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Pregnancy

3rd trimester scan weight

14 replies

DoctoraNova · 04/11/2015 21:24

Hi,

Expecting DC3, just gone 33 weeks and according to scan today baby is measuring on 97th centile. Totally fucking freaking out because I'm terrified of being diagnosed with diabetes and with having an induction scheduled. I had a previous failed induction (ironically for apparently small for gestational age baby with turned out to be perfectly normal sized ) and do not want to repeat the process. I work in the hospital in going to give birth in, so will be "awkward" to say the least, if I were to not comply... Fuck!

I'm actually a bit dubious about the accuracy of scans re weight. But still... Holy fuck 97th centile!

Does anyone have any experience of a large baby and didn't have diabetes? Had a nice normal delivery? Ended up with a normal sized delivery? I know anecdotal is not science, but it might help me calm down.

Thanks!

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mummyneedinganswers · 04/11/2015 21:30

Hi I do have gestational diabetes but the scan aren't very accurate unless you are continually scanned and measure by the same person and every person's way of measuring on the uss is different which then can cause inaccuracies. I'm 36 weeks and have been scanned by the same person since 30 weeks as they were concerned my baby was sitting on 97th centile when they realised the measurements were completely inaccurate and the bloody drs couldn't plot a growth chart properly. So do check with a ruler that they have plotted babies weight where it actually should be as mine was way off her actual measurements. Now that I have been scanned by same person every week my measurements are accurate and my baby is just below average under the 50th centile. I wouldn't panic to much you should be reasoned in 2 weeks again and should know more but request the same person and ask them to measure a few times and not to go by the first measurements xx

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Needastylist · 04/11/2015 21:46

My scan at 34 weeks showed DD as being 97th centile for estimated weight. I panicked as I'm only petite short but she was born at 38 weeks (spontaneous labour) weighing just over 7lb so the scan was totally wrong. No GD here either and my midwife was totally unconcerned about DD's estimated weight at the scan; GD not even mentioned.

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DoctoraNova · 04/11/2015 22:14

Thank you for replying .

Man alive, and I was happy out this morning after my midwife appointment, really looking forward to labour and getting this pregnancy over and done with to meet the baby. And then that scan totally freaked me out. Argh. I'm a firm believer that a positive state of mind is extremely important in giving birth and I can feel them chipping away at my confidence now.

Repeat scan is booked, but infinitesimally small chance it'll be the same doctor, so that's a bit crap. They've also booked me in for a glucose curve test, which is the three hour one, even though my screening test at 24 weeks was low-normal.

My plan thus far was to labour at home with independent midwife until practically pushing and then present at the hospital (5 mins drive away). It's so archaic - they shave, perform enema and site an IV line as standard procedure in all labouring women. Isn't that barbaric? (I work in Paeds and my department are lovely to our patients and much more advanced ).

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Gobbolinothewitchscat · 04/11/2015 22:19

I had growth ishoooos picked up at 34 weeks. Sent off to hospital and had two scans so far. Another next week. Apparently baby is off the centiles for length - but my DH is 6 foot 6 1/2. My other two babies have been long but thinnish. Apparently this one is predicted to be 11lbs. However, the sonography has cheerfully admitted that it's bloody hard to do growth scans as there's not much room to measure

I'm not agreeing to be induced. I'm
seeing the consultant next week and will agree a date that in happy to go over to - probably 40+7ish. Then expectant management and an elective section of needs be.

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Gobbolinothewitchscat · 04/11/2015 22:21

Oh and I've had a GTT and all fine

Are you in the UK? Enemas etc are not standard operating procedure here as far as I am aware. . In any event, just decline. No one can do anything to you that you don't consent to

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DoctoraNova · 04/11/2015 22:47

Not in the UK, unfortunately Gobbolino.

I just find it so hard to refuse tests like the sugar curve, or interventions like an IV line when they just tell you they need to be done and so they book you in, given that I work there, and they're my colleagues, you know?

And it's not like I even believe that the curve is necessary, given that I don't think the scan is accurate to begin with. I'm just in flap now about being shuttled down the path of the intervention cascade: big baby, sugar curve, diabetes, induction, emergency CS.

I too would waaaay prefer a scheduled section to another induction. Sigh.

Thanks for the support . When are you due? I'm cooking a Christmas baby!

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Gobbolinothewitchscat · 04/11/2015 23:04

15 November!

I understand if you work there, it makes it much harder to be the difficult patient.

Have you tried saying: "Interesting. I'll think about it". Then you're not having to directly say no......

NICE guidelines apply out with the UK and they basically state that not wanting induction is of and in itself a valid reason for performing a section on a woman as long as she has been fully advised of all the risks and benefits vis a vis natural birth/induction.

If I were you, I would just tootle along nicely and then at 39 weeks say you want the section.

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Rinceoir · 04/11/2015 23:09

Hi! At my 34week scan my baby was predicted to be over the 99th centile for head circumference, and just on the line for weight. Odd as all other scans had placed her 25th-50th centile. I didn't have diabetes (and as an endocrinologist I completely understand your fear!). At 40weeks another scan predicted a massive baby. I was pretty terrified, and all my fears seemed to be realised when at 10cm labour she was completely malpositioned and I ended up with an EMCS. As my lovely consultant obstetrician told me it was no surprise with my huge baby. Imagine my surprise when she came out at 3.2kg!

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DoctoraNova · 04/11/2015 23:22

Oooooh, Gobbolino that's really soon, how exciting! That's great line, I'll def think about it .

Hello Rinceoir, it makes you wonder about what's happening to the noble art of Obstetrics, doesn't it? I had a very similar experience, except told that my baby was teeny tiny, they gave out to me for not eating, told me the placenta might be failing, and in the end booked me for induction, ended in section (Quelle surprise!) and came out totally beautiful and normal sized. But a crying shame to go through all that shit when she was doing totally fine. I'm sorry you had the same shitty deal.
Fear really has an impact on labour, as far as I can see, it's totally connected to the brain. And these days I don't know who's more scared, the women or the doctors.

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Gobbolinothewitchscat · 04/11/2015 23:35

Oh. Now. If you've previously had a section, induction is somewhat contra-indicated if they use the drip. Apparently about 85% of women will need to have the drip as the pessaries won't be enough

That doesn't mean you cant be induced but it's another point for you to make re: an elective section (if you want one)

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Plantpot83 · 05/11/2015 08:01

I had a private growth scan at 37weeks5 days and they found that baby was on the 95th centile (so not ginormous) and estimated that she was already weighing 8lbs7oz. My midwife didn't take it seriously because I wasn't measuring big and baby 'didn't seem big'. however I was given another scan at 39 weeks (at my insistence) and they confirmed that baby was big, now 97th centile, but the sonographer said that by that point the measurements are inaccurate. I was panicked but in the end, DD was born at 41 weeks weighing 9lbs3oz so biggish but not huge, and proportionately not as big as she was measuring at 37weeks IYSWIM. I think that it's all pretty inexact to be honest. I didn't have GD, and didn't gain loads of weight, however I am relatively tall and was a big baby myself. My mum had a 10lbs6oz naturally with no problems. I didn't have a straightforward delivery with DD, but that wasn't because of her size, it was because I wasn't contracting properly.
Good luck

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NeuNewNouveau · 05/11/2015 08:38

Scan weight predictions are notoriously unreliable. Somewhere there is a report on the Royal college of obstetricians website about pelvimetry not being advised for weight predictions.

With ds1 the scan predicted a 10lb baby and he was 9lbs 1oz so big but not enormous. With ds2 it predicted a 8.5lb baby and he was 10lbs 2oz. It's certainly not an exact science.

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Llouh · 06/11/2015 20:13

I didn't have GD (did several glucose tolerance tests) and my lovely baby turned up last Sunday weighing 10lb 6oz.

He is my first baby and I refused any sweeps and inductions and I just waited it out until he was 'ready'.

I started having mild contractions at 12am, at 2am they got bloody painful and I went to the hospital. Had an examination - 9cm . Baby Joel was born at 5.55am, no instruments, didn't get stuck, no heavy bleeding. I pushed for less than an hour and had a second degree tear which is really not bad.

Try not to worry! Your body can do it and it's not worth the stress. I'm glad I was oblivious to his size before because it would have scared the shit out of me but I couldn't have asked for a more straightforward experience.

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DoctoraNova · 06/11/2015 22:13

Congratulations Llouh, and thank you for taking the time to share your lovely positive story! I'm not worried about the size of the baby per se, but I am concerned about having a GD, and that being the cause of a large baby. However, in anticipation of the GTT, I've been checking my fasting and 1h post-prandial sugars in work and they are all fine. More to mentally prepare myself than anything. Christ, the thoughts of drinking the 100g sugar solution... I don't even know how to finish that sentence.