Overview

• Researchers from Yale, Yale New Haven Hospital, and Weill Cornell measured fetal activity with a fetal actocardiograph and assessed bonding using the Prenatal Attachment Inventory‑Revised.
• More frequent fetal movements were strongly associated with higher maternal‑fetal attachment, providing evidence beyond self‑reported perceptions.
• The association remained significant after controlling for maternal mood, gestational age, parity, and knowledge of fetal sex.
• Authors note that objective monitoring captured movements not felt by participants, strengthening the rigor of the analysis.
• Published in Early Human Development with Bial Foundation support, the observational third‑trimester study suggests attentive engagement with fetal movements as a simple, noninvasive bonding practice while calling for replication and broader samples.