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How to determine the weight of the unborn child. Video
Shortly before giving birth, expectant mothers should find out the weight of the fetus. First, it can affect the choice of clothing for the newborn. Secondly, if the fetus is very heavy, it can lead to additional difficulties during childbirth. However, problems can be avoided if you prepare well in advance.
How to determine the weight of a child
Calculating the weight of the fetus by the size of the belly of a pregnant woman
There are several methods to estimate the weight of a baby before delivery. Most often it is calculated by the circumference of the woman’s abdomen or by the distance from the pubis to the upper edge of the uterus. Both options are convenient in that you can use them at home without seeking help from a specialist.
Keep in mind that the weight of the fetus should be calculated no earlier than the 38th week of pregnancy. For example, if you take measurements at 36 weeks, the baby will weigh an average of 500-600 g more by the time of delivery.
To calculate the fetal weight approximately, you need to measure the distance from the top edge of the pubic bone to the fundus of the uterus. At 38-40 weeks of gestation, the fundus of the uterus is usually located one or two fingers below the costal arch. The resulting distance should be multiplied by 100. The result will be the weight of the fruit in grams.
Another popular option can be used. Measure the circumference of your abdomen and multiply the resulting value by the height of the fundus. As a result, you will know the approximate weight of the baby even before delivery.
Additional methods for calculating fetal weight
One of the most accurate ways to measure a baby’s weight even before birth is with an ultrasound scan. During this procedure, the doctor finds out the circumference of the baby’s head and then calculates its weight. As a rule, this option allows you to find out the weight with an accuracy of 0,5 kg, moreover, you can use it already at the 32nd week of pregnancy.
However, one important point should be taken into account: if the fetus is not positioned correctly or is poorly visible, the doctor may make a serious error in the calculations.
You can try another option: measuring the weight of the fetus by the weight of the expectant mother. This is the widespread Stroykova method. The formula is simple: divide the body weight of the pregnant woman by the number x. With a woman weighing 50 kg, the number x will be 15. Every 2 additional kilos add one to this number. For example, if a pregnant woman weighs 56 kg, the number x will be 18. To clarify the result, you should multiply the height of the fundus by the circumference of the abdomen, add the result of dividing the body weight by x to the number obtained and divide the sum by 2. As a rule, in this way it is possible measure the weight of the fetus with an accuracy of 200 g.
To get the most accurate value, you can use several different methods at once, and then calculate the arithmetic mean, taking into account all the results.