What Does the Fundus Feel Like When Pregnant?

What does the fundus feel like when pregnant? It doesn't feel much different than when not pregnant. Of course, to know what the fundus feels like when pregnant, you need to know what the fundus is and how pregnancy impacts it.

While pregnant, a woman’s body goes through many changes both physically and mentally. Mentally the most common changes are seen in mood swings and cravings for certain foods. Physically a rise in hormones caused by the growing baby inside of her is most evident and contributes to the mood swings she might experience. Another physical aspect is the actual changes to her body as her tummy grows in accordance to the growth of the baby.

However, one thing that doesn't change when you are pregnant is what the fundus feels like. The fundus of the uterus does not feel any differently while pregnant than it does while you are not pregnant.

When pregnant, the fundus should be firm and feel like a ridge just above your pubic bone. The only change you will notice is the pressure it will apply to your bladder and your pelvic region as the growing fetus gets heavier and makes its turn towards the birth canal. The fundus will also become larger as the baby grows inside of your uterus, just as your belly will grow larger for the growth of your uterus.

What Is the Fundus?

To know what fundus feels like when pregnant, you need to know what the fundus is. Fundus is a Latin term that translates to mean bottom. It is a term used to describe the opposite of an opening of any organ in the body. For instance, the bottom of your stomach is called the fundus.

Women also have a fundus to their uterus. The egg travels into the uterus through an opening in the top, implants itself to the wall of the uterus, and the baby grows within this organ of the woman’s body. This location on the uterus sits just above the pelvic bone.

Measuring Fundal Height

The fundus when pregnant feels just like the fundus when not pregnant. You might wonder why it is important to understand the fundus in pregnancy.

One of the oldest ways to track the development of the fetus is to measure the fundal height. Your doctor will do this with a simple tape measure. The tape measure is held just at the fundus for the uterus just above the pelvic bone to the top of the uterus.

The measurement should correspond to how many gestational weeks along the mother has progressed in her pregnancy. For instance, if the mother is 24 weeks gestation, her fundal height should measure 24 centimeters. If a higher number is measured in correspondence to the weeks of gestation, it could be a good indicator that a woman is giving birth to twins or that the fetus is big. Consequently, a smaller measurement can be a good indicator that something is wrong with the baby’s development that warrants more accurate tests.