Pregnant Woman at Week 23 of Gestation, Lateral View (Black Skin)

Description

Seen from the side, the torso of a pregnant woman is rendered semi-transparent so that the gravid uterus, its contents, and the neighbouring pelvic and abdominal viscera read through the maternal abdominal wall. The fetus at approximately 23 weeks of gestation lies in a head-down (cephalic) attitude with the limbs flexed against the trunk, surrounded by the amniotic cavity; the umbilical cord loops from the ventral abdominal wall of the fetus toward the placental implantation site on the uterine wall. Below and anterior to the uterus sit the urinary bladder behind the pubic symphysis and the rectum posteriorly, while coils of small intestine are displaced superiorly by the enlarging fundus. The lumbar vertebrae, sacrum and breast contour complete the profile, and the maternal hands resting on the abdomen and lumbar region convey the altered posture of the second trimester. At this stage the uterine fundus has risen well above the umbilicus, and the lateral projection makes explicit the mechanical consequences: compression of the bladder dome with reduced functional capacity, cranial displacement of the bowel, and increased lumbar lordosis with associated low back and pelvic girdle discomfort. The view is useful for discussing fundal height assessment, fetal lie and presentation, placental localisation on ultrasound, and the threshold of viability that makes week 23 a clinically pivotal point in counselling. It also frames the anatomy relevant to supine hypotension and to positioning during examination or imaging. The image suits antenatal education and midwifery teaching, obstetric and reproductive anatomy lectures, pregnancy atlases and week-by-week series in print or online, and patient-facing material explaining fetal position, bladder pressure and posture changes. It gives publishers, app developers and clinical educators a consistent visual for the mid second trimester. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.