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Maternal (Expert Forum)
Size of fetus at 29 weeks!!! ò¿ò
Patient medical question and answer from The Maternal and Child Health Forum. Health topic area and articles about newborn care
Size of fetus at 29 weeks!!! ò¿ò
by Im4Miracle, Mar 19, 1999 12:00AM
I will be 29 weeks pregnant on March 21st. I did a fertility cycle and I am concerned. I seem to be alot larger the second time around. Everyone I meet asks if I am carrying twins. Well....according to the ultrasound at 20 weeks...we saw only one. I know every pregnancy and every woman is different but how large should my belly be at 29 weeks. We measured it and at 28.1 weeks...it was 54 1/2 inches at the largest area. Is this average or could there be more than one? When we did the first ultra sound at 8 weeks...there were two babies and I lost one because it turned out to be an empty sac...what if...Is in the back of my mind. Should I ask for another Ultrasound to see if more than one? My doctor also says he only heard one heartbeat....???????????
Doctor's Answer
by hfhsmdrcs, Mar 19, 1999 12:00AM
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Dear Im4Miracle:
Measurements in pregnant are done in a standard fashion, and are called McDonald Measurements. The height of the uterus is from the top of the symphysis pubis (the place where the pelvic bones join in the midline, front of the body within the pubic hair-covered area) to the top of the fundus of the uterus with the patient lying as flat at possible. At 29 weeks, this measure is 29 +/= 1 cm. Larger measurements may reflect the size of the baby, the size of the uterus (for example, a fibroid may make the uterus seem larger), the amount of amniotic fluid, and finally the position of the baby (some women carry high and some carry low). Loss of muscle tone in the anterior wall of the abdomen and especially separation of the rectus muscles (two straps of mucle that act like suspenders running up and down the anterior abdomen) can cause the abdomen to bulge forward and make the pregnancy seem huge.
Discuss your concerns with your physician. A single heartbeat and an ultrasound study identifying one pregnancy at 20 weeks' gestation do not make twins likely.
Keywords: abdominal size, pregnancy
This information is provided for education purposes and is not a medical consultation. If you have specific questions, please speak with your physician.
