How many weeks does it usually take for a first-time mother to enter the pelvis?

In the later stages of pregnancy, if you choose to give birth naturally, engagement of the pelvis is an important stage before delivery, so when the baby engages the pelvis becomes very important. It is normal for pregnant women to give birth between 38 and 42 weeks of pregnancy, so the time when the fetus enters the pelvis is very flexible and the situation of each pregnant woman is different. So, at how many weeks does it usually take for a first-time mother to enter the pelvis? Let’s take a look at the specific time below.

Around 36 weeks of pregnancy, the baby's head will enter the mother's pelvis, that is, the biparietal diameter of the fetal head will enter the lower end of the mother's pelvic entrance and be symmetrical with the pelvis. This phenomenon is called "fetal engagement", which is a signal that the baby is ready to come and is also the first step in the normal delivery process.

According to statistics, 80-90% of first-time mothers will show signs of engagement at 37-38 weeks of pregnancy, that is, the baby's head successfully enters the mother's pelvic cavity.

The time of pelvic engagement can be early or late. For a small number of people, the pelvic engagement may occur before delivery, while for some people, signs of pelvic engagement appear as early as 33 or 34 weeks of pregnancy, and some people do not enter the pelvic engagement until just before delivery. For expectant mothers who are pregnant with their second child, most of the time, signs of the baby entering the pelvis will not appear until the eve of delivery.

Whether the baby's head can smoothly enter the pelvis is an important indicator for doctors to judge whether a normal delivery can be achieved. However, according to statistics, most mothers who have not shown signs of engagement in the pelvis at 38 weeks of pregnancy can give birth smoothly, and only a small number of them need a caesarean section. Therefore, expectant mothers do not need to worry too much about the early or late time of engagement in the pelvis.

It should be made clear that the baby's pelvic floor does not mean that delivery will occur immediately, it is just a precursor to delivery. For women who are pregnant for the first time, the baby will not arrive until 2-3 weeks after the fetus enters the pelvis. For expectant mothers who are pregnant with their second child, they will enter the delivery stage directly after the fetus enters the pelvis. Engaging the pelvis is only a signal that the baby is about to arrive, not a signal of delivery, and expectant mothers should respond calmly.

The feeling of the fetus entering the pelvis

When the fetus enters the pelvis, many pregnant women often feel a tightening and heavy pain in their abdomen, and think that the fetus in their abdomen is descending, so they will rush to the hospital in a hurry. In fact, this situation is not a real sign of labor. The main differences are that first, the duration of uterine contractions is short, often less than half a minute; second, the contractions are irregular and relatively weak. Therefore, it is often called "false labor". But no matter what, the pelvis entering the pelvis means that delivery is approaching, and pregnant women can make all kinds of preparations based on this signal to welcome the arrival of the baby.

judge

The fetal head pointing downwards does not necessarily mean that the fetus has entered the pelvis, but if it is not in the head position, but in the transverse position or breech position, it is impossible for the fetus to enter the pelvis.

If the fetus is not engaged in the pelvis, the doctor will open the index fingers and thumbs of both hands and press the fetal head on the upper edge of the pubic symphysis. If the fetal head is engaged in the pelvis, it cannot be shaken and is fixed. If the fetal head is not engaged in the pelvis, it can move, and there is a distance of two horizontal fingers between the fetal head and the pubic bone.

Generally speaking, there are several reasons why the fetus cannot enter the pelvis, including cephalopelvic disproportion, asymmetry between the fetal head and pelvis, the fetus is too large, the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck, the fetal head cannot descend, and placenta previa.

The disadvantage of not being able to enter the pelvis is that it can easily lead to premature rupture of membranes, resulting in caesarean section, etc.