Human Fetus at 22 Weeks in the Maternal Pelvis, Lateral View (Asian Skin)

Description

Seen from the side, the translucent torso of a pregnant woman is opened to display the gravid uterus occupying the lower abdomen and pelvis at approximately 22 weeks of gestation. The fetus lies in cephalic presentation, its head directed inferiorly toward the pelvic inlet, the trunk and flexed limbs curled within the amniotic cavity and the umbilical cord passing from the abdominal wall of the fetus toward the placental surface. Behind and below the uterus the maternal sacrum and lumbar vertebrae, the rectum posteriorly and the urinary bladder anteriorly are visible in the same cut, together with the anteriorly displaced abdominal wall and the enlarged breast superiorly. The lateral orientation makes the degree of uterine expansion above the pubic symphysis and toward the umbilicus immediately readable. By the middle of the second trimester the uterine fundus reaches roughly the level of the umbilicus, and this lateral relationship underpins symphysis-fundal height measurement, Leopold manoeuvres and the assessment of fetal lie and presentation. The same view explains common mid-pregnancy complaints, including lumbar lordosis and low back pain from the shifted centre of gravity, urinary frequency from bladder compression, and constipation related to rectal displacement. It also provides the spatial context for anomaly scanning, fetal biometry and the counselling given around the threshold of viability. The figure suits obstetric and midwifery teaching sequences that follow the uterus week by week, antenatal class handouts, and patient-facing material explaining what the fetus looks like and where it sits at 22 weeks. It is equally useful for textbook and journal figures on maternal anatomical adaptation, and for app or website content produced by clinics, publishers and women's health companies. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.