Maternally reported fetal activity levels and developmental diagnoses

Fetal activity as remembered by mothers may be associated with behavioral and mental disabilities in children. Researchers asked mothers of 608 children referred for developmental disabilities to recall the activity levels of their children during pregnancy. Mothers who reported high levels of fetal activity in relation to other pregnancies were more likely to have a hyperactive child. Low levels of fetal activity were associated with later mental retardation. The association of low fetal activity levels with mental retardation was stronger than the association between high fetal activity and childhood hyperactivity.