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Belly Growth
Every pregnant woman carries the fetus differently and you may have an easily concealed "bump" under your clothing for much of your pregnancy or you may feel like a watermelon is sticking out from your middle days after the test comes back positive.
Still, there are guidelines that doctors use to measure your belly growth. They measure from just under your ribcage to just above your pelvic bone, as one way of gauging normal fetal development.
Though there's some variation, "textbook growth" (when measured after twenty is when the height of the uterus (as indicated by the height of your belly) corresponds to the week of pregnancy after twenty weeks. For example, if you are 34 weeks pregnant your uterus will measure approximately 34 cm. Some women will measure smaller, some bigger but the important thing is that your belly continues to grow steadily.
If you are measuring smaller than average, your doctor may order an ultrasound to make sure the baby is developing normally. If your uterus gets suddenly bigger, this may be a sign that you are retaining fluids and could be at risk for polyhydramnios, gestational diabetes, or a large baby.
Joanne Stone and Keith Eddelman, co-editors of "The Pregnancy Bible," explain that fetal growth towards the end of pregnancy is also used to decide delivery options: a mother carrying a very big baby may need a C-section.
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