How long does it take for the fetal position to be stable during pregnancy? What is the normal fetal position?

The fetal position is one of the things that you need to pay special attention to during pregnancy. If the fetal position is not correct and it is discovered late, it cannot be corrected and will affect the safety of pregnant women during childbirth. So how long does it usually take for the fetal position to be stable?

How long does it take for the fetus to be stable during pregnancy?

Generally speaking, the fetal position begins to stabilize between the end of the 6th month and the 7th month of pregnancy. The pregnant mother will go to the hospital for a physical examination in the 7th month of pregnancy to check whether the fetal position is normal. If the fetal position is abnormal, the fetal position can be corrected around 7 months.

The general way to check the fetal position is through B-ultrasound and palpation. Through fetal position checking, abnormal fetal position can be corrected in time, and the method of delivery of the pregnant woman can also be determined.

Before seven months of pregnancy, there is more amniotic fluid and the fetus is still relatively small. However, if the fetal position is found to be abnormal after 34 weeks in the late pregnancy, the possibility of adjustment is not very high.

What is the normal fetal position?

Generally speaking, it is normal for the fetus to have its head down and its buttocks up. And the fetus's head should be bent forward with the occipital bone in front, so that during delivery, the head will enter the pelvis first, which is called head first presentation.

However, for some fetuses, although their heads are facing down, when they raise their heads, they are not flexed but stretched, or their occipital bone is at the back.

There are also some abnormal fetal positions, including buttocks first, feet or legs first, or even arms first, which is transverse position. These are abnormal fetal positions and can easily lead to dystocia or premature rupture of membranes.

Therefore, pregnant women must go to the hospital for fetal position detection when they are seven months pregnant.

What are the effects of malposition of the fetus?

The misalignment of the fetal position will affect fetal breathing, especially in pregnant women with more amniotic fluid, which may lead to stillbirth and increase the difficulty of surgery. It is recommended to make timely adjustments on a daily basis or adopt a caesarean section.

However, malposition of the fetus is more harmful to pregnant women and can easily lead to dystocia for the mother.

The main reasons for fetal malposition are related to the expectant mother, such as pelvic stenosis, uterine malformation, pelvic tumor, placenta previa, etc.