module "Unsubst". In the UK this is regarded as best indication of the health of the baby from the second trimester.
Once routine, use of these charts has declined,[3] since women often forgot to complete them and fetal movement patterns are very varied, leading to unnecessary concern.
Foetal kick counters
A more recent trend in the United Kingdom has been the replacement of the kick chart with jewelry-based counters. A pregnancy bracelet is a wearable form of kick counter.
The bracelets available work on similar principles: the baby kicks, the mother moves a marker. The idea is that this is more practical than using a pen and paper.
The two most widely advertised bracelets are currently undergoing the patent application process.