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When a woman who is trying to conceive and has a transvaginal ultrasound, the size of the uterus can give some hope. After all, the larger uterus may mean that you probably have a baby on the way. However, unfortunately I must inform you that this is not the way it works…
The normal size of the uterus for a healthy, childless woman may be much smaller than the uterus of a woman who has already had a pregnancy . As we know, the uterus is one of the fastest growing organs in the body. It has the capacity to grow up to 100 times its size during pregnancy . Imagine that a small organ (the size of a woman’s fist) can sometimes hold up to 6, 7 babies at once. It is clear that nature has not programmed the size of the woman’s uterus for so many babies at once, but he is strong and able to withstand this feat quite rigorously until the sixth, seventh month of gestation.
The size measured in the ultrasound exams is the circumference. The doctor will check the size with volume measurement. So, we can say that the size considered “normal” for the uterus of women who have had no children is still 50cm³ to 90cm³ . However, it is also tolerable after 30 cm³ and can easily be extended up to 160 cm³ for women who have had one or more pregnancies at term or not. All of this depends on several factors that will influence the size of the uterus throughout life and of course, if there is a pregnancy in progress. Another woman who has never had children with a 90 cm³ uterus is considered normal, however, one should assess if there is any problem that is causing this uterus to stretch in this way. Investigate whether fibroids, hormonal changes, endometrial enlargement, endometriosis and even the presence of pregnancy.
Can you diagnose pregnancy by the size of the uterus?
No. The truth is that there is no rule that we can say that it must be 100% followed for uterine sizes in pregnancy in progress or not. The doctor will assess the health condition of this woman’s reproductive organ. Assess your reproductive life, whether you have children or not. If you had abortions or not, and also, the time that passed from the last pregnancy. The normal size of the uterus for women who have had children is a maximum of 160cm³. However, to determine whether a larger measure than this is healthy, it is up to the doctor to assess the situation. A woman may have 200 cm³ of uterus, but have had a twin pregnancy by the 9th month of pregnancy . One can have an idea of what is happening, but claim pregnancy only above 7 weeks of gestation, where you can already see the gestational sac, baby and heartbeat.
However women with an enlarged uterus are great candidates for pregnant women. This is because the uterus grows together with the endometrium that would provide a pregnancy (after nesting). With the accumulation of blood in the bottom of the uterus, it tends to dilate. This growth can be seen by an ultrasound, in fact, the endometrium can also express some kind of hope for this woman, if this endometrium is trilaminate and above 12mm, there are good chances of pregnancy.
We can say that women who have never had children with a uterus above 100 cm³, are likely to be surprised by a pregnancy. However, as said before, one must first check for the existence of another factor that may be causing this uterine enlargement.
A good example of uterus size in pregnancy is my own. Before becoming pregnant, an ultrasound scan said my uterus was about 87 cm³. Right after ovulation, this number increased from 87 to 103cm³ . In a way, a hope was born there. A few weeks later, with a positive in the hands, the uterus was enlarged and with pregnancy characteristics (bigger and more globose, more voluminous) with about 150cm³. However, we must remember that the measurements of the uterus must take into account some aspects such as:
- Woman’s height
- Age
- Weight
- History of disease infections
- Previous pregnancies
So standard uterus size measurements should not always be taken literally for all mommy candidates. Each body is one and the organism can change according to the menstrual cycle that is going on. The same woman with an ovulatory cycle may have a larger uterus than the previous month , due to the growth of the endometrial layer. This cycle with a larger uterine circumference can also result in a much more intense menstrual cycle. This is also due to the size of the endometrium.
Important tip: before jumping for joy with the size of the uterus, try to find out about its luteal phase. If this uterus is enlarged and you are already late with your period, chances are that a pregnancy is underway. If you are not, then wait for the menstrual delay, if you are not menstruating do an HCG test to remove the doubt whether or not there is pregnancy. Just pointing out that to check the measurements of the uterus, it is necessary to do a pelvic or transvaginal ultrasound. Talk to your gynecologist.
If you are trying to get pregnant and want to do a more detailed monitoring of your cycle and your ovulation, a great way to give a little extra strength is to use a cell cycle monitoring APP like the APP Paula and use ovulation tests that will indicate if ovulation is approaching, if it is happening or has already ended, indicating when is the right time to date and get your positive faster. You can buy your ovulation test here in our online store.
See also: Am I Pregnant Even Menstruating?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
