If a fundal height is palpable at the level of the umbilicus, what is the predicted gestational age?

When fundal height is measurable at the level of the umbilicus, it typically corresponds to around 20 weeks of gestation. The fundus, which is the top of the uterus, ascends in the abdomen as pregnancy progresses, usually reaching the level of the umbilicus by the end of the 20th week.

This relationship between fundal height and gestational age is a standard guideline used by healthcare providers to assess fetal growth and development during pregnancy. Specifically, from about 12 weeks onward, the fundus can be palpably assessed, and a general rule is that the fundal height in centimeters roughly equals the number of weeks of pregnancy, especially from 20 weeks onward.

At 16 weeks, the fundus would be expected to be located below the umbilicus, and by 24 weeks, it would be above the umbilicus, typically measuring around the level of the xiphoid process. Thus, identifying the fundal height at the level of the umbilicus indicates a gestational age of approximately 20 weeks.