What is the term for the sensation of the baby moving from high in the abdomen to low in the birth canal?

• A. Quickening
• B. Lightening
• C. Engagement
• D. Descent

Answer: (B)

This question hinges on understanding late-pregnancy changes as the fetus settles into the pelvis. The sensation described—having the baby move from high up in the abdomen to a lower position near the birth canal—is called lightening. It occurs as the presenting part descends into the pelvis in preparation for birth, often weeks before labor begins (more common in first pregnancies, but it can happen in others). As the fetus drops, the mother may notice easier breathing due to less pressure on the diaphragm, but she may also feel increased pelvic pressure and more frequent urination because the baby is lower in the pelvis.

Quickening refers to when the mother first feels fetal movements, long before lightening. Engagement is when the presenting part passes through the pelvic brim into the true pelvis, a marker that may occur before or during labor but is a distinct event from the sensation of descent. Descent describes the ongoing downward movement during labor itself.