lightening /lī″təning/ [AS, leoht, light] , a subjective sensation reported by many women late in pregnancy as the fetus settles lower in the true pelvis, leaving more space in the upper abdomen. The diaphragm, no longer restricted by the fundus of the uterus beneath it, can move down more fully during inspiration, allowing deeper breaths. The stomach, too, is less compressed, so the woman can comfortably eat more food at each meal. Urinary frequency occurs as the fetus drops. The profile of the abdomen changes with lightening because the round, full uterus is visibly lower. The baby is then said to have “dropped.”
