Fundal height measurement

aimeewinn

At my monthly OB appt yesterday my doc said that starting next month he will start doing the fundal height measurements from the top of the pubic done to the top of the uterus. My question is, how accurarte is this and what exactly do they use it for? I know people who were pg and the doctor told them their baby was too small or too big and they were always wrong. Can't they just determine size by an u/s?

UberTroll

They'll start with a baseline measurement and as long as you're growing from there they'll know what's going on.

As far as I remember it should be the same number as weeks you are pregnant. They're not going to do an u/s at every visit, to see if the baby's gorwing, unless there's a medical reason.

Azrayla

Its usually measured with a tape measure..each cm = a week.. They just want to see a steady growth..

It can also be off -/+ by 1-2cm.. So I wouldnt worry if you dont match up to your weeks..

I measured ahead with DD and am expecting to this go around but its know that I and my family make large babies..

Ultrasounds are not always accurate either.. As they can be off on weight just like a tape measure so either way its all guesstimates. I had a growth with DD and will again and at 30 weeks or so DD was over 3lbs on an u/s which is lare..and she came out almost 8lbs so my case was right but I've read women who say their LO is 10lbs by u/s only to have a 6-7lb baby..

tblauvelt

Azrayla:

Its usually measured with a tape measure..each cm = a week.. They just want to see a steady growth..

It can also be off -/+ by 1-2cm.. So I wouldnt worry if you dont match up to your weeks..

 

Ditto. It's to know where you are in terms of growth of your uterus.

lmjt

I always measured bigger, and as a result they did a bunch of ultrasounds. DS was estimated at 11lbs at 39 weeks, and was 8lbs 11oz at birth, so clearly, there are flaws to their estimation system,

Mrs. Alice

I ditto the baseline measurement.  Since most moms will not get u/s with every appointment, its a way to track growth by weeks of pregnancy.  I think if at some point they feel the measurements are too big or small, you will get an u/s to get a better a idea of what's going on.  My OB measured me for the first time last week and I was measuring 4 weeks ahead!  So obviously not an accurate way for anyone carrying more than one, thus the frequent u/s.

MrsMVM

I'm totally skeptical of this, but whatever, I'll do what the doc tells me to do! I mean, if you think about it- I have a good inch to inch and a half of fat on my belly anyway. So, unless ALL of it stretches out, my belly will always measure technically bigger than I am. You know?

Although, yesterday, my neighbor told me that they induced her early for both her boys because they weren't growing. She stayed the same size from 28 weeks to 36 weeks.

camdenfaithful

lmjt:

I always measured bigger, and as a result they did a bunch of ultrasounds. DS was estimated at 11lbs at 39 weeks, and was 8lbs 11oz at birth, so clearly, there are flaws to their estimation system,

OMG!  I would have been like GET IT OUT RIGHT NOW!!!

I don't have anything to add other than ditto pp.  It's just a rough estimate and most OBs just use it as a tool along with other means to measure the baby.  I got my first measurement on Monday when I was 23w5d and measured 24 weeks.

little nudger

my MW has never done it, but when I was at the hospital a few weeks ago, they did it, and I was 19" right on for 19 weeks.

KatKan

My doc did this last week at my 20 week appt.  She said that the measurement often correlates with the number of weeks you are. I measured 19".  Of course I was like, does that mean he's not growing fast enough??? And she was like NO, as long as you're between 18 and 22 inches right now you are fine.  so it's just an estimate.