Research measured fetal movements in 51 pregnant women and found that higher frequencies were strongly linked to greater maternal attachment. Paying conscious attention to these signals may be a non-invasive and effective strategy for strengthening prenatal attachment and promoting more attentive and sensitive caregiving after birth.

One of the earliest and most evident forms of fetal interaction with the environment is fetal movement, which gives the pregnant woman a sense of reassurance about the fetus’s health and development. At the same time, these movements contribute to the emotional attachment formed during pregnancy, known as maternal-fetal attachment (MFA), which helps create mental images of the baby and prepares for parenthood on an emotional level.

Previous studies have shown that counting fetal movements significantly enhances MFA scores and that mothers who perceive greater fetal movements tend to have higher MFA scores compared to those who perceive fewer. However, it is not yet clear whether this association results solely from the pregnant woman's subjective perception or whether there is indeed a measurable relationship between actual fetal activity and the emotional bond formed during pregnancy.

To address this question, researchers Kathy Ayala and Helena Rutherford led a study supported by the Bial Foundation, in which fetal movements of 51 pregnant women in their third trimester were recorded using an actocardiograph. MFA was assessed using the Prenatal Attachment Inventory-Revised questionnaire.

The study was presented in the article Associations between fetal movement and maternal-fetal attachment in late pregnancy, published in the scientific journal Early Human Development, which involved researchers from Yale University, Yale New Haven Hospital, and Weill Cornell Medical College (USA). The results showed that the more active the fetus is, the stronger the emotional bond tends to be between mother and baby. This relationship remained significant even when other factors that could influence bonding were considered, such as the mother's mood, gestational age, parity, or knowledge of the baby’s sex.

These findings reinforce the importance of fetal movements during pregnancy, not only as indicators of health but also as a form of communication that helps strengthen the emotional attachment between mother and child. Even when not consciously perceived, fetal movements appear to play an active role in creating this emotional connection. Paying attention to and interacting with the baby's movements (for example, through observation or simple emotional responses) can be a simple, natural, and non-invasive way to promote stronger bonding before birth. This attachment may positively impact postnatal caregiving, making it more attentive, sensitive, and emotionally attuned to the baby.

“Although our findings align with previous research, our work goes further by using objective measurements of fetal movements rather than relying solely on maternal perception”, explains Helena Rutherford. “By using a fetal actocardiograph, we were able to capture movements not perceived by the mother, allowing for a more rigorous and unbiased examination of the link between fetal activity and prenatal attachment”.

“Considering that MFA is associated with more engaged and stimulating mother-infant interactions after birth, understanding these prenatal associations offers valuable insights into how early psychological and relational processes shape development throughout the perinatal period”, elucidates the researcher.

Learn more about the project “111/16 - A psychophysiological perspective of the transformative experience of pregnancy” here.