Fetal measurements inconsistent

[TipBoov]

I had my 20 week scan last week at 21+6, and everything seemed to be ok, except for one concern - the baby's head circumference.

Baby has a HC of 177mmm which apparently is marginally below 5th centile, and all other measurements are more like 50th.

They didn't really say what it could mean, but I have to go back in 4 weeks for a growth scan, and if the head circumference is still below 5th centile, then I'll be referred to fetal medicine.

I'm really anxious about it now - what could it mean? And is there anything I can do?

Sorry that should be 21+3!

The same thing is happening to me, tummy and femur measurements were in the 50th and 54th centile and then head circumference was 10th, so I have a growth scan in 5 weeks. I am nervous but she was in such an awkward position at the scan that I am hoping there might have been an error or mis-measurement... am also contemplating getting a private growth scan at 24 weeks to double check... good luck to us both!

From googling (I know, it's not a good idea!) I can't find out what it could actually mean.

It seems that everyone gets this worrying measurements then at he next scan everything is measuring fine. So I'm keeping my hopes up, but feeling so anxious.

I'm a bit of a mess, I can't stop crying, I just feel so low

I've had something similar and am having another scan in a few weeks. In my case the measurements were more mixed, the head was 3rd centile, but the legs were also small. I think the abdomen was the only thing that was bigger. My son had a 98th centile head! From what I've read there are a few possible causes. Mismeasurement, wrong dates for pregnancy, normal baby with small head, chromosomal defect, microcephaly, intra uterine growth restriction. The bad ones are much less likely than the others. I'm just trying to put it out of my mind until the next scan. Some people go for an appointment with Professor Nicolaides.

Did you have the nuchal/triple test?

Yes I had those tests, downs was 1 in 100,000 and Edwards/Pataus was 1 in 13,000 so low risk. Did you have them?

I'm 100% sure of the dates as its an IVF baby, so it can't be wrong dates. Really hoping they mismeasured, but she did call us back in to re-measure.

Google tells me that eating protein helps, so I've been trying to get more protein in.

Yes, I got 1 in 260 for Downs, can't remember the others. I haven't got any soft markers though. Some babies do just have small heads. My DS was actually closer to the top of the centiles than this one is to the bottom and he just turns out to have a massive head! I am managing to be quite calm about it now, but it's been a couple of weeks since my scan.

It must be even worse with your baby being IVF. It took us four years to have DS, so I know how hard it is.

My DS was the same - always top of the centile charts, he was 98th centile until he started walking! Now he's just really tall.

We were lucky that this is the first round of IVF since DS, so it almost seems too good to be true that it worked.

How much longer have you got until you next scan?

Three weeks, it seems like ages! I have a midwife appointment before then though and she'll do the uterus feeling thing to see if the growth seems about right. How long have you got to go?

Mine is three weeks too - at the end of August. Feels like such a long time to wait! I have a consultant appt straight after the scan, so at least I'll have chance to ask questions.