When is the uterus palpable during pregnancy

Head and neck — melasma, conjunctival pallor, jaundice, oedema. Legs and feet — calf swelling, oedema and varicose veins. Palpation Ask the patient to comment on any tenderness and observe her facial and verbal responses throughout. Fundal Height Use the medial edge of the left hand to press down at the xiphisternum, working downwards to locate the fundus. Measure from here to the pubic symphysis in both cm and inches. Turn the measuring tape so that the numbers face the abdomen to avoid bias in your measurements.

Uterus should be palpable after 12 weeks, near the umbilicus at 20 weeks and near the xiphisternum at 36 weeks these measurements are often slightly different if the woman is tall or short. By TeachMeSeries Ltd Fetal Auscultation Locate the back of the fetus to listen for the fetal heart, aim to put your instrument between the fetal scapulae to aim toward the heart.

Completing the Examination Palpate the ankles for oedema and test for hyperreflexia pre-eclampsia Thank the patient and allow them to dress in private Wash your hands Summarise findings Perform: Blood pressure Urine dipstick.

Hands - palpate the radial pulse. Found an error? Is our article missing some key information? Make the changes yourself here! Don't ask me again. This website uses cookies. Manage consent. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website.

Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. You can have a surgical abortion from around six weeks of pregnancy onwards. Mifepristone, also called RU or the 'abortion pill', is used to terminate end a pregnancy up to nine weeks. Abortion is one of the most common and safest types of surgery in Australia. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only.

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Skip to main content. SFH measurements are taken as follows:. The growth scan will be booked in advance of your Antenatal Clinic appointment so that your Consultant Obstetrician has the scan results available when they see you. They will also arrange a growth scan prior to you being seen by an Obstetric Consultant at Antenatal Clinic.

As before, sometimes, you may be seen by a senior Obstetric Registrar in the Day Assessment Unit instead. During the third trimester of your pregnancy i. By doing so, they can identify whether your baby is presenting head-first cephalic or bottom-first breech and whether they are lying in an optimal position for birth.

Your midwife and doctor will be able to talk through this in more detail, so you are able to understand the options available and can make an informed decision. For guidance on writing a birth plan see…. Before beginning the examination of your abdomen, your midwife should provide an explanation of the procedure and ask for your consent.

You will be invited to empty your bladder beforehand for comfort. You will then be asked to lie on a couch in a semi-recumbent position, with your arms by your side and advised to relax as much as possible, so that your uterus is relaxed. After washing their hands and ensuring they are warm, your midwife will expose your abdomen to an extent that enables her to perform a thorough examination. This examination includes the following:. However, this will only provide reassurance that your baby is well at that specific point in time.

To conclude, abdominal examination is an important aspect of pregnancy care and is a means of monitoring pregnancies and detecting any concerns with fetal growth. However, it is also important that you feel comfortable with the examination and understand the procedure.

We therefore advise that you discuss any queries or concerns with your midwife, so that you are involved in the decisions around your care in pregnancy and are able to make the right choices for you and your baby. Effectiveness of detection of intrauterine growth retardation by abdominal palpation as screening test in a low risk population: an observational study.

Baston H Monitoring fetal wellbeing during routine antenatal care. The Practising Midwife 6 4 Blee D and Dietsch E New Zealand College of Midwives Journal 46 Clinical abdominal palpation for predicting oligohydramnios in suspected prolonged pregnancy. South African Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 19 3 Fundal height measurement. Journal of nurse-midwifery 38 6 Gardosi J and Francis A Controlled trial of fundal height measurement plotted on customised antenatal growth charts.

British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 4 Glover P Have we lost the art? Assessment and physical examination. Australian College of Midwives Incorporated Journal 9 4