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• With Mayo Clinic obstetrician and medical editor-in-chief

  Roger W. Harms, M.D.

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  Biography of

  Roger W. Harms, M.D.

  Roger W. Harms, M.D.

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  "Nothing helps people stay healthy more than the power of real knowledge about health." — Dr. Roger Harms

  As medical director of content, Dr. Roger Harms is excited about the potential for Mayo Clinic's health information site to help educate people about their health and provide them the tools and information to live healthier lives.

  The Auburn, Neb., native has been with Mayo Clinic since 1981 and is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Harms is a practicing physician and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and his specialty areas include office gynecology, high-risk obstetrics and obstetrical ultrasound.

  From 2002 to 2007, Dr. Harms was director for education at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dr. Harms was the 1988 Mayo Medical School Teacher of the Year and served as associate dean for student affairs and academic affairs. He is the co-author of the "Mayo Clinic Model of Education." In 2008, Dr. Harms was presented the Distinguished Educator Award, Mayo Clinic, Rochester.

  Dr. Harms is vice chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and medical editor of the Pregnancy section on this website. In addition, Dr. Harms is editor-in-chief of the "Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy" book, a month-by-month guide to everything a woman needs to know about having a baby.

  "My medical education experience has grown out of a love of teaching, and that is what this site is about," Dr. Harms says. "If any visitor to this site makes a more informed and thus more comfortable decision about his or her health because of the information we provide, we are successful."

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Question

Fundal height: An accurate sign of fetal growth?

What's the significance of a fundal height measurement?

Answer

from Roger W. Harms, M.D.

Fundal height is generally defined as the distance from the top of the uterus to the pubic bone measured in centimeters. After the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, your fundal height measurement often matches the number of weeks you've been pregnant. For example, if you're 27 weeks pregnant, your health care provider would expect your fundal height to be about 27 centimeters. It isn't unusual, however, to measure somewhat smaller or larger than expected.

This might happen if you:

• Have a tall or slim frame
• Have a short or heavy frame
• Have a full bladder
• Are carrying twins or other multiples

In other cases, fundal height that measures smaller or larger than expected — or increases more or less quickly than expected — could indicate conditions such as:

• Slow fetal growth (intrauterine growth restriction)
• Rapid fetal growth (macrosomia)
• Too little amniotic fluid (oligohydramnios)
• Too much amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios)
• Uterine fibroids
• A baby prematurely descending into the pelvis or settling into a breech or other unusual position

Depending on the circumstances, your health care provider might recommend an ultrasound or other tests to determine what's causing the unusual measurements.

Remember, fundal height is only a tool for gauging fetal growth and gestational age — it's not an exact science. Typically, fundal height measurements offer reassurance of a baby's steady growth. If you're concerned about your fundal height measurements, ask your health care provider for details.

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