Summary: Generally speaking, doctors mainly measure and calculate the size of the fetus through ultrasound examination. So, what factors determine fetal size? Does the mother have many factors? Or is it more because of his father? Take a look at the following Q&A. Can it help you clear up your doubts?
Whether the fetus develops normally in the womb is what expectant mothers are most concerned about. Doctors usually judge whether the fetal growth and development is normal based on the size of the fetus and the number of weeks of pregnancy of the expectant mother. So what factors will affect the size of the fetus?
Relying on current scientific methods, it is not difficult to determine the size of the fetus. Generally speaking, doctors mainly measure and calculate the size of the fetus through B-ultrasound. So, what factors determine fetal size? Does the mother have many factors? Or is it more because of his father? Take a look at the following Q&A. Can it help you clear up your doubts?
1. Is it related to the physical condition of mom or dad? The mother is tall, will the baby be bigger?
Answer: The size of the fetus is of course affected by the physical constitution of the mother and father. This is a genetic influence. If mom or dad is tall, the baby may be bigger. But if the mother is short and the father is tall, it\’s hard to tell.
2. What impact does the expectant mother’s living habits, such as drinking and smoking, have on the fetus?
Answer: When a mother drinks alcohol, alcohol will also be transported to the fetus through the umbilical cord, and the environment in the womb will deteriorate, which will naturally have an adverse effect on the development of the fetus. Smoking, like drinking alcohol, will lead to the deterioration of the intrauterine environment, because when an expectant mother smokes, the blood vessels of the body will constrict, and the oxygen and nutrients delivered to the fetus will be reduced, thus inhibiting the normal development of the fetus, and may even cause the fetus to develop in utero. slow. Therefore, long-term drinking or smoking can lead to the birth of low-birth-weight babies.
3. Will the eating habits of expectant mothers affect the fetus?
A: Of course. For example, excessive salt intake, excessive intake of high-calorie foods, etc. will cause the deterioration of the intrauterine environment, affect the growth and development of the fetus, and may even lead to some bad living habits of the fetus. Future baby.
4. If the expectant mother gains weight, will the fetus\’ weight also increase?
Answer: If the expectant mother\’s weight gain is due to overeating or lack of exercise, it is only an increase in the expectant mother\’s subcutaneous fat and has no direct relationship with the fetus\’ weight gain.
5. Will the size of the fetus be different depending on the age of the expectant mother?
Answer: There is basically no difference between old mothers and young mothers. It’s just that older mothers are more likely to suffer from diabetes or high blood pressure, and once these problems exist, they will more or less affect the size of the fetus. Therefore, the size of the fetus is not directly related to the age of the expectant mother.
6. Is fetal size related to gender?
A: According to statistics, boys are slightly older than girls. This is because boys\’ frames are generally slightly larger than girls\’. Of course, the specific situation varies from person to person, and this is not absolute.
7. Will fetal illness affect the size?
Answer: If the fetus has a congenital disease, such as congenital heart disease, the fetus will tend to be smaller (intrauterine fetal growth retardation). For congenital diseases, early detection is very important. Around 20 weeks of pregnancy, differences in fetal development begin to appear. At this time, B-ultrasound should be used to monitor the development and health of the fetus.
8. Are the twins smaller?
Answer: In cases of twins, multiple births, etc., the size of each fetus can be detected through B-ultrasound. Generally, the fetus will be slightly smaller. But as long as you check and track it regularly, there\’s nothing to worry about.
9. How does the hospital estimate fetal weight? Why is actual weight at birth different from predicted weight?
Answer: There is a calculation formula in the program of the B-ultrasound examination equipment. The predicted weight is calculated based on measurement data such as BPD and FL. The purpose of the doctor\’s prediction of the fetal weight is to detect whether there is any problem with the fetus\’ premature development. Generally speaking, there will be an error of plus or minus 10% between the actual weight at birth and the predicted weight. For example, a birth weight of 3,500 grams has a margin of error of 350 grams. In other words, the greater the baby\’s weight, the greater the error.
TIPS B-ultrasound related measurement data description:
CRL is the length from the fetal head to the buttocks, also known as the crown-rump length. During 8-11 weeks of pregnancy, the development status of each fetus is not very different, so hospitals often measure CRL to predict the expected date of delivery.
BPD The length of the longest part of the head between the left and right sides, also known as the main lateral diameter of the head. When the estimated delivery date cannot be determined through CRL in the first period, BPD is often used for prediction; after the second trimester, when fetal weight is estimated, measurement data is often needed.
FL fetal femur length, also known as femur length. The femur is the length from the base of the thigh to the knee. Generally around 20 weeks of pregnancy, fetal development is checked by measuring FL.
APTD is the thickness between the front and back of the abdomen, also known as the anteroposterior diameter of the abdomen. This measurement is needed to check the development of the fetal abdomen and estimate fetal weight.
TTD is the width of the abdomen, also known as the transverse abdominal diameter. After 20 weeks of pregnancy, APTD is used to check fetal development. Sometimes the area of the abdomen is also measured.
10. Can the size of the fetus be known by measuring the abdominal circumference or uterine fundal length?
Answer: During prenatal physical examination, expectant mothers’ abdominal circumference and uterine fundal length are often measured. These data are for reference and recording only. In fact, the size of the fetus can often only be measured through B-ultrasound. Generally speaking, if the expectant mother has a big belly, the fetus will be larger., but this is related to the body shape of the expectant mother and cannot be generalized. In addition, regarding the length of the uterine fundus, there has always been a saying that the longer the uterine fundus is, the larger the fetus will be. However, in fact, if the expectant mother is tall, the longer the uterine fundus will grow naturally, so this statement is unscientific. Measuring the length of the uterine fundus is no longer used as a method to determine fetal size.
11. Does the fetus need special treatment if it is too large or too small?
Answer: If the fetus is found to be too large or too small early, it is mostly caused by problems with the intrauterine environment.
, so the environment in the womb must be improved. In most cases, the hospital will recommend hospitalization for rest. In fact, this is not a kind of treatment. The more important significance is to create a relaxing and quiet living environment. In addition, in order to deliver the baby in the best physical condition, the hospital will track the physical condition of the pregnant woman and the fetus during hospitalization.
12. What preventive measures can expectant mothers take?
Answer: During pregnancy, in addition to maintaining a good intrauterine environment, such as not smoking, not drinking, etc., it is more important to maintain a happy and relaxed mood. In addition, it is also necessary to exercise appropriately and learn some methods to relieve stress. For the fetus, nutrition in a broad sense is not only about food and drinks. The mother\’s peaceful and happy mood is actually a very good nutrition.