To decline growth scans

[Orangepen13]

First child born slightly below 5lb 5oz so I have been offered three extra growth scans (28,32,36 weeks) in my current pregnancy

Ive heard so many inaccuracies with growth scans that can sometimes result in lots of panic, so I’m inclined to decline them. AIBU? And what are others experience of growth scans?

for context, I’m petite and my partner is also fairly lean, and first was born at 37+6 so we’re not surprised at all that she was small

@Orangepen13 please don't let people telling you you're an 'idiot' or 'ridiculous' for considering declining growth scans make you feel guilty. Your reasons are valid and it's great you're weighing up all the options rather than just blindly accepting what is offered to you. I am in a similar position (although growth scans offered for a different reason) and also considering declining because there is a much higher chance of being pressured into an induction or other unnecessary interventions. I highly recommend the birth-ed podcasts if you've not already heard of them (she also runs an antenatal education course or you can just follow her on Instagram). I recently discovered them and there is a lot of talk about autonomy and weighing up these things that are offered to us during pregnancy because they are CHOICES, and not one size fits all. She actually talks specifically about growth scans in one of them!

@Lily124 I'm not going to name call but please, please, please get whatever scans or help is offered to you. It can save a baby's life. The dangerous advice on this thread is alarming.

I had an extra growth scan at 32 weeks which predicted a 7lb baby, when he actually arrived at 40 weeks he was a teeny 5lb 8oz baby which obviously wasn't detected. So don't think you're being unreasonable!

That being said, scans can also pick up other problems so for me personally, I'd say yes please. But then everyone is different and if it's likely to cause more anxiety then it's entirely legitimate to say no thanks.

Is your first born still small for their age or climbed up the percentiles?

Just to so say that in many trusts they use customised growth charts and the baby's estimated weight is plotted on here. This takes into account your height, weight, ethnicity and previous babies weights to predict what is a small baby for you.

If your previous baby was considered small then regardless of how petite you are this has been based on the expected weight of a baby for you.

Given previous birth weight and early birth I doubt your on the cards for early induction. Unless it became imperative that baby will do better outside than in. There is nearly always a preference to keep baby in to full term where possible.

There's no real scenario here where declining the scans is beneficial to the baby, or to you should you have something going on that is causing low birth weight and puts baby or you at risk.

If it was your first baby, would you decline? Probably not. So avoid risk assessing this baby based on being your second pregnancy experience.

I wouldn't accept the scans

Scans aren't good for your child
They are not accurate
They will provide a gateway for them to bully you into an induction which is bad for you and your child

Oh and I do have a condition that can impact weight and had scans every 4 weeks. They were bang on when baby was born and evidenced that she had stopped growing.

They have zero faith in women's bodies, yes common sense would dictate baby is better of inside their mother until their ready, but they can't control that. Much better to induce.

This.

Something really seems to touch a nerve with a lot of people when a woman exercises a bit of autonomy around her birth choices. Even a woman simply acknowledging that it’s solely her decision to make seems to rile people up the wrong way even if she’s going to choose what her doctors have recommended. OP has not said she is definitely going to decline the scans but has come here to ask questions and gain information which is very sensible. People don’t seem to like that she’s making the decision herself.

My DD was 5lbs 12oz at 38w - i am 5'8 and DH is 6'2 so we don't even have the reasoning of being petite. She was just a tiny one! But we've been offered zero extra growth scans this time around, and i wish i had been offered the ones that you have been.

I think i would take them but i also share worries about induction, so if the scans look like they are heading that way, it might help you prepare your thoughts and feelings on what to do if you are asked to consider induction? I was not prepared first time round and wish i had been able to put together a list of questions to ask in advance, when i was able to think things through more calmly.

I imagine because every single day they see just how quickly things can go wrong and how sometimes, a scan and/or monitoring could've potentially prevented it. No wonder they tend to be cautious, I certainly don't blame them.

If it was me I would take the scans, but it's your choice whatever you feel is right.

It is a very personal decision.

On one hand the scans could be reassuring that all is well with the placenta, fluid and of course baby. It would be nice to see a wee bit more of them too

Of course, they are inaccurate - up to two pounds out either way. So I don't think the information is useful. The appointments can be stressful too.

But there is a third option, you could decline now and opt in again if you have any concerns regarding movements and fundal height. It isn't a all or nothing situation.

Take your time.

I had a growth scan because they were worried bump was small and scan predicted actually baby would be average and he ended up nearly 10lb. Size info I don't think is particularly accurate but I am sure there are some actual stats you could check on that and what PP have said about detecting issues would mean I would be keen to have the scans if I were you

Why o why would you not accept the extra service offered to you and your unborn child??

I had growth scans with my baby and he was born at 37+2, weighting just under 2.5kg. He was measuring small throughout my pregnancy but still growing, however he had to come out when he did because between growth scans I ran out of fluid - if he hadn’t come out he would have died. I would definitely take those growth scans, they won’t hurt your baby in any way and they’ll ensure that he/she is born healthy. All the best to you and your baby 💐

This. Sure it would cause lots more anxiety if something goes wrong that could have been avoided with some prior knowledge

I’m not sure why you would decline. You can always decline an induction if you so wanted.

My scans said my son was going to be over ten pounds. He was 7.2!

Look at it another way, what if something happens that would have been preventable if it had been picked up if you had got the scans.. how would that make you feel?

I had some extra growth scans when my fundal height measured small, and they were all reassuring. I hadn't realised at the time but DD1 was classed as SGA when she was born at 41+3 weighing 6lb 12oz, all was absolutely fine though (and so were all my others). So I think they erred on the side of caution with all my others.

I thought in the end it's better to be safe than sorry, and have a healthy baby at the end of it.

They would only induce you if they thought baby would thrive better out than in, and your thoughts and feelings will always be taken into account when deciding what's best.

Mine, although on the smaller to average end, did all seem to pile on the pounds once they were out and I was feeding them.

Saving babies lives did a retrospective study on historical stillbirths in the West Midlands and found something like 80% of the stillbirths would likely have been prevented if a personalised growth chart had been used. The personalised growth chart would have picked up on growth issues and a scan been offered. Now I guess that’s assuming the scan also detected a growth issue. And it won’t take into account false alarms. But scans do pick up problems and save lives. As others have said it’s not just growth but they’ll also do Doppler flow which is accurate. Poorly growing babies will often have raised dopplers. Growth is a major cause of stillbirth. You can probably find the Saving Babies Lives report online which will discuss this.

I've taken them, ds was 5lb 10 at bang on 37 weeks, I'm 5ft dh is 5ft 8, so smallish was expected. Both 28 and 32 weeks scans are showing this one growing at 50th percentile and consultant has said she doesn't want to see me after 36 week scan unless there is a wild decline in growth 🤷‍♀️

I'd take them just because it's an extra peace of mind

My first DD was born on the 5th centile so we were offered growth scans for 2nd pregnancy. As we were low risk we had this via the midwife sonographers. They were really great. No issues were picked up. 2nd DD born last week on the 8th centile.

I am small myself as are my family. Both born healthy, straightforward labours and home the same day. I think I just have small babies.

The extra scans this time gave me peace of mind this time x

I completely agree that growth scans could save a babies life, but they can also lead to a cascade of unnecessary interventions when they’re aren’t really needed. The ‘evidence-base’ on which they’re offered isn’t always relevant to that woman, and they need to be weighed up in the context of that woman’s medical history. Unfortunately, the NHS isn’t designed for that and guidelines are generic. I tick a box for growth scans based on a medical condition, but I know that diagnosis on my medical records is no longer relevant and will have no impact on my baby. Also, there have been no concerns about growth/small baby at my first 2 scans. It’s not helpful for people on the internet to blindly say you must have these scans. Nor did I say to OP that she shouldn’t have them. However, pregnant women need to understand that they do have choices and should be encouraged to discuss these with their medical provider and ask questions (why is this recommended for me specifically? What are the risks if I don’t do it? Etc). We’re offered a lot of interventions during pregnancy and birth, but these aren’t always specific/relevant to the individual woman’s needs. At the moment, I have decided to go for the 28 week scan and then discuss the results with my team and make a decision about further scans from there.