Short humerus+ femur on USS

[Sunandsea1]

Hi,

I had a growth scan which showed the femur at 24 weeks under 10th percentile and the humerus on the 5th. We had a low risk 1:6000 risk of T21 in the first trimester. Nothing was really said during the scan only that I should have a repeat in 4 weeks. Did anyone have the same issue before and has more positive storied to share than Dr Google?

Thanks.

I’m in turmoil (again!)
Have been my whole pregnancy.
I was 1:47 risk for Down’s syndrome on nhs screening due to High hcg levels (5MoM) and age (34).
I had NIPT which came back low risk

NIPT is apparently 99% so I wouldn't worry to much but you have to ask yourself a question,if let's say it is Down syndrome, would you end the pregnancy???? When I find out about my chances having DS or baby with dwarfism that was a big issue, after 2 weeks of crying I decided I'm gonna keep it anyway and that was big relief. I'm 32w now, my femur is 9% and humerus is 2% so don't know if it's a short baby or sick one but is not much can do now, tummy and head is 87%

@MisssC3025 How are you???

@paranoidkaty I am in a very similar situation to you. I had 1/45 risk for DS and harmony test came back low risk. 20 week scan was fine but I noticed femur was below average. However I was told scan was absolutely fine. Just had my 28 week growth scan and everything is around 50th but femur around 10th percentile. The lady doing the scan knew how anxious I was but reassured me that everything looked great and didn’t mentioned the Femur length. After I had my 28weeks appointment and the midwife again reassured me that everything is looking good and nothing wrong with my baby (again she didn’t mention the femur length) I then mentioned my concerns and she brushed it off and said it’s nothing to worry about. The consultant checked over my notes and I expressed my concerns but he told me baby is growing how it should and they have no concerns and for me to enjoy the pregnancy.
I am like you though and I am analysing everything.
Have your doctors expressed any concerns?

@missdrifter Thanks for your reply.
It’s only when I do this research I realise this. No one else cares everyone just brushing things off. “Normal”.
But BPD and HC is like 90th percentile and FL 30th although it averages normal it’s not!?
I know if I’d just had the harmony and never had the high risk nhs screen I wouldn’t even look at the damn graphs but everything plays on your mind doesn’t it.
Will you please DM me or let me know on here how you get one further down the line?? Xx

@paranoidkaty I know exactly what you mean but I am trying my best to trust the professionals because it’s what they do day in day out and I am sure if they were concerned they would let us know and wouldn’t say everything is fine. Also it’s a matter of mm’s at this stage so I keep telling myself there is always going to be room for error and even 1mm would make such a big difference on the chart. The lady who did my scan didn’t rescan anything to check, she just said it’s all fine and baby is average. When is your next scan? I wasn’t due one until 34/36 weeks (due to low Papp-a) but have managed to get one in 4 weeks time.

My consultant on 28w scan said that next scans are more important, if femur will get shorter and shorter compare to rest than is a dwarfism. On my 32w was the same, so they said not to worry as baby's growth is consistent. Until baby is born we not gonna know so I'm trying to relax and be positive :)

@Berety123 did you NIPT come back low risk for Down’s syndrome?

Yes, came back as a low risk

@Paranoidkaty
what about your Nuchal measurement at 12w scan???

@Berety123 my nuchal was 1.6mm then 2.1mm a week later.
So all within normal range.
It was just my hcg was 5x what it should be hence skewed my risk for Down’s syndrome.
My NIPT was low risk too.
I worry I’m panicking for no reason but once you’ve had the awful stress of the high risk screen and even with a low risk NIPT you never really rest assured. Any little thing like a short femur (even though not 10th percentile but hugely different to the head and belly) is a worry as can be marker for downs

@Paranoidkaty
My consultant also did a 4D scan to look at the face features so after that I was keep searching for 4D scan with DS so I fully understand you but after few weeks I said to myself enough is enough, whatever it is will deal with when is born

@Paranoidkaty
also I hope our big tummy is because I have GD so maybe you should be test it for it too

Hope you're all well and keeping safe.

@Berety123

Hi. I went for a growth scan a week and a bit ago and baby boys long bones are measuring very small still off the chart below 5th percentile ☹️. They have grown but still under 5th.

My local hosp cannot measure chest and due to covid we have decided not to stress of going to a FMU hosp to get chest measured as it'll only add to our worry and stress.

Drs still believe my baby boy won't survive birth or will pass shortly after birth (due to his small short chest) so we are trying to prepare for this scenario. It's been a tough few months.

Going for an appt on 12/5 to book in an induction. So I may have little boy in the next 3 or so weeks!

I hope you're okay and your next scan will give you more of an idea of how baby is doing and NIPT will too. It's good news that chest is okay! Is the hosp you attended a specialist hosp to be able to measure chest?

The chest is the reason for us that it is considered "lethal" not the limbs! I pray everyday that his chest will be big enough for him to breathe. If he has dwarfism we don't mind at all! Just praying it's not lethal 🙏🙏🙏

@MisssC3025 I am so sorry to hear what you are going through, I can’t even begin to imagine how tough it must be.

I know you have probably found this site already but I came across amazing site: www.madeforthislife.com
it’s about a family who went through a similar story and their darling son does has skeleton dysplasia but it’s not the lethal type (which I believe doctors thought It was at one point) If you haven’t already come across the page then I thought it might give you some hope. I am keeping everything crossed for you and your little one.

I am trying to remain calm as my 20 week scan was fine and it was only at my 28 week growth scan that I had for low pappa that I noticed my baby’s femurs were smaller near bottom of the chart. It wasn’t mentioned by the lady doing the scan, or consultant who I spoke to afterwards (until I mentioned it and he brushed it off) I haven’t been referred for any further scans regarding the femurs but I am looking forward to see if there is any change at my next growth scan. My consults only concern is that due to my low pappa there is a small chance my placenta may stop working properly. It doesn’t mean I haven’t spent the past 24 hours googling everything.

Hope everyone is feeling positive today x

@MisssC3025
I'm so happy you text back, was thinking about you a lot. I pray they are wrong and your boy will proof them🙂
Our chest is ok, they didn't even wanted to check but I pressured them and looks good.
I don't mind dwarfism too, was shock at first but I'm ok now. I'm fighting for all my scans, due to virus everything was cancel and feel like nobody take you serious😢
Anyway pls pls let us know after you have him
Stay safe everybody xxx

@Missdrifter
If they think your placenta will stop working then you need to have more scans and push them to induce you at 38 weeks!
That's a very good sign if you not having more scans because of femur, when they saw mine , sent me next day to a different hospital to see a consultant so be positive🙂

@berety123 thank you. Yes they weren’t going to give me another scan until 2 months time to check but I have pushed for one In 4 weeks as I am concerned about the the femur length and obviously failing placenta. My consultant said because the femur has always measured below average then it’s following the curve and no concerns. He actually scanned me every early on before 14 weeks because my low pappa and age gave me a high DS risk result from screening test, so I had the harmony test which was came back low risk. I looked back at that scan and the femur was near bottom line then (but I didn’t worry about that then as my concern was waiting for harmony tests) but it improved at 20 week scan and seems to have dropped again. Been consistently below average though. Someone has to be below the 10th percentile anyway and our consultants must see that day in day out. I am sure you were just sent to be checked by the consultant as precaution as at my hospital after every growth scan the consultant looking over results with us. I don’t think you need to worry especially if follow up scan showed it was still growing on curve.

Hi I just thought I would update this thread for anyone who is looking for reassurance. I had my 32 week scan and femur length has caught up and now actually measuring ahead. Easy said than done but I really wish I had spent the past month worrying so much. Hope everyone is keeping well. X

@Missdrifter I'm pleased the scan went well. The same thing happened to me at my 38 week scan. The sonographer actually asked if we had long legs in the family as the femur bones are longer now!

@Liveforholidays great news. You must be so excited as not long for you now x

Hi all I’m going through something similar 28 weeks and been having growth scans since 20 weeks for short femur and humerus ranged between 9th and 3rd percentile up and down today again measured between 3rd-5th so have to go back in 2 weeks times for another growth scan. She said they obviously have to make me aware it can be due to genetic reasons but most likely just a small baby. Offered amniocentesis but declined it. I noticed a few of you were later on in pregnancy and wondered if anyone had an update from a couple of months back? Thanks 😊 x @Missdrifter @Berety123 @ThePenIsBlue

Hi @RainbowL2020 sorry you are going through this, it’s such a worrying time. My baby’s femurs measured near the bottom line at my 28 week growth scan (I think about a week and a half behind) but then at my 32 week growth scan they had caught up and were actually measuring over a week ahead. I have since had my 36 week scan and the femurs are around the 60th percentile. So it’s possible that yours can catch up too. What’s the rest of the baby measuring?

@Missdrifter thanks so much for your reply! That's great everything is catching up 😊 head is 44th and abdomen 72nd (they have gone up and down throughout my scans but always been around the middle "normal range") just seems to be his arms and legs. I know they vary from person to person who take the measurements too so I'm thinking they have probably always been around the 5th percentile give or take so no drastic changes I guess but always been small just so worrying xx

It is so worrying. I remember seeking reassurance from my midwife and whoever I could ask and no one actually seemed very concerned. I had the harmony test at 13 weeks because of a high risk screening result, the consultant who scanned me then took measurements and I noticed he plotted the femurs right on the bottom line so 3rd or 5th percentile. Then I think they were around the 20th percentile at 20 weeks then back down to almost on bottom line at 28 weeks. I was so anxious before my 32 week scan and they said that they are only really concerned if the measurements were way below the bottom line and that my baby just might not be the tallest. Yours sound as though they are following the curve which must be a good sign. Surely if there was any real concern they would recommend further testing? I am sure you will be absolutely fine especially if no other markers present. X