Small head circumference

[Spenner11]

Hi I had my 20 weeks scan and they said all was fine but wanted to rescan in two weeks because her head was on the small side HC 163mm her FL 33mm. I can’t stop worrying and due to go on holiday but don’t want to through panic. Has anyone had anything similar and can advise

Hi OP, sorry to hear that you're going through a worrying time, but just wanted to tell you that we're going through similar!

I am now 24+3 weeks, but at our 20 week scan they said her head was measuring small (152mm - 2nd percentile), alongside enlarged brain ventricles and bilateral clubfoot. Other measurements such as AC was 146mm and FL 30mm (if I remember correctly - don't currently have my notes to hand). We were sent to the FMU at Princess Anne in Southampton.

Following week came and they did a level 2 ultrasound (I was 20+5 weeks at that point), baby girl's HC was now 165mm, AC 152mm and FL 35mm. They found a fluid filled sac at the bottom of her spine, and that she had a lemon shaped head and banana shaped cerebellum which was measuring small (19mm). They diagnosed her with Spina Bifida (Myelomeningocele), Bilateral Clubfoot, Mild Ventriculomegaly, and Arnold Chiari Malformation. In our case, these were all classical symptoms of SB. I did end up having an amnio done just for my own peace of mind (we wouldn't have terminated regardless of results), and last week got the full results which were all clear, which means it's an isolated case of SB.

I had a review with my local OB Thursday (was 24+1 weeks) just gone and baby girl's still measuring small, HC 195mm, AC 180mm, FL 38mm. When put on growth graph she is under the bottom line (which is 10th percentile), but she has followed and continues to follow her own steady growth line. Her body is also growing in proportion which my OB said is a positive. As long as she continues to follow her own growth line they're not overly concerned, she may just end up being a small baby. Also said she weighs 501g, which isn't a bad weight according to him. Basically, baby girl is measuring 2 weeks behind.

Have they found anything else on the scan, or is it just that your baby is measuring small?

Thank you for replying no they said everything else looked as it should. I had a student radiographer then the consultant took over and she said her head is on 7% centile. The student had said she thought their was a gap in her lip but this was just the cord. Baby is lying low down in my left side and curled up do they sometimes get measurements out x

At 20 weeks mine had very small measurements and ecogenic bowel (can be nothing, can be downs or other chromosomal disorder). Roll on 20 weeks of terror and finally acceptance and mental readiness to deal with whatever challenges we were to face... Only to get a baby with nothing more serious than reflux. Try not to worry. Easier said I know!..

Try not to worry, as hard as it is. My baby measured with her head on the 2nd% stomach on the 70th% and normal length. I panicked until she was born perfectly fine. She's now a healthy three month old (With a normal size head )
It can be hard to get good measurements if they're low or curled up.

Hello, I wouldn’t worry as long as Baby follows their centile line they might just have a smaller head.
My first was born at 39+5 and his head was only 32cm so 320mm, his head was literally bottom of the centile line, below 2%. But he was in proportion, he was 6lb slim but long... he’s a strapping cheeky 4 year old now.
I’m pregnant now and from my measurements (growth scans as first was small) she’s got a fat head, long and slim
Body 🙈😂
I’m 36 weeks now but have growth scans every 2 weeks and she follows her centile line perfectly (slightly below 10th).
So honestly don’t worry

Thank you both my boys had fairly big heads one was 35cm and one 36.5cm at birth it’s just a shock when you have to go back she did say if it was 10percentile they wouldn’t rescan and it was 7.7

Hi my daughters head is measuring small I am 24 weeks pregnant. She is measuring. Small for dates but concerned about hc. My now four year old was always small for dates and I had several growth scans and she was perfectly healthy weighing on the small side 5/10. However I have now been transferred for Fetal medicine for a more In dept scan which I can’t helo but worry about. And it seems like a lifetime away waiting for the letter and appointment to come through. Doctor assured me it could be something and nothing and I might just carry small babies however as a mother I am very concerned. Has anyone else had this and had a good outcome?