

An ultrasound wand sends sound waves that bounce off of your baby to produce the image you see on screen.ĭuring an ultrasound, a sonographer will take various measurements of your baby, which are then used to estimate your baby’s weight using a computerized algorithm. Transvaginal and transabdominal ultrasounds are another more accurate - but still not foolproof - way that doctors estimate a baby’s size.

When Babies Develop Taste Buds and Start Tasting Food That means if you’re 29 weeks pregnant, your fundal height will usually be about 29 centimeters.īetween weeks 37 and 40, your baby starts to descend into your pelvis in preparation for birth, so the measurement of fundal height begins to decrease. Your health care practitioner will also palpate your abdomen to get an idea of your baby’s size.Īfter 24 weeks of pregnancy, the fundal height in centimeters is roughly equivalent to the week of gestation. Fundal height measures the distance from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus in centimeters. The simplest way to gauge a baby’s size in utero is to measure an expecting mom’s fundal height. How to measure fundal height: How does my doctor measure the size of my fetus in utero?

Since measuring your uterus from the outside isn’t a precise science, it’s usually perfectly okay if your fundal height doesn’t measure up exactly with your estimated due date.

Most of the time, fundal height gives you extra peace of mind that your baby’s doing well. Your doctor will compare your fundal height to the average fundal height of moms at your same week of pregnancy. It’s used to help estimate your baby’s length and weight. Fundal height is the measurement in centimeters from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus.
