Growth scan at 34w - stomach measuring off the scale

[digitalgirl]

All other measurements are around the average mark but the abdominal circumference is hovering off the scale.
They've booked me in for an appointment with the consultant next week, but just wondering what to expect. Could this be an indication of a problem with the baby?

I have this i was overweight to start with so is actually my fat from before that is affecting themeasurement. Baby is scanning bang on 50% but im measuring 3 weeks ahead. Have been since the measuurement went past my belly button.
It could just be something as simple as that. No point worrying until you hvae the scan as it could be nothing!

Hope this helps :)

I had this with DD2, for me it was because I had a lot of amniotic fluid, so I had a scan at 38w, which confirmed this, the baby was also large but not off the scale.

I think digitalgirl means the babies abdominal measurement on the scan, not her fundal measurement measured with the trusty tapemeasure.

digitalgirl, they will be referring you to a consultant just for them to check baby and you over and I would think they'd be checking you for gestational diabetes if they think baby really is big.

You most probably just have a baby that likes its food!

If it was anything really serious, they would have had you in to see the consultant straight away.

It is an indication of Gestational Diabetes. Did you have a GTT at 28 weeks? With DD2 I passed the 28wk GTT but she had an off-the-scale abdominal measurement on later growth scans, so they repeated the test, which showed GD. Too late to do anything in my case, I was induced at 39 weeks (didn't work- they tried again at 40wks!).

I imagine they'll test you for GD then probably induce early.

hello digi long time no speak. This happened to me at 28 week and 32 week scans. The sonographer insisted I must have GD and ate too many cakes and biscuits as the off the chart abdo pointed to GD. I was very upset about this and spent the whole new years weekend in tears thinking I had harmed my baby and could lose him. My GTT after the new year came back clear.

At my 36 week scan, everything is in proportion. I have a baby that is in the 97th centile for size all around, head, limbs, tummy. I'd like to go back and wave my results in the sonographer's face!

My bump is measuring 43cm as he is a big baby!

Thanks ladies - yes, sorry should have made it clearer. My fundal measurement was 36cm at 34 weeks so I was referred for a scan. The scan today showed everything was near average for 34 weeks, except the abdominal circumference.
I did have glucose in my urine test yesterday so it's not unlikely that I've developed GD since being given the all clear at my 28 week check.

But yes - if it is GD not sure what I'm supposed to do about it now other than stop eating cakes [grump]. I'm thinking this baby might come early (like my first baby did), so hopefully won't need to be induced.

LAF you must be due anyday now!

debka how was your dd when she was born? Was she all ok?

What's the implication for babies born of mothers with GD? Are they more likely to have weight problems?

She was fine, thanks digitalgirl. Enormous- 10lb6oz and so chubby she could barely move- but fine! She was ebf and is now a happy healthy 12mo.

AFAIK the mother is more likely to develop diabetes later on, but I don't think it has a lasting effect on the baby. DD2 had her blood sugars tested several times after birth but they were always normal.

Digi it sounds likely to be GD. At such a late stage there isn't a lot to be done. They will get you to track your blood sugar levels and if they are high you might have to go on metformin tablets for the rest of the pregnancy. They like to induce but you, can put them of if you want a natural birth. After baby is born they will be checked for temp and blood sugar levels, they have to be stable for 24 hours before you can go home. So make sure they check as soon as baby is born

One benefit is they will keep you well fed before and during labour so you don't mess up your sugar levels

Oh forgot to say that breastfeeding is really important the first day as it helps stabilises babies blood sugar. If you don't want to bf long term then just that first day will still be a great help

Hey Digi as you might have gathered from the April thread I was diagnosed with GD last week (at 35 weeks), and it's been non stop since! My growth scan showed all measurements within normal range but I was told that typically they would look for large AC measurements.

You can make a big difference even in the last few weeks by stabilising your blood sugars (diet changes / tweaks etc - I've seen a diabetic midwife and dietician since and am now testing my blood sugars 4 x daily with a finger pricker).

Outcomes for baby are good - no additional risk although they will monitor sugars in baby for 24 hours post birth and administer insulin if they look like dipping too low - this is a heel prick test), but no additional risk of developing Type II later in life. There is however an increased risk of that for me now, although breastfeeding and continued lifestyle /diet changes will help to stave it off.

I also am hoping this baby comes early - DS came at 38 weeks - as I really want to avoid induction - I didn't have GD with my first pg either...

If you want to join in there are a couple of us here going through similar stuff at the moment.

BTW Debs the thread you guys were all on in 2010 has been no end of support and information for me since my diagnosis - so thank you!

debka wow 10lbs!!! Not sure I could manage that! Glad to hear all was well though.

debs I had problems with my milk coming in last time. DS became dehydrated quickly and developed jaundice so wasn't allowed home till I agreed to top ups. Milk hadn't come in by day 7 so had to express to bring it on. Am worried this will happen again. Maybe I should pack my electric pump in my hospital bag.

latristesse thanks for the link - will check it out and perhaps try and follow the tips for controlling GD anyway even though I haven't been officially diagnosed yet. Can't hurt.

I had this too, all normal measurements and comparatively huge abdominal circumference. Was told it might be because the baby was bent right over and had no more tests and no induction. Baby was 10lb 11oz but long with a normal looking tummy! Don't worry.

You could try hand expressing colostrum pre-birth digi - I'm about to start doing it as I'm desperate to avoid formula top-ups...

Thanks latristesse will ask about hand-expressing pre-birth if it comes to that.

pollilop would be good if that was the same reason with me!

Digi for the first feeds you will just be giving colostrum anyway which is what they really need but expressing before could give your supply a little boost. Skin to skin as well will help

LaTristesse Glad we could of been some help. GD can be horrendous especially all the talk of inducing and not being able to eat what you like, although I did lose weight so a bonus for me.

I had the opposite of Digis problem in that dc4 stopped putting weight on at about 34-36 weeks. They were expecting a 9lb baby but she was only 6lb6oz, with a healthy placenta and despite having GD from about 24 weeks

Our baby measured 85% abdominal and 100% head size at our last scan! But the doc wasn't bothered at all-he said it all looked healthy...he is measuring about 1 week ahead, I think. No GD though.

Hi digital girl,

I know it has been a while since this topic has been discussed but I was wondering how your little one was. My daughter had the same thing in 2013 on her scans. The doctors agreed that all organs were normal so nothing to worry about but then when she was 19 months old she was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease. One of the symptoms of this was an extremely distended tummy which she didn't really have from birth until when we introduced gluten into her diet around 9 months but I have alway wondered if her large abdominal circumference on ultrasound scans could have been because I was eating gluten during the pregnancy or if her large circumference was somehow linked with coeliac disease.