What is measured by fundal height during pregnancy?

Fundal height is an important measurement taken during pregnancy that represents the distance from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus, also known as the fundus. This measurement is used as a key indicator of fetal growth and gestational progress. As pregnancy progresses, the fundal height should increase correspondingly with the growth of the fetus and the expansion of the uterus.

Healthcare providers routinely measure fundal height during prenatal visits, typically starting around the second trimester. A consistent growth pattern in fundal height can help assess whether the fetus is growing as expected, and deviations from the expected measurements may prompt further evaluation to rule out conditions such as intrauterine growth restriction or polyhydramnios.

While measuring fundal height can certainly provide indirect insights into aspects like the weight of the fetus or overall well-being, it is specifically designed to measure the distance to the top of the uterus, making it a fundamental aspect of prenatal care.