Induction for small baby.

[EmzG20]

Has anybody ever been induced because baby is measuring small on the ultrasound?
I'm
Being induced on Sunday at 37 weeks because baby is on the small side.
Did you find the growth scan accurate or was baby bigger than they expected?

I had a c section at what they thought was 37 weeks due to a small baby who was falling off the centiles. Turns out he was actually 36 weeks but still quite small -5lbs 3oz. He was expected to be around 5lbs 8oz + but I have very small babies.
The theory is that he just ran out of space in my tiny torso and that teamed with a rare birth defect affected his growth.
However he is a happy and healthy 6 month old now with no lasting problems.
I know many people who's babies have been bigger than expected and some who were smaller so it's anyone's guess at which way your baby goes.
Hope everything goes smoothly for you

Hmm this is a tough one. Obviously you want to make sure baby is safe but 37 weeks is on the early side. My scans have not been accurate for size or weight - babies predicted to be on the large side but have all been quite a bit smaller than this, so for me scans were not accurate.

I would go with professional advice but as inductions can be hard going when your body isn't ready and again there is evidence emerging that even babies born pre 38 or even 39 weeks can have a bit more difficulty than babies born at full term. Maybe speak to a consultant and talk through any concerns?

I wasn't induced because there was a concern that my DD may have been small for gestational age but this wasn't until I was about 38 weeks pregnant and I was booked in for a growth scan on the evening of my due date. I went into labour the day before and DD was born just under 7lb on her due date. So she was perfectly average and not small at all.

@PearlescentIridescent

Hmm this is a tough one. Obviously you want to make sure baby is safe but 37 weeks is on the early side. My scans have not been accurate for size or weight - babies predicted to be on the large side but have all been quite a bit smaller than this, so for me scans were not accurate.

I would go with professional advice but as inductions can be hard going when your body isn't ready and again there is evidence emerging that even babies born pre 38 or even 39 weeks can have a bit more difficulty than babies born at full term. Maybe speak to a consultant and talk through any concerns?

Sorry,that's not true at all,unless you have the latest research to support your quote. 37 weeks is not early at all,it's classed as a term baby from that week. I was induced at 37+5,not because of growth,but it was my sudden problems with high blood pressure.Induction was fast,simple(they just broke my waters) and the baby was fine (7lb8oz). Scans can be massively inaccurate,my last one was classed as small,very short femur and they said she will have Down Syndrome.She was born at 38 weeks,none of what they said was true(7lb3oz at birth).I found it incredibly cruel a they knew full well that I did refuse genetic testing and I did not mind if my baby is born with this condition or not.They kept repeating scans every 4 weeks from 20 weeks ,also mentioning I have polyhydramnios(again not the case).I really don't believe scans anymore,unless it's done by fetal medicine specialist.

Me. Ended with EMCS. Baby was 5lb 8oz.

My son had IUGR and at 37+5 the scan indicated placental lakes (impaired regions I was told) so they advised induction. I had him at 38 weeks via vaginal forceps delivery as he was having de-sats. He weighed 5lb 2oz (2.33kg). His estimated fetal weight at the scan was more like 2.5kg so he was under. The doc who delivered him said to take mini aspirin the next pregnancy to reduce risk of IUGR (so I've been taking 75mg aspirin daily and this second pregnancy is resulting in a larger than average baby!). I'd go with advice if I were you but also ask about preventative measures for your next pregnancy if you can. Good luck for Sunday!

Yes I was induced at 37w and baby was 5lb 3oz. She measured 5lb 6oz 2 days before so it was pretty close.

I was, but not early as it wasn't picked up til my midwife 40 week appointment. She was 13th centile and about what they predicted her to be, but I'd had a scan at 39+5 when they were deciding what to do. She arrived at 40+4 after they started induction on my due date.

My SIL was induced at 36 weeks as baby was measuring small and not growing on the extra growth scans she had. They were told to expect nephew to be around 2.5lbs and to need immediate nicu. Nephew was born 4lbs something so tiny but didn’t need any medical intervention

I was induced at 39 weeks for a large baby - was told if I went to term or over baby would be 10.5-11lbs. Induction took 4 days and baby was 8.12.

I wouldn't be induced again unless there was something wrong with me or the baby.

Consultant told me he thought my first baby was going to be around 12lb, I delivered a 6lb DD at 40+1

On subsequent 3 pregnancies was told growth was normal but all were born underweight for their length.

@3JsMa sorry I'm not meaning to offend anyone but it is true, statistically it is the case. Therefore, I feel sound in my advice to the OP to speak to her consultant.

A quick google of "babies born at 37 weeks" will support what I am saying and I was told myself for my baby born in Jan 2020 that they did not want to induce me before 39 weeks as this was best for baby.

Some individuals can be pro intervention with the aim of a healthy baby at the end of the pregnancy as priority number 1 but in my opinion (anecdotally of course) some hcps especially consultants can have a tunnel vision for this outcome and ignore any other potential drawbacks. With both my boys they were pushing for a c section for different reasons while I was in labour and in both circumstances it was completely unecessary and my babies were born healthy and happy with a straightforward delivery.

That's why I advised OP to talk through all options including daily monitoring or extra scans if possible before immediately consenting to an early induction.

And the 37 weeks being considered full term info is now what is actually considered out of date. As again research is showing that ideally babies are better off until full term. 37 weeks is now reffered to as early term, not full term.

@PearlescentIridescent
RCOG and NICE guidelines are still referring to preterm as up to 36+6/before 37 weeks so 37 weeks onwards is a 'full-term'' pregnancy.
ACOG has a different view which does not apply in the UK as yet.

How small is small OP?

Both my babies were SGA. DD1 born 5lb 8oz at 38 weeks via induction.
DD2 born 6lb (exact) at 39 weeks via successful sweep on the induction ward.

Both happy and healthy, although DD2 still very petite for her age.

I can't believe they still trot out the "baby had ran out of room" 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

@user2021 looking at the last growth scan they don't think she will be much over 5lb.
My ds was born at 35+5 at 6lb 3oz.

I was induced at 39 weeks as they thought baby was too small. Induction took 3 horrific days and he was 6 lb 1 when he was born. They thought he was going to be 4 - 5 lb based on scans.
Next pregnancy I went midwife led, so only 2 scans in the 9 months. The midwife estimated from feeling my bump that the baby would be around 7 - 7.5 lbs. He was 7lb 2 😁

@3JsMa it's still important to be aware of the emerging research and UK doctors are still aware as mine certainly advised me in a very matter of fact way about this.

Best of luck OP, you're nearing the end now either way!