When does the fundus typically begin to descend into the pelvis after childbirth?

• A. Immediately after delivery
• B. After 7 days
• C. After 24 hours
• D. After 3 days

Answer: (C)

The fundus involutes after delivery, moving downward from its height at the umbilicus as the uterus contracts. Immediately after birth it’s at about the level of the umbilicus, and the descent begins within the first 24 hours, falling roughly one centimeter (one fingerbreadth) each day. By 24 hours postpartum, this downward movement has already started toward the pelvis, making “after 24 hours” the best choice. The other options imply either earlier (immediately after) or later timeframes that don’t match the typical first-step descent timeline; by about day 7–10 the fundus is often no longer palpable in the abdomen as it returns to the pelvis.