OBJECTIVE: To study women's description of fetal movements in full-term pregnancy. Further to investigate if their descriptions could be sorted with regard to intensity and type of movements, using a matrix under development to be a tool for evaluating fetal movements in clinical praxis.

METHODS: Data were collected by distributing questionnaires including an open question: "Please describe your perception of the baby's movements during this gestational week." A matrix listed seven categories of movements divided into powerful and non-powerful movements, was used for the content analysis.

RESULTS: 393 (78%) women responded to the open question. The movements were split into two domains: Powerful movements and Non-powerful movements. Altogether, 383 (96%) women perceived fetal movements that were sorted as powerful movement: firm, slow stretching, large and side to side. Ten (4%) women described movements exclusively, i.e. movements that did not include any of the movements in the powerful domain. Most women perceived movements that corresponded to more than one type of category, and all movements described by the women could be referred to at least one of the categories in the matrix.

CONCLUSION: The matrix was useful for identification of the women's perceptions of fetal movements in full-term pregnancy. Further studies are needed in order to develop the tool and its potential to evaluate the well-being of the fetus before it is to be used in clinical praxis.