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Antenatal tests

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Original poster

Lemon sign at 20 week scan - very worried about spina bifida.

24 replies

lopopo · 16/03/2012 19:47

Hi all - I'm new to the site and hoping to get some advice. Went for our 20 week anomaly scan today. All seemed to be going well but the baby was in an awkward position for the sonographer.

At the end of the scan she told us that the baby was showing a slight lemon sign in the skull - one of the markers for spina bifida. She's checked the spine very carefully and there are no further visible signs on the spine. She says it possible the lemon sign may be because of the angle of the probe and the position of the baby. The baby was tucked away and she couldn't get a proper look at the skull again.

Anyway we've been referred for a 2nd a scan later next week for further investigation with the fetal medicine unit. The wait is agonising - this is a much longed for baby - we've been trying for 5 years and had a few upsets along the way.

Anyway I'm hoping someone else out there may have had a similar experience with a positive outcome?

OP posts:

Tiago · 16/03/2012 20:15

I have no experience but it doesn't sound too bad yet. Hopefully the baby will be better positioned at the next scan and you will be able to feel reassured. It is good that she could see no other signs.

Original poster

lopopo · 16/03/2012 21:14

Thanks Tiago. Yes I am trying to stay positive. Its just the not knowing that's hard.

OP posts:

KalSkirata · 16/03/2012 21:20

stay positive. If the baby does turn out to have SB its not the end of the world. I have several friends who have SB. With some you wouldnt know, with a couple of th e others they use a wheelchair but have speech and hand use (the two most vital things and the 2 things my own d lacks. she has CP)
I hope your second scan goes well.

Original poster

lopopo · 16/03/2012 21:39

Thanks for your kind words KalSkirata.

OP posts:

loveisagirlnameddaisy · 19/03/2012 21:21

Just to try and reassure you... Our 20 week scan with DD1 showed that the ventricles in her brain were at the very far end of the scale meaning we had an agonising 2 week wait. Turned out to be nothing, just the hypersensitivity of the scanner.

I know it's easy to say try not to worry, but surely there would have been other markers visible? Your baby was in an awkward position which is most likely the reason for what was picked up.

I am sure everything will be fine, try and stay upbeat as I know how hard the waiting is. And try not to google too much!!

princesspuds · 27/05/2012 00:01

Hi lopopo, I have a dd aged 7 with SB, I totally understand how worried you must be feeling atm.

Please realise that a "lemon head" is just one sign and as the sonographer said it could just be the angle of the probe.

Another marker for SB which shows up is the cerebellar tonsils are shaped like a banana instead of a dumbell.

If there is anything I can help you with, please let me know

Pragunn17 · 21/12/2019 05:43

I also have scan on 18 dec it’s my 20 week scan . Dr also said baby head shape is like lemon .but spine of the baby is normal .is anyone have any advise

Siena79 · 15/02/2020 15:25

Any news from your following scan Pragunn17?

Siena79 · 15/02/2020 15:44

Our 20 week scan was yesterday; baby did not at all during the scan and nothing being scammed property. We were informed that lemon shape head appeared on the scan. And unidentified liquid or something they could not explain in the bowel. Therefore they referred us to London UCLH immediately. We worry a lot... I keep researching to find out more; our baby moves a lot when I sit down. Is this a good sign? I read a lot of things about SB and correlation between the lemon shape heads; I know there is a lot to look at and we will probably figure out this Monday but cannot help to worry! Thanks

Sussexmidwife · 15/02/2020 18:08

I am so sorry to hear that you are facing such worried. It is concerning that you were not given time to discuss this at the time. It is good that you have been referred to UCLH, but as a midwife specialising in situations where there are concerns about the baby I know that you desperately need some information about what this might mean and what you can usefully be thinking about. Randomly googling is a very fast way to feeling totally terrified.
If you want to discuss the details privately please do contact me by PM

Schristou · 19/02/2020 11:33

Hi
I am new to this site. I was just looking to see if anyone has had anything similar.
We had our 20 weeks scan yesterday - all was ok except we were told the baby had a slight lemon shape head. Everything else was normal and no other anomalies were found.
We now have to wait a week for a further scan with a consultant. We have been told it could be the way the baby was lay - the sonographer was finding it hard to scan or simply the shape of the babies head. Has anyone ever come across this when the head was slightly lemon shaped and all turned out to be ok? I am going out of my mind with worry,

Thanks

updownleftrightstart · 21/02/2020 10:07

Yesterday we saw this at our 20 week scan.

@Schristou I hope it's ok I've messaged you.

@Siena79 how did the scan go? Were they able to give you any more info. I hope it was all ok.

TChester · 12/05/2020 14:40

@updownleftrightstart how did your results go? We have been told our baby has a lemon appearance and went for the follow up scan today. Everything looks good but the appearance is still there so still concerned.

FionainWorthing · 20/05/2020 21:32

Hi had my 20 week scan today which the baby was hard to see clearly, I was only given photos of the babies feet. The sonographer said at the end that the baby had a slightly lemon shaped head but there were no other issues or concerns. I am waiting to get another scan with a consultant in London but me and partner are really worried now. This thread has helped me as I see I am not the only one in this situation. If it’s not SB what else could it be?

updownleftrightstart · 20/05/2020 22:35

Sorry your baby has the same thing Fiona. However in the majority of cases it's absolutely nothing and lots of babies have lemon sign without there being anything wrong. And if you say yours is slight lemon sign that's good - my baby's head was very obviously misshapen, not just slightly. The absence of any other issues is hugely positive too. Strangely my consultant was never concerned about spina bifida (never even mentioned it) and everything was directed towards checking for Edwards syndrome or craniosynostosis unfortunately.
But as with spina bifida, a baby with those is highly likely to have other things show up on a scan too. I've had another 3 fetal medicine scans since just to keep an eye on things and triple check they've not missed anything, and while the consultant said they can't rule out anything 100%, he thinks it's highly unlikely there's anything wrong with my baby.
Good luck for your next scan, I'm sure it'll be fine. I know that doesn't stop you worrying though.

FionainWorthing · 21/05/2020 07:22

Hello @updownleftrightstart thanks for your reply and amazing reassurance! When is your baby due? My midwife was fairly vague about what the lemon head meant and just threw in the SB in there which shocked us so much. we got incredibly upset because I did the bad thing and googled like mad! But like you said, the fact there are no other symptoms is a big positive.

We hope our next scan is very soon so we can get some clarity, it is hard not to worry.

Thanks so much for writing to me, joined mumsnet yesterday and I’ve got a feeling this will not be the last time I use it for advice 🙂

updownleftrightstart · 21/05/2020 10:20

I'm due in 7 weeks now
Hopefully your next scan will come through soon and put your mind at rest. I know there's a lot of top consultants at the London hospitals who deal with this so you'll be in good hands!

FionainWorthing · 21/05/2020 21:27

@updownleftrightstart ah wow not long now! We got an appointment today and got the all clear 🙂 we also found out we are having a little boy. They were wonderful at St George’s hospital! Good luck with rest of your pregnancy

3rdtimemomma · 20/12/2020 15:42

What was everyone's outcomes with this?

I had my 20 week scan on Friday and the lemon sign was mentioned and we have now been referred to fetal medicine for a scan in 2 days time, the wait is agonising and I'm thinking everything awful and all of the worst case scenarios.

MJones98 · 01/04/2021 13:00

I have also been referred due to a ‘slight lemon shape’ skull. No sign of SB and brain appears normal, such a worrying time but trying to stay positive. Was everything ok with your baby?

3rdtimemomma · 04/04/2021 10:57

After my fetal medicine scan - within seconds the consultants (2) and one a professor, said the head shape was NOT lemon sign at all and her head shape was normal.

In the same scan at 20 weeks I was also told slight echogenic bowel - and again at fetal medicine - I was told NO echogenic bowel.

I know they have to be thorough! and I understand slight doubt they have to refer but I had the worst weekend waiting for that scan. Cried every single day endlessly worrying what was to come from the further scan - so the relief when it was absolutely nothing was overwhelming. I hope this is the same outcome for you x

Also mine was the same NO other indicators whatsoever! Spine was perfect etc x

MJones98 · 04/04/2021 13:44

Thank you so much for your reply that’s reassuring! I’m so glad everything was okay for you and your baby that’s great to hear. The report we had was more positive than negative. Just need that second opinion to be sure that everything is okay. No indicators too SB was completely ruled out as there were no openings in the spine and the brain was normal so I just think it could be our little girls skull still forming or even nothing.
Thanks again for your reply x

TXTee · 05/11/2021 04:12

Hey everyone. I’m glad I found this group. I am about to stop googling because I am driving myself completely insane. I had a 18 week scan today and got the worse news I could ever hear. My high risk doctor whom is already a fetal medicine doctor has recommended an Amniocentesis to further test and she says during 3rd trimester we would do an MRI. Each scan up to now seemed normal but today she showed me the shape of my baby girl’s head.it looks lemon shaped and she says that she cannot clearly see the cerebellum and she cannot clearly see CSP so possible absence of CSP with possible agenesis of the corpus callosum. I need some advice. I am considering doing the amniocentesis. I am lost for words. Everything else is normal on our baby she seemed very happy and playing inside of my tummy. I sure hate this for her it is so so so sad. I’m scared for her.

heywhatswrongwitu · 06/11/2021 22:09

Hi this is an old thread but I wanted to say I'm in a similar position - we had our 20 week scan last week and the sonographer found various markers for SB. Can they refer you for a more specialised scan?

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