Big baby at 20 week scan = big baby at full term?

[Wigeon]

Just had my 20 week scan and was very pleased that everything seems to be well. The baby is measuring big for dates - femur is above 50th centile, head circumference is on 97th centile and abdominal circumference is also on 97th centile . This would be normal measurements for a 21+3 baby apparently, not a 20 week one (and I was exactly 20 weeks when I had the scan).

I am certain of my LMP and the 20 week scan sonographer reckoned the 12 week dating scan (which slightly changed my dates) would be pretty accurate as she said the 12 week sonographer would have been able to get a good view, given my build. So it's unlikely that the dates are wrong and the baby is normal size for dates.

Does this mean that the baby is highly likely to be a big baby at birth? My DD was very average size at birth (7lb 6oz) and although I am a bit above average height for a woman (5'8"), I am normal build, and my DH is fairly normal height for a man (5'9").

I am obviously delighted that the baby appears to be completely fine but not relishing the prospect of giving birth to a huge baby!

Thanks in advance .

I had a big one at the 20 week scan - big at 30 week growth scan - then I went on to develop PE at 36 weeks, he stopped growing and was born at 36.5 at 5 lbs 11 oz. So you never can tell! :)

Babies do not gestate in a linear fashion. Stop worrying. My 99th centile baby popped out at the 25th centile.

I also had a big baby at the 20 week scan and so was offered extra growth scans during the last trimester, which kept repeating this.

As it turned out DS1 was 9lb 9oz which is pretty big but not enormous by any means. Though straight after he was born the midwives were saying "He's huge! What a big boy!" etc, etc . I was sure they were going to tell me he was 13lb or something

FWIW I'm 5'4'' though DH is 6'2''.

Nope. Cannot count the number of women who have told me that their babies came out a totally unexpected size.

Measurements at the 20 week scan mean a sum total of diddly squat wrt eventual birth weight.

SIL was told the same with all 3 of hers. Biggest was 6lbs 12oz, 6 days overdue.

Means nowt fortunately.

Good good - this is all very reassuring! I'm not unduely worried anyway having read plenty of birth stories on here about women with 6lb babies who had horrendous births and tears, and 9lb babies and great births and no tears. And of course I am very happy (a) to be pregnant and (b) to be having a normal pregnncy so far. But on balance I would like to order another 7lb 6oz baby please!

Thanks everyone for replying .

your baby IS normal size for dates

everyything between 0-100 centile is within the "normal" range.

every single baby can't be exactly on the 50th centile, otherwise there wouldn't be a chart

Oh yes, I know that there's nothing wrong with the baby measuring those centiles and it's not abnormal. I think it would have been more accurate for me to say "above average" .