At what point in the pregnancy is the fundal height first palpable?

The fundal height, or the distance from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus, becomes palpable at around 12 weeks of gestation. At this stage, the uterus has grown enough to rise out of the pelvis and can be felt above the pubic symphysis, which explains why it is typically detectable at this time.

Before this point, at 10 weeks, the uterus is still largely confined within the pelvis and is not easily accessible for palpation. By 16 weeks, the fundal height would continue rising and would be more pronounced, but it is not until about 12 weeks that it becomes first noticeable. At 20 weeks, the fundal height reaches the level of the umbilicus, indicating a more advanced stage of pregnancy than the original question’s focus. Thus, the correct answer highlights the crucial developmental milestone in pregnancy when the uterus becomes tangible to the examiner.