What does my ultasonography report indicate?

Q: I am a 30 years old woman in the 19th week of pregnancy and had an ultrasonography yesterday. My report states single live fetus in unstable lie of average maturity 19 weeks. What does it mean? Please advise.

A:Unstable lie means that the baby is moving and changing its position. Average maturity in your report also corresponds to your dates, which means that the baby is growing well in accordance to your dates - as expected. The report is very normal and is reassuring. There is however no clinical significance attached to lie of the baby so early in pregnancy because babies keep changing their lie (the way it lies in the womb) up until 36-37 weeks after which majority of the babies (93 - 95%) lie with head down position (meaning the head becomes the leading part to deliver). This is normal. However, if the baby does not settle down at 36-37 weeks and still keeps changing position it is then called unstable lie. It is not a term to be used so early in pregnancy (at 19 weeks). At this stage the report should be written and interpreted as foetal movements seen / noted.