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Original poster

Small Femur bone

24 replies

Lucy8507 · 31/12/2024 14:38

Hi, I'm really worried after a scan I just had at 32 weeks pregnant. His head measured in 95th % abdominal 88th% but his femur bone 5th%. Has anyone else had a reading like this and everything turn out ok when born. I'm scared he will have a growth problem as such a big difference in leg size to the rest of his body.

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fashionqueen0123 · 31/12/2024 22:38

What was it at the 20 week scan?

NeverAndEver · 31/12/2024 22:49

I had similar. It was an incredibly scary and stressful time but ultimately everything was fine. I know it's really hard not to, but try not to panic or go mad googling. If it's just a femur measurement and there's no other issues it's most likely nothing.
What did they say at your scan? Are you having another to follow up in a few weeks?

Original poster
Lucy8507 · 01/01/2025 06:01

Femur was on the 18th% head and stomach around the 50th

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Original poster
Lucy8507 · 01/01/2025 06:01

fashionqueen0123 · 31/12/2024 22:38

What was it at the 20 week scan?

Femur was 18th% head and stomach around 50th

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Original poster
Lucy8507 · 01/01/2025 06:03

NeverAndEver · 31/12/2024 22:49

I had similar. It was an incredibly scary and stressful time but ultimately everything was fine. I know it's really hard not to, but try not to panic or go mad googling. If it's just a femur measurement and there's no other issues it's most likely nothing.
What did they say at your scan? Are you having another to follow up in a few weeks?

I'm going for a glucose tolerance test tomorrow incase it's diabetes that made the head and stomach shoot up but I'm nervous if the legs are this small now they will just keep going down on the chart.

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TeddyBeans · 01/01/2025 06:06

DD had short leg measurements compared to the others. She has short legs. She's taken her father's body shape (shorter legs, longer torso) which isn't surprising as she's basically a clone of him! She cannot wear her age in tights, they fit her little belly but come up about 3 feet too long on her legs 😁 I wouldn't worry, especially if anyone in your immediate family is short

fashionqueen0123 · 01/01/2025 09:49

Lucy8507 · 01/01/2025 06:01

Femur was 18th% head and stomach around 50th

Show quote history

Seems like a big change between scans. I wonder if it was an error. Glad you’re going back for another check.

Original poster
Lucy8507 · 01/01/2025 10:07

TeddyBeans · 01/01/2025 06:06

DD had short leg measurements compared to the others. She has short legs. She's taken her father's body shape (shorter legs, longer torso) which isn't surprising as she's basically a clone of him! She cannot wear her age in tights, they fit her little belly but come up about 3 feet too long on her legs 😁 I wouldn't worry, especially if anyone in your immediate family is short

I'm only 5ft 2 and his dad 5ft 9 so we hope it's just that.

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Original poster
Lucy8507 · 01/01/2025 10:09

fashionqueen0123 · 01/01/2025 09:49

Seems like a big change between scans. I wonder if it was an error. Glad you’re going back for another check.

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I hope so. We went for a 4d scan at 29 weeks and his face and head seemed to look all normal but I wasn't looking for any problems.

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fashionqueen0123 · 01/01/2025 10:21

Lucy8507 · 01/01/2025 10:09

I hope so. We went for a 4d scan at 29 weeks and his face and head seemed to look all normal but I wasn't looking for any problems.

Show quote history

So I do know someone who had a pregnancy where the baby had some bad health problems related to a small femur but it was extremely obvious at the 20 week scan and other parts of their body also weren’t developed properly. I’ve never know anyone who had a baby have any issues when it was found at a scan this late. Any posts I’ve seen like yours (which I’ve seen come
up a lot where the baby has a short femur which makes me think it’s common ) it was just the baby was petite and no issues :) that’s why they do the scan at 20 weeks to catch anything.

So I don’t think it sounds concerning or they would have already mentioned it. Also the measurements are sooo tiny just a couple of mm can throw things off. Plus someone has to be on the 5th centile! Maybe get some cute tiny baby clothes incase :)

Christmasgiraffe · 01/01/2025 10:29

I was told my baby had short femurs(on the 1st percentile!) for the entire second half of my pregnancy. She came out bang on average length and is now above average at 2 months old. The scans can be very inaccurate.

Original poster
Lucy8507 · 01/01/2025 10:38

fashionqueen0123 · 01/01/2025 10:21

So I do know someone who had a pregnancy where the baby had some bad health problems related to a small femur but it was extremely obvious at the 20 week scan and other parts of their body also weren’t developed properly. I’ve never know anyone who had a baby have any issues when it was found at a scan this late. Any posts I’ve seen like yours (which I’ve seen come
up a lot where the baby has a short femur which makes me think it’s common ) it was just the baby was petite and no issues :) that’s why they do the scan at 20 weeks to catch anything.

So I don’t think it sounds concerning or they would have already mentioned it. Also the measurements are sooo tiny just a couple of mm can throw things off. Plus someone has to be on the 5th centile! Maybe get some cute tiny baby clothes incase :)

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Thank you. Makes me feel a little better

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fashionqueen0123 · 01/01/2025 13:38

I really think if they were concerned they’d have done more tests on the legs. Probably just a tiny baby :) you will get loads of use of their clothes!

Original poster
Lucy8507 · 01/01/2025 14:01

Christmasgiraffe · 01/01/2025 10:29

I was told my baby had short femurs(on the 1st percentile!) for the entire second half of my pregnancy. She came out bang on average length and is now above average at 2 months old. The scans can be very inaccurate.

This reasures me alot.. thank you

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Pinkstuffs · 01/01/2025 14:07

There’s a chance the scan isn’t right; I had a growth scan at 34 weeks showing baby on 50th centile then another at 36 weeks that measured baby smaller than at 34 weeks. The consultant said obviously baby couldn’t have shrunk so one scan was inaccurate. I had others at 38 and 39 weeks showing baby below the 5th centile (femur length with abdominal measurements bigger). He was born on the 2nd centile but in proportion and is just small, perfectly healthy.

Have they got a plan in place to rescan you? Or do you need to wait? My NHS trust would only scan every 2 weeks even when they suspected an error so we paid for a private scan to confirm the small measurements.

Original poster
Lucy8507 · 01/01/2025 17:43

Pinkstuffs · 01/01/2025 14:07

There’s a chance the scan isn’t right; I had a growth scan at 34 weeks showing baby on 50th centile then another at 36 weeks that measured baby smaller than at 34 weeks. The consultant said obviously baby couldn’t have shrunk so one scan was inaccurate. I had others at 38 and 39 weeks showing baby below the 5th centile (femur length with abdominal measurements bigger). He was born on the 2nd centile but in proportion and is just small, perfectly healthy.

Have they got a plan in place to rescan you? Or do you need to wait? My NHS trust would only scan every 2 weeks even when they suspected an error so we paid for a private scan to confirm the small measurements.

Edited

I have a glucose tolerance test tomorrow to rule out diabetes and then I have an appointment next week with the doctor that i had booked before any of this so I will ask him to book me another scan as I'm concerned. Have one prebooked for 37 weeks but that's too far away in my eyes

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Moonflower12 · 01/01/2025 18:10

I had this with my 4th. We assumed it was due to her dad having short legs. She was petite when she was born but now at 12 years, she's not very tall but very leggy!

sel2223 · 02/01/2025 08:34

I honestly take the growth scans with a pinch of salt - they would soon tell you if there was something you need to worry about.

With my last pregnancy I was told she was measuring very average weight wise throughout, predicted to be 7.5lbs ish - she was 5lbs 15oz

I had regular scans and at 20 weeks, her arm bones were 99% and everything else below average. At a repeat 2 weeks later it was her shin bones that were long with everything else in proportion.....
At every scan it changed and she was born perfectly healthy and normal.

Original poster
Lucy8507 · 02/01/2025 11:56

sel2223 · 02/01/2025 08:34

I honestly take the growth scans with a pinch of salt - they would soon tell you if there was something you need to worry about.

With my last pregnancy I was told she was measuring very average weight wise throughout, predicted to be 7.5lbs ish - she was 5lbs 15oz

I had regular scans and at 20 weeks, her arm bones were 99% and everything else below average. At a repeat 2 weeks later it was her shin bones that were long with everything else in proportion.....
At every scan it changed and she was born perfectly healthy and normal.

Thank you. They do like to worry you don't they

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ruks013 · 07/07/2025 15:51

Hi , wondering if everything turned out ok? I have the same with my scans too atm

ruks013 · 07/07/2025 15:52

Lucy8507 · 02/01/2025 11:56

Thank you. They do like to worry you don't they

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hey wondering if everything was ok?

Moonflower12 · 07/07/2025 17:20

I was told my DD had a very short femur (2nd centile) when she was 31 weeks gestation.

Now she is a leggy 12 year old. Not particularly tall in comparison to her friends but leggy.

Original poster
Lucy8507 · 08/07/2025 08:50

ruks013 · 07/07/2025 15:52

hey wondering if everything was ok?

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Hey, thanks for asking, he is absolutely fine to the point he is 5 months and we're having to buy him 6 to 9 month clothes.

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Original poster
Lucy8507 · 08/07/2025 08:55

ruks013 · 07/07/2025 15:51

Hi , wondering if everything turned out ok? I have the same with my scans too atm

Its good that they try to be thorough with the scans but they can be really inaccurate also, depending on the babies position or the person taking the readings. My doctor booked me another scan after that one as he saw it unsettled me even though he said I shouldn't be worried and the next one had better readings. Like 12th percentile for legs and 88 for head which was still a big head in my eyes but smaller then first reading

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