Measured small today, scan tomorrow - what should I expect?

[ImpYCelyn]

35 weeks today. Two weeks ago I was measuring 33cm so bang on, today I'm measuring 32cm (that was her second attempt, first time she said 31).

MW sent me to the FAU, and they did a trace which was all fine, but they've referred me for a scan tomorrow. The speed they've managed that makes me think it's urgent.

I don't really know what to expect tomorrow. I'd like to think it's all going to be fine and it's just that everything's shifted a bit, but I'm worried by how speedily they're acting on it; and also that I've lost a cm, not just not gained them.

I'm sure this must happen often, so can anyone give me some idea what to expect please? What happens if it is because the baby isn't growing so well or I've lost fluid?

TIA

I think growth scans are usually done pretty quickly (I saw a MW last thing on a Thursday and had to wait until Monday for one, but I was measuring big, whereas they are more concerned with smaller measurements) just in case there is a problem.

It might be that baby is in a strange position, or has dropped down unexpectedly into the pelvis already, some of the fluid has gone or an incorrect measurement (the MW measuring me today was going from about an inch down the pelvic bone rather than from the top, I had to find the top of it for her before she measured - I don't need any extra adding on, thanks!)

It probably is all fine. If there is a cause for concern, it's been picked up and you can discuss it with someone there and then so that you can work together to make a plan of what to do (if anything!)

I had one yesterday
I agree, nothing to worry about, I think they do just do them quickly. I saw my huge NHS notes yesterday and they have a big red slip attatched to the front which said 'URGENT baby due' SO I think that once you're in the third trimester they tend to act quicker anyway. My baby is fine, just tucked in, I would think yours probably is too :)

Baby's definitely not down in the pelvis, he's pretty high up annoyingly and forward in the bump.

Finger's crossed it's a position problem anyway, or just some dodgy measuring.

I was just surprised by the speed tbh. I've had some real issues in this pregnancy and nothing else has been sorted with anything like this kind of efficiency, so it really made me panic!

Well, at least it'll be sorted quickly if there is a problem... Just a bit worried about what that might involve

Thanks :)

Just finished your thread, fuckity. Glad it all turned out well! I hadn't thought about it meaning I'll get another sneak peak before he arrives. Hopefully it's all fine and I can just enjoy having a look.

As others have said it could all be to do with positioning of the baby.

The main thing they will do at the growth scans is take various measurements of the baby, check the placenta, how much fluid is around the baby and check doppler flow (blood flow) through the umbilical cord.

Thanks ballroom. It's pretty thorough then.

I'm really hoping it's just positioning...

I have one tomorrow, i'm 36 weeks saw midwife yesterday i'm actually measuring fine but midwife couldn't feel the baby at all, a lot of fluid she thinks, so can't tell if he/she is head down, good to here the heartbeat though :)

Good luck tomorrow Happenstance, hope everything's alright with your baby :)

Dont worry! I had one done today- nearly 39 weeks tho. All was fine, they just checked fluid levels and cord etc. I didn't look at screen as didn't want to see baby so far on as hopefully i'll be meeting her very soon if you see what I mean! I've always measured 3 to 4 weeks behind but they est the weight at around 6lbs which doesn't seem that small really! Also re the bump measuring thing at my last appt the doctor measured it from a different starting point than the last mid wife so I only came out at 1-2 weeks behind instead of 3-4 so wouldn't read too much into it tbh. Hope it goes well, glad yours did fuckity!

Glad yours went well too feekerry :) Baby was measured at 6 pounds 5, which doesn;t seem terribly small to me either, I think we're used to hearing about whoppers, none of my siblings was above 6 pounds at full term, and back in the 80s I don't think that was considered odd.

The measurements are just a guide; different midwives measure differently, and it is daft to imagine that everyone's bumps expand uniformly week by week, cm by cm. They just need to check it out, especially if it seems to tail off or decrease, but chances are there will be nothing to worry about.

If the scan shows the growth is slowing down they will monitor it with more frequent scans, and may eventually suggest an early induction (once they think baby is better out than in), as it indicates a placental insufficiency.

This happened to me with my second pg; I was induced at 38 weeks because the growth was tailing off. DD1 was on the small side, 5lb 7oz, but then my other two, who were born at 40+7, were both under 7lb, so I guess I just do small babies!

This happened to me but the MW insisted I stay for a scan that afternoon. I thought this meant something dreadful and urgent of course, had to call DH in tears, arrange for DTs to be collected from nursery etc etc.

Baby was absolutely fine. Sonographer was a bit about the MW's panic and said 'oh those bloody tape measures'

DD was 7lbs and is now 12 weeks, quite huge suddenly and utterly perfect in every way. Good luck tomorrow and enjoy your sneak preview of your baby!

Thanks everyone - I'm feeling a lot more relaxed about it now :)

Glad to hear everything ended well for you all :) And good luck for the next week or so feekerry.

I think I was doubly shocked because up 'til now everyone kept telling me how huge I was (and I felt huge compared to last time) and when the MWs and obstetrician felt the bump/baby they kept saying how it seemed to be a "good-sized baby", which I took to mean average-to-large.

And I told DH on Monday that my bump looked smaller so it must have moved - so hopefully that's what happened, it just moved. I'm sure anything more serious wouldn't have been noticeably different overnight.

Thanks again :)

Hope all went well today ImpYCelyn :)

Thanks Flisspaps.

But I'm not really sure whether it went well or not, to be honest. Two of the five measurements they've done of the baby are barely into the normal range, and one is low.

The BPD was the lowest and it's dropped off of the line it was following at my last scan. But the midwife said not to worry about it because it's difficult to get an accurate reading when babies are head down.

The abdominal circumference is also a low, and again has dropped off of it's line. But this one they are a bit worried about so they want to rescan in 2 weeks to see if it's just changed line and is still growing or if it's stalled.

And the estimated fetal weight is very low - again though the MW said not to worry as the low BPD reading is throwing it off.

So I don't know whether to worry or not.

I went by myself, as I was sure it wouldn't be a problem, but then I couldn't even get hold of DH to talk to him as he was teaching, and so then I started crying. I still haven't been able to speak to him, so I'm still feeling really wibbly.

And then I had my physio session for SPD that I've waited for for a month, spent an hour there only to be told - "well it's being caused by your pregnancy. You've given me a list of things that make it worst, so don't do any of those, and you've said that rest makes it better, so rest as much as possible" and that's it. No actual physio work, no further appointments, and they didn't have a support band in my size so she told me just to go to the chemist and buy one

I'm so pissed off and tired. I just want to go to bed and cry :(

Oh impy that's rubbish :( I am shocked at the attitude of the physio, I would call and insist on being seen again. Fwiw, I had dreadful SPD with dd and ds and a thing that really worked for me was reflexology, and I'm not into hippy-dippy shite at all. I don't know how, but it helped massively.
As for the scan, I'd take it as a good sign that they want to see you in two weeks. That to me suggests that any concerns they have aren't urgent. Also, it's very very far from an exact science. A lot of the measurements they're taking now involve a certain amount of guess work. My print out shows this one also has a small abdominal circumference, it wasn't mentioned to me as being problematic though.

35 weeks is a good place to be (with regards to how well baby is cooked!) - did they do doppler measurements? to show the blood flow to baby? if these are not great then can cause a decrease in babies growth - with me they were worried as i had both of these and a history of pre-eclampsia as they 'can' (but not always) be a sign of getting pre-eclampsia - as it happened at my next scan baby had caught up a bit with the measurements (or just better measurements) - try not to worry about their predicted weight as they told us DD would be lucky to be 4lb when she was born and she was 5lb 14oz! They are often totally off with their predicted measurements! Try and rest and just let them know asap if you are concerned about babies movements or you feel unwell!

take care - oh and biggest tip for spd - cross your feet and squeeze them together when turning in bed! :)

Poor you Imp, what a rubbish day. I too would think it's a good sign that they want to see you in two weeks. I'm sure it would be much sooner if there were serious concerns. It's not fair they have left you so worried though.

Best wishes for the rest of your pregnancy.

Thanks everyone :)

I know it's probably fine if they're happy to leave it for 2 weeks, and I know the measurements can be a bit hit and miss, but I'm still worried by it. I don't know if they did doppler measurements - the form says the placenta structure is normal though.

I'm just going to work on reassuring myself in the meantime, and take comfort from the baby being pretty hyperactive in there.

I'm going to speak to someone about the physio, just not sure who. I have a massage booked for next week. I think I might see a private physio again, there's a local one who's good but expensive. And I might look into reflexology, I've heard it's relaxing anyway which I could probably use right now.

Sorry you're having such a rough time.
The placenta function is the most essential thing, that sounds fine which is what I would cling to.
The error margins on the fetal size measurements are atrocious. There is no end of stories on MN about ridiculously wrong estimates of baby size from late ultrasounds.
Hang in there. :)

I agree with what people are saying about the concern not being huge if they'll not see you for two weeks and late scan measurements being questionable - the two midwives I've spoken to about growth scans have both admitted they're pretty inaccurate in the 3rd trimester. Two more weeks and you'll be at term anyway so if there is a problem, your baby can come and meet you quite safely

Your physio, however, sounds rubbish.

How is your blood pressure? I developed high blood pressure towards the end of my last pregnancy and DS had IUGR - his abdominal and femur measurements started to lag behind a lot and I had to have a caesarian at 35 weeks.

Like fairimum I would have thought they'd check your uterine artery dopplers and the blood flow in the baby's brain. If the pulsatility index (PI) is high and/or there's a notch then that's another sign for IUGR/pre eclampsia.

Can you get your BP checked every 2 or 3 days at the GPs until your next appointment just in case?

being small is nothing to worry about as long as the baby is growing. I had growth scans due to measuring small with dd2 who was predicted to be below 2nd centile. They were right, she was tiny but absolutely fine and 2.5 years on seems to be just naturally petite! Good luck - I do remember how worried I was. x

Thanks for the reassurance everyone :) I'm calming down now that I've had a chance to talk to DH about it and bitch about the physio.

Blood pressure is absolutely fine, it's 120/76 - although that's actually the highest it's been this pregnancy (apart from when I was admitted it 29 weeks with regular, strengthening contractions, but I think there was a pretty obvious explanation for that :o).

But I can get my dh to check my BP for me at the weekend, and then I'm seeing the MWs next Wednesday.

There's nothing about PI on the print out, so I don't know about that.

I just feel like this pregnancy has had one problem/drama after another, DS1 was a walk in the park by comparison. I was so hoping it'd all settle down and I could have a calm final month or so... :(

Thanks again :)

ImpYCelyn I've not seen you over there, but don't forget the April 2012 antenatal thread is up and running, and you're more than welcome to come and join us any time :)