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Fundal height
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fundal height, or MacDonald's rule, is a measure of the size of the uterus used to assess fetal growth and development. It is measured from the top of the pubic bone to the top of the uterus in centimeters. It should match the fetus' gestational age, within 1 to 3 cm. A measure of 22 centimeters should be seen on a 19 to 25 weeks pregnant woman.
A shorter measure can happen for one of the following reasons:
- Fetus descent into the pelvis, seen normally two to four weeks before delivery
- Error in estimated date of conception
- Fetus is healthy but physically small
- Not enough amniotic fluid, Oligohydramnios
- Fetus positioned sideways
- Breech birth
- Small for gestational age
On the other side, a longer measure can be caused by:
- Twins, or more
- Error in estimated date of conception
- Fetus is healthy but physically large
- Too much amniotic fluid, polyhydramnios
- Large for gestational age
As a pregnancy approaches its end, the fundal height will become less accurate.
It is very important that the patient's Fundal Height be measured and properly recorded by their OB/GYN on every prenatal visit. Measuring the Fundal Height is an indicator of proper fetal growth and Amniotic Fluid development. There is a current trend of OB/GYNs not measuring their patient's Fundal Height.[citation needed] It is required by all OB/GYNs that they measure their patient's Fundal Height.[citation needed]
Measuring Fundal Height is extremely important since it can be an indicator of conditions such as severe Oligohydramnios which left untreated can be potentially fatal to the baby.