Anyone know antything about the exactness of fundal height measurement??.....

[becaroo]

Just got back from the midwife appointment and am a bit onfused and annoyed....

I was diagnosed as having polyhydramnios (too much amniotic fluid) on monday via scan and had some bloods done to check for possible causes i.e. diabestes, infection etc

Anyway, I told the midwife about the hydramnios and the bloods abut the results are not back. She said; "I cant ring them now I am too behind in clinic" (Bec thinks; I know you are, I've just sat waiting to see you for an hour!)

I had to tell her what a TORCH screen was! She didnt know!

She told me that I am measuring right for dates which really surprised me as I have been told the baby is above average size and I have got too much fluid

How can that be right?

Then she made me another apopintment in a months time when I will be 37 weeks (I had my ds at 37 weeks and she knows this!)

Aren't you supposed to see your midwife a bit more regularly than this? I am sure I remember weekly appointments last time?

She also said my stomach is very firm...yeah, I know...and then couldn't tell which way the baby was lying!

I dont see how I can be measuring the correct fundal height if a) my baby is above average size and b) I have too much fluid?????????

Any ideas?

[MamaG]

you rMW sounds shite! Are there nay others you could see? I'm pretty sure you see your MW fortnightly at the latter stages then weekly

[PetitFilou1]

Fundal height is complete bobbins I think you'll find. I've been measured two weeks ahead previously, am now back to the 'correct' measurement. Several ladies on the MN Aug antenatal thread have been told too small, too big etc I think it seems like a measurement worth ignoring.

You don't get weekly appts with your second or subsequent babies - they seem a bit more relaxed - plus the NICE guidance on antenatal appointments has changed recently. You should though have a list of when you ought to have appts somewhere in your notes - maybe you could check that? I had one at 28 weeks then didn't see anyone again until 34 weeks for example (but that was correct according to the printed list in my notes - I'm on dc3)

Re the way the baby is lying - neither the mw (very experienced) or the GP could tell this time with me. GP had to do an internal this week (I'm 36 weeks) to check and confirm he was head down, she just said 'it is hard to tell with you'

[MamaG]

My MW measured me today (27+1) and then re-checked muttering "that can't be right"



She's measured me at 31 weeks and said if its big again next time, they'll do a scan to check but she DID say not to worry, its far from an exact science

I love her

[LaTrucha]

I know it's not accurate. I think it might be useful to seeif the baby has stopped growing, I'm not sure. I was told to expect a 10lb baby. she was 6lb 6oz!

If she offers a scan for too much fluid I'd take it. I had too much and it could have been dangerous for me as baby was transverse.

[thomasina1]

Agree that the fundal measurement is inaccurate. I have seen a few doctors during pregnancy (GP and consultants) and they have all poo-pooed it.

[dinkystinky]

My friend was told her fundal measurements were coming up small when she was 38 weeks and to expect a 5lber. She gave birth 3 days later to a 10lb 3oz baby!

[elephantbump]

I agree. The scan is the only definitive answer on size of baby and amount of fluid. I worried about fundal height but its just that I carry the baby right out front so my measurement is big.

I had polyhydraminos with baby number one. The measurements that you should worry about are the depth of fluid and how far the measurement is outside of the normal range. You should chase your GP to refer you to the consultant obstetrician at your local hospital if you are really worried as its horrid to be told there is a possible problem but then be left hanging.

[tsom]

My MW told me when I was pregnant with my ds1 that I felt small and with not much fluid at 32 weeks but not to worry as I was booked in for a scan 2 weeks later!
Normal scan, MW just prior to C/S said it felt not more than 6.5 lbs, was 9 lbs with loads of fluid. So not an exact science..

[nancy75]

when pregnant with my dd only had the fundal measurment done once, was told i was weeks smaller than i should have been, and told baby was probably very small. i was worried out of my mind, managed to make them give me another scan and everything was fine, dd was 7lb8oz.
ifrom my own experience and that of people i have read on here i wonder why they even bother to do it.

[LiegeAndLief]

I was measured once during pg (at hospital - local mws didn't do it because they thought it was rubbish). Measured 3 weeks behind dates, docs convinced ds was tiny and IUGR. He was prem but came out bang on the 50th centile. So I'm with everyone else - it's completely inaccurate and causes a lot of unnecessary worry!

[Minniethemoocher]

I measured "small for dates" with DD, and I am measuring "small for dates" again about 2.5 weeks behind. DD was smallish, but fine, so I am not going to worry about it at all this time.

[madmouse]

I had a huge bump (and that means fundal height up too) and produced a 7lb4 boy, which surprised me more than my experienced and laid back mw.

Scans used to check for size are equally unreliable.

You need a better mw as this one also doe snot seem to know that women with too much water have a tendency to go into labour early, and you have already had one that only just went to term.

[frasersmummy]

scans can be quite accurate if done properly.. ie if they take all the measurments and not just some

[BabiesEverywhere]

Fundal measurements depend on your body shape, baby's position and how the midwife measures.

I have been 6/7 cms too big one week. yet a week later I measure spot on

Even scan taken carefully with all measurements are not accurate and baby's weights can be out a pound either way !!!

Anyhow happy that at 39 weeks I am back to measuring right.

[LaTrucha]

I had a scan the day before my baby was born and the estimated weight was a kilo over the weight she actually was, so I agreee. Even the scan is not that accurate.

[Skimty]

It can't be that accurate. On Friday, I was measured in clinic at 33cm and 5 mins later at the Day Assesment at 34cm!

[becaroo]

Hello all.

Thanks for all the posts, sorry I havent been back but was admitted to hospital on friday night with suspected pre-term labour -it wasnt thank god! - and I have been up in north yorkshire for a couple of days to recuperate!

I am very unsure about the whole measurement thing...it certainly wasnt accurate for my ds. I have very little confidence in my midwife but am booked in for a growth scan and to re-check the fluid levels again in 2 weeks.

I had read that too much fluid can mean you go into labour early, but the senior obs registrar told me on saturday that he was 99% sure I was not going to go into labour in the next 10 days...something to do with a swab he took and my cervix (?)

One worrying thing is that no one can ever tell which way my baby is lying - sometimes he is seems transverse, sometimes cephalic, sometimes back to back.....does this make a c section more likely do you think?

Braxton hicks are getting really strong and sometimes come every 2 mins! Fed up!

Thanks again x