Did anyone else’s baby have a short femur length on ultrasound scans? Really worried.

[babyscanmeasurements]

I was referred to fetal medicine a few weeks ago due to FL at a growth scan being on the 3rd centile.

Head measurement was 50th centile, abdominal 80th. Overall weight 54th centile.

I’ve googled and not found much other than it could be normal or could be a soft marker for chromosomal conditions.

Despite my referral to fetal medicine and me chasing it up several times, nobody has been in contact yet, more than 3 weeks have passed and I’m now 33 weeks.

I’ve read on here on similar threads that people who had this ended up having issues with the placenta function. I am worried this is the case for us even though it looked fine weeks ago.

Please can someone advise or share stories? I’m 5ft 1 and all the women in my family are short, but DH is 6ft 2 so we weren’t expecting a baby with short legs!

Wait for your appointment. We as members of the public will never know. It could be fine or it might not be but if they have referred you to fetal medicine rather than for a rescan, I would be more concerned.

I had one baby with short femur and large skull and another with crazy large abdomen. Both are now adults and perfectly in proportion!! Just telling you as reassurance really.

Thank you, that’s not really helpful though. Policy here is they refer any single measurement under the 5th centile.

Thank you. Were they both born at term? Xx

My DD had a short femur on scans. She's small for her age now-11 years old but leggy for her height. Shes very sporty!
She was born at 33 weeks gestation.

Thank you! Great to hear. Did she come naturally or did you have to be induced?

My baby has small femur and abdomen measurements, both under 5th percentile, and a large head. My doctor doesn't seem concerned and thinks it's just genetics, instead of something wrong. I spend a lot of time worrying about it so I understand the stress. I'm just trying to trust my doctor that my baby will be small but healthy. It's very hard though. Solidarity! I hope everything is okay for you too.

No, the short femur big head one was born at 35+5 and the fat tummied one at 38+2.

Hey! I wondered how everyone is doing?
My baby is measuring on 9th centile for abdomen already at 18 weeks. Very worried.

My DD1 had a growth scan at 28 weeks due to her measurements slowing down. She had a femur measurement on the 4th centile and measured at I think 4 weeks behind for size at that point. Her abdominal was 75th centile and head measurement 50th centile. She was monitored with regular scans but since the other markers were OK, placenta function was good and she didn't drop further we were told that she was maybe just going to be small. At our 36 week scan her femur was measuring 2 weeks behind, abdomen 50th centile and that was the last growth scan I had; they were happy that she was levelling out.

She came naturally (no induction) at bang on 41 weeks weighing 8lbs. She was small for her age (but not crazy small, just one of the smaller girls in her class kind of small) until about age 10, although funnily enough she's always had long legs and a shorter torso. I've just put her height into the online centile chart (blast from the past!) and she's apparently on the 99.6th centile now at 11.5! And she still has loooong legs. I don't know what kind of prank she was playing in there!

My little girl twin femur length didn't even make the chart but because she was growing steadily they weren't too worried. She did have a placental abruption and her legs were very skinny at birth and her head is on higher centile and she was slower to sit up and walk but she is otherwise healthy x

My daughter had this on her scans, I can't remember the exact percentiles but she had really short femurs, a really large abdomen, and was on the 9th percentile overall. After a rescan they weren't as concerned and she was born full term with no problems whatsoever. Hope you get seen soon to put your mind at rest :)

DS's femur length was off the bottom of the chart.

He was born naturally at term and is now the tallest member of the family. And in proportion.

Thank you for all getting back to me. This is reassuring. I'm really scared as my daughter passed away when she was two days old due to a placental abruption four years ago.

I can't seem to find anyone whose baby had a small abdomen circumference x

My baby currently has a very small abdomen. Below 5%. I'm 37 weeks now and just praying they will be okay.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your daughter x

@Missingpotatocroquettes thank you for your message and getting back to me. That is reassuring knowing that so thank you so much. Have they given a reason as to why she's measuring smaller?

My daughter who sadly died was measuring bang on with every centile so I'm pretty sure it really doesn't have much to do with anything.

No worries. No, no reason given. They check my placenta and the cord flow at every appointment and apparently it all looks good. My doctor thinks it's down to genetics, rather than a nutrient deficiency. It is hard to believe that could be true after all the doom googling I've done though. Hopefully we're both just having small, but healthy, babies.

DD1 had a short femur, large abdomen and an average sized head in her scans. When she was born she was shaped like a frog!
DD is in her 20s now, in proportion and did a lot of modelling as a child - so didn’t stay in her new born proportions for long.

All mine had short femurs. It scared the hell out of me for the first but by the third I was more chilled. I decided that with a mother that’s 5 foot 1 there’s a good chance they might take after me. They are all grown up now - all girls and all taller (not a lot) than me.

Sorry, I forgot to get back to you. DD was born at 33 weeks gestation by elective c-section as she was measuring 38 weeks everywhere else on the 50th centipede and she was a footling breech. ( I wasn't sure of my dates due to being 44 and peri)
She was a surprise baby as her siblings were all in their late teens/early 20s.

*autocorrect-not centipede- percentile.

My daughter's measurements at around 34 weeks were femur- 11th, abdominal- 80th, head- 50th so almost exactly the same. She's 4 now and fine, my Mum still says she has short legs.

It was never flagged in scans but my DH and DS3 (aged 7) actually do have short femurs. It's particularly noticeable if they try to wear 3/4 trousers! DH is 5'8 and DS is fairly small for his age. But both as healthy and fit and agile as can be!

@babyscanmeasurements how is all going for you now? I find myself in a similar situation and very concerned 😟

Yes. I forget the exact measurements but tummy was 99th and head similar. Femurs were way below 50th.

He’s now 2 and has short legs and a long body. Hes growing into his head 😆