Measuring large for dates - what will they do?

[Olihan]

I know this has been done recently but I couldn't find anything when I searched!!

I'm 34 weeks but measuring 38 weeks. My midwife is booking me a growth scan but I know from past experience how inaccurate they are!

What I really want to know is what they are likely to do. Will I be induced early? Will they just let me go to term/overdue?

Also, are there any more reasons, other than just a large baby, why I might be measuring so far ahead?

Feeling a bit flappy about it, even though this is dc3 so any reassurance/experiences would be welcome!!

TIA

Hi Olihan

I am due no. 2 on 31st Jan and they have been muttering about this since 20 weeks (am 29 this week). I has a section last time due to "lack of progress" so am under Consultant this time as well as midwife which in reality means seeing a different registrar every so many weeks. With me as I am 40, overweight and measuring 2 weeks beyond dates they thought it might be Gestational diabetes so am awaiting results of a random glocose test - have no symptons. They were talking about a growth/weight scan but changed their mind so I am having one done privately Friday to put my mind at rest. A friend, who is a midwide, thinks that 2 weeks either way is not worth worrying about but its insidious once they plant any doubt in your mind. DD was 9 4 (DH is 6'4" and I'm not too small!) so chances are that the baby will be big. I had a scan at 35 weeks with DD1 as I had a bit of a bleeding scare - the lady who did it said that DD was 5.5lbs at that stage and would be a 9lb baby so wasn't far wrong. TBH it is good to see that they are being careful but there are probably lots of mumnetters who will tell you who wrong they get it! Best of luck and let us know how you get on.

olihan I have this sae thing and am on DC3. Consultant wants to resee me at 38wks to look at induction but also said they would not let me go more than a week over as the baby is measuring 4wks bigger. Ds was 9lb1 at 15 days over and DD was 6lb14 on due date but was told DD would be 10lb plus so suppose choice is yours. My consultant told me they actually dont overly worry about bigger babies it is more the mums who do so they offer things to reassure them.

I scanned at 37 weeks with baby at 99th centile. Saw obs the next day. They let me go over and he was born at 41 weeks and about 4 days. Was over 11 lbs though!

That's interesting about the GTT and lack of symptoms, nym. I wonder if they'll go down that route with me?

I had a late scan with ds and they estimated that he'd be 9 1/2lbs+ but he was actually 8lbs 8oz. With dd they didn't even mention her size or weight and she was only 4oz smaller. I've never measured so far over my dates before though, which is what's panicking(sp?) me!!

That's interesting about the GTT and lack of symptoms, nym. I wonder if they'll go down that route with me?

I had a late scan with ds and they estimated that he'd be 9 1/2lbs+ but he was actually 8lbs 8oz. With dd they didn't even mention her size or weight and she was only 4oz smaller. I've never measured so far over my dates before though, which is what's panicking(sp?) me!!

Oops, getting a bit trigger happy!

Cece, really don't need to hear about 11lb babies . Eek!

Nemo, that's really interesting - funny how it's the third babies, isn't it? Am I right in thinking you've got a small gap between dd and dc3 too? I'll have 16 months between mine so I was wondering if that had anything to do with it. (Straws and grasping spring to mind!)

I measured large for dates with DS1 - was told had poly-hydramnus (sp?) and had an extra scan at 39 weeks when they reckoned I didn't have it anymore!

Was induced at 42 weeks and DS1 weighed 8lb13oz - not enormous by any means.

Am currently measruing large for dates again (am 26 weeks but measruing 2 weeks ahead) so I;m not worried about it this time

Tommy, is that excess amniotic fluid? Can that just develop late in pregnancy? All my other measurements up to now have beem fine.

They are likely to stick you with needles at every opportunity in a desperate attempt to prove that you have gestational diabetes...

Growth scan should show up if you have polyhydramnios, which may affect how your labour and birth are managed. My growth scan full-term weight prediction was accurate to within 1.5oz, by the way (and DS was 2 days early so might have been even closer if he'd hung on a bit ). I know there are plenty of inaccurate ones, but they do sometimes get it right...

Research doesn't actually show any benefits for inducing early for big babies, but some consultants seem to like to do it anyway.

Can just develop, yes. Can be associated with e.g. kidney problems in baby (so if scan shows polyhydramnios they'll also have a good look at kidneys and digestive system) but more usually is just part of the glorious variety of life.

yes and yes (IIRC)

when I had the scan at 39 weeks it was Xmas Eve and the consultant said "Well, there's plenty of baby in there but not too much and it's definitely not going to be born tonight. I suggest you go home and share a bottle of wine"

• what a nice lady

Oilhan I have a DS who was 3 in oct, DD is one next month and am due 14th jan so small gaps..also had a 15wks pregnancy between DS and DD...lol I had to have the GTT test 3 wks ago which came back clear and that was purely based on DS weight at birth and measuring bigger. Also never measured this much bigger as was only ever a week bigger with both DS and DD so am a bit scared of a 4 wk difference..lol

Gosh, Nemo that's really similar to me, I've got 19 months between ds and dd and now 16 months between dd and dc3. Glad I'm not the only one who likes to really stretch their mothering capabilities .

Lemonaid, the sticking with needles isn't that bad, I have an underactive thyroid so have been having 6 weekly blood tests for that up until 28 weeks when they decided it was stable. It'll be nice having my plasters back on again!

Interesting about the research showing no benefit in inducing early, ds and dd were both late so half of me would like to be early, especially as I'm due Boxing Day but then I'm not sure if I'm ready to be a mum to 3 under 3 .

Tommy, I like the sound of your consultant, dh would love to be told that!

When I had ds they said he would be 7.5 lbs. He was 6.1 lbs.

I also measured about 4/5 weeks further on than I was when I was pg with ds. My midwife was concerned as i am only 5ft and sent me for a scan. The hospital however kept saying don't worry he is a normal sized baby. When i delivered him it was quite traumatic and he got stuck. he wasn't huge at 7lb 11ozs but as soon as i had him the hospital midwives all said oohh what a big baby for your frame you should have had a section!! TBH I think I measured further on because I am small and he had no where to grow but outwards!!

I measured big by fundus height all the way through my pg, i knew he was big anyway from movements etc.

They did a growth scan and @ 32 weeks they estimated 6.7lb. The size didn't really matter as i was having a elective section anyhow, i ended up going into labour 5 days before booked section and @ 38 weeks he weighed in at 9lb 6oz so they were about right with the growth scan.

The thing that keeps bugging me though is i had the GTT test which came back ok, but the size of my ds and the fact that when he was born he had very low blood sugar for 24 hrs (to the point of them almost taking him to baby care unit) all points to the fact that maybe i did have G diabetes....strange!

I also had polyhydramnios so you can imagine how huge my bump was lol.