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Childbirth

How wrong was your growth scan estimate?

24 replies

Cadmum · 27/02/2006 15:05

Sorry, I know that this has all been done before but I am not good at looking things up in the archives...

I have been told that baby will only be a 5 1/2 pounder but how far off could that be? (am currently 38 1/2 weeks)

OP posts:

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nulnulcat · 27/02/2006 20:43

midwife concerned as i was small for dates referred me to hospital and he wasnt bothered said baby would be somewhere between 5 and 7 lb and at 41 weeks she was just under 6 so he was right

kate100 · 27/02/2006 20:40

I had a scan at 39 weeks tocheck cord flow and I asked about the size, the sonographer said he was about 7 and a half pounds, he was born 6 days later and weighed 9lb 12oz. I don't think he put on 2 pounds in a week, so it was way more than 10% out.

CaptainDippy · 27/02/2006 20:34

Was told DD2 was going to be about 7lb 8oz on growth scan the day before I was induced (my waters went but I didn't go into labour) - She was a teeny tiny 5lb - Wouldn't trust those growth scans as far as I could throw them!! A little bit more than a 10% error here, me thinks!!!!

Cadmum · 27/02/2006 18:15

Wow! Thanks for all of the replies.

I am looking forward to seeing just how accurate the scan was this time. It seems to me that they were spot on with DS1 and the sonographer and the consultant who did this scan were not aware of the fact that I have previously delivered an IUGR baby and had two smallish ones since. (They only had a requisition for an quick scan because I had just moved and had a new Dr.)

I suspect that it is just wishful thinking on my part that this baby might be anything but small since I am not particularly big and still am not even close to uncomfortable...

It is good to know that there is room for error and also to be reinded that the baby may still be growing at a rapid rate in the last weeks.

Thanks again.

Hunker Munker: I did follow your thread about the Drs wanting you to feed your DS2 formula because all 3 of our babies have been quite jaundiced and I had to fight the whole medical world to avoid giving them formula. I already have the breast pump ready and am getting myself psyched for the battle.

OP posts:

meganandlucymummy · 27/02/2006 18:11

I had excess amniotic fluid (polyhydramnion) hence fortnightly scans for 3 months before EDD - DD2 was left until 39 wks as they wanted her to 'make 5lb before delivering'. She was 8lb exactly when born! 3lb out!

PeachyClair · 27/02/2006 17:54

Hugely wrong, first scan showed baby 6 lbs at 36 weeks (DS1), second scan showed adequate growth (monitoring as pre eclampsia), third scan triggered induction as second scan had been erroneous (their words)- ds1 had lost weight and was 5 lbs 5oz.

There's beeen some debate whether to do scan 3 after a secon one being OK, thank goodness they did.

cece · 27/02/2006 17:27

There is a 10 % margin of error.

37 week scan baby was 8lbs

11 lb and 4 oz at birth (but was 42 plus 4 days)

Hazellnut · 27/02/2006 17:24

Cadmum- Induction failed for me so I ended up with a c-sec but would assume induction to be more successful on a fourth baby (and presume you were induced with pre-eclmpsia ?). Therefore didn't get far enough for a cord prolapse to be a problem although it was never mentioned as a possible risk.

good luck !

muppety · 27/02/2006 16:30

Mine was spot on. The thought ds 2 was 9-91/2 pounds at 39 weeks. Day after he was 9lb 5oz. Its given me a false sense security if I have any more as I know they are notoriously inaccurate.

Gem13 · 27/02/2006 16:22

Scan was average, midwife said 7 pounder, DS was 9'11.

izzybiz · 27/02/2006 16:21

had a growth scan at 36 weeks, was told DD was 5lb, so would be about 7ish at 40 weeks.
i had her at 38 weeks and she weighed 7lb 15 oz. i reakon another 2 weeks would have put her at around 9lb!

hunkermunker · 27/02/2006 16:20

Oh, had three late scans - 34, 36 and latest one was about 38 weeks iirc.

hunkermunker · 27/02/2006 16:19

Very wrong.

DS2 was meant to be not quite 7lbs - he was 8lb 1oz.

Growth scan showed reduced abdominal growth and a small baby. Ha.

And they were worried about his blood sugars after he was born (see thread re this where they wanted me to top up with formula in hospital double treble ha), but I just fed him and he's put on over 3lbs in five weeks.

Scans can be waaaay out.

Kidstrack2 · 27/02/2006 16:16

My weighting scan was absolutely spot on! I had the scan at 37+ and they said baby was 6lb 12oz and if i went on my due date baby would be 7lb 7oz but if i was late i could expect a few onces a day, i was 4days late and baby was 7lb 10oz. I was given this scan because my ds(first baby) was 9lb 2oz.

prettybird · 27/02/2006 16:12

Didn't have a late scan (one at 12 weeks), but they did judge by looking at me that I have a 6 or 7 pounder - my bump was very "neat".

Ds was 8lb 15oz, born eactly on EDD (or tow days late by my own dates).

TuttiFrutti · 27/02/2006 16:08

Mine was spot on. Told baby was at least 9lbs3oz at 41 weeks. Born at 41+4 at 9lbs8oz.

Milliways · 27/02/2006 15:47

I was induced for IUGR. Scan showed 4-4.5lb's max. Was told special care etc. 3 days later DD born at 6lb 2oz so NO special care :) But she was very skinny & obviously needed to come out.

biglips · 27/02/2006 15:24

i was never given measurements but always had been told "its gonna be a big baby" from 5 mths pg

i had a 9lb 1oz

buffythenappyslayer · 27/02/2006 15:22

i was told that dd2 was small for dates.i was given steroids for her lungs as i always go into labour early.they said she would weigh around 5lb.went into labour 4 weeks early,the hospital had a helicopter on stand by as they had no special care beds available,and the nearest available was in newcastle (i lived in hull then).gave birth to her and couldnt believe that she weighed 7lb 12 oz!!so much for small for dates!!and that was 4 weeks early!!

Laura032004 · 27/02/2006 15:22

I was told the baby was already 9lb at my growth scan. I was pg for a further 5wks, but ds was only born 7lb 13oz!

Cadmum · 27/02/2006 15:19

Thanks for the quick replies.

Hazelnut; were there any complications? I guess that I am most worried about a prolapsed cord since baby is small and his/her head is not engaged. My lsst 2 labours started with my waters going so I find myself spending too much time worrying about this possibility. Have you had other children? (This is our fourth and while none of them have been massive only DS1 was as small 2.24 kg at 37 weeks and I was pre-eclamptic so it wasn't a big surprise.)

OP posts:

Berries · 27/02/2006 15:18

told she would be 6lb at 37 +5, born at 40 +2 weighing 9lb 2oz!

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Hazellnut · 27/02/2006 15:11

mine was almost exactly right - they told me 2 kgs at 37 weeks and had to be induced then and there. She was 2.072 Kg (4 lbs 9 oz).

Having said that though, everyone I hear of had very inaccurate measurements apart from me. I did ask a doctor how accurate they were at the time and I think they said 10% chance of error (which is quite a lot).

4blue1pink · 27/02/2006 15:07

I was told she should hit 6 lbs ( after numerous small-for-dates scans) and she was 8 lbs 8 0z!

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