Small for dates & amniotic fluid volume: new info

[Smittals]

Hi, just thought I'd share this in case it's useful to anyone. Went for a scan at 36wks yesterday as fundal height measurement was small for dates. Baby is fine but the amount of fluid around her is at right at the lower end of the current 'normal' range. However, the sonographer said that in 1 month, this range is due to be revised so that the lower end of the normal range will be dropped further. She had the new chart already but it is not being used yet as part of the ultrasound reports that go in the handheld notes. Instead of being low, my measurement would be almost average if the new range was used which was comforting. Wonder if the fundal height range is also going to be updated?

That would have been handy for me.

dd was small for dates on the scan as well as fundal height. At 39 weeks, it was discovered I had low amniotic fluid. Consultant recommended that I be induced at 40 weeks. ended up with a distressed baby and em cs.

but dd also had heart defect earlier detected. Although it was the low amniotic fluid that prompted the induction because according to the consultant, the placenta could be deteriorating and there wasn't any more benfeit to dd staying in.

I have always thought the induction was unnecessary.

I've been told constantly I was small for dates, and eventually was sent off for weekly scans, as they feared IUGR and warned me of chromosomal problems. I don't have a car, and had to get taxis in and out to the scan place and had to take time off work and it all cost a lot, and I was eventually told the size was exactly average. By then they'd decided I had low amniotic fluid, and I had to go to hospital three times a week for non-stress testing. That also proved to be unnecessary. The baby is huge. I appreciate them taking really good care, but I think they should warn women that the sizes they take with fundal length etc. are estimates only, and are not accurate and shouldn't necessarily be a cause for worry. I've spent so much time worrying and travelling in and out of clinics, and it seems to be (fingers crossed) for no reason.

I'm another example of not fitting the 'textbook' measurements.

At 36wks my mw sent me for a scan because my tummy measurement hadn't changed since 31 wks when it was 31 cm. I went for the scan to be told the water level was fine and the baby was nearly at 95th centile on their charts!! When i went back to mw my tummy measurement had grown by 4cm in a week.

I'm now 39wks and waiting to meet this baby .

what has really begun to bug me is the amount of people who choose to tell me i look tiny and they can't believe i'm so near my due date, then they proceed to tell me how enormous they got. Had there been a problem with the babies size i could be really upset by these comments. i feel like being really rude in response and say well i just carry very well obviously unlike yourself, instead i grin and bear it!

Thanks for posting this. My first baby was small for dates so I went for a scan at 36 wks to see how this one looks to be doing and size wise everything is OK but they did say fluid levels were at the very low end of normal. I'm 39 weeks today and have to go back to be scanned again on Tuesday where they have said they will discuss induction as they don't want me to go over.

Think I will feel a lot more confident in doing what I think is best after reading this.

Bobby Woo - in case you get asked where you heard the info about the new scale, it was at the Maternal & Fetal Assessment Unit at the Rosie Maternity Hospital, part of Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge. Ie a very reputable source!

And Hattie, I know how you feel. I was getting really paranoid about being 'small' with just about everyone I met feeling free to comment on this Got told the other day 'of course, you've got months to go yet' - yes, if I was an elephant maybe!

"they did say fluid levels were at the very low end of normal"

Sure, but remember, another way of saying 'at the very low end of normal' is... 'normal'. At this stage of your pregnancy there is almost all baby, less amniotic fluid. Please don't worry, look how far your baby has come and feel how hard the bugger kicks you, and trust in your body to be providing all the behind the scenes help it needs.