Concern about plotting of growth

[Leanmeangreen]

Was measured by midwife at 27+5 and she plotted it on 90th centile for growth (measured 28cm).

Saw a Dr in consultant clinic yesterday (29+6) & she measured me as 29cm - she didn't plot this, but when I've got back & looked at my chart, this puts me at just below the 50th centile which seems like quite a drop from the 90th centile since the measurement 2 weeks ago.

When she said 29cm in clinic yesterday, I did say ooh well that means it's only 1cm bigger in just over 2 weeks & she said "well it could be that we've measured differently".

I fully get this, that there will be some variation with everybody each time. However, my concern is that these discrepancies will always just be put down to the fact that someone else is measuring & therefore any potential growth restrictions might not be properly picked up?

I've got my routine 31 week appointment next week so thought I'll just see how that works out, but this will be measured by a 3rd different person again so I'm worried I'll just be fobbed off again with the "different person measuring" excuse.

WWYD?

Those measurements are notoriously off. Each person does measure differently and each time baby is in a different position when they measure. If you measure under again, mention it and they might send you for a growth scan but it's also likely to just be an anomaly. It has to be a swift or persistent drop to be referred for a growth scan I think, but mention your worries again and they might offer you one for reassurance but I really don't think they actually take much mind of the measurements. I had an SGA baby born 5lb at 39 weeks and they were only concerned about the growth scan measurements and disregarded the fundal height ones.

I think the fundal height measurements are nonsense. In my last pregnancy I was measuring about right until 34 weeks when I started measuring under. At 41 weeks I was measuring about 37 weeks. Baby was 9 1/2 pounds... Please try not to worry, though I know it is hard not to in pregnancy. I was anxious enough about these measurements to go for a private scan at 37 weeks, which showed he was already more than 7lbs and dissipated anxiety. Is that an option?

Unless you've had regular growth scans throughout your pregnancy there really is no way to tell how much baby has grown. I only measured slightly over but within tolerance for fundal height and was told I was having a 7lb ish baby and he weighed in at 11lb 9oz when he was born!

It's notoriously inaccurate and will vary wildly depending on the person measuring and the position of the baby. That's why they say as long as it's within 2cm either side of your number of weeks, all is fine!

I told my consultant that his measurement differed from the midwifes measurement two days previously, he got huffy and did a growth scan there and then to prove his was right they were only a week out between them... Some weeks they would be exactly the same. I also had students measuring me on the consultant appointments and they would differ too. If you're concerned ask for a growth scan.

I agree with everyone else that fundal measurements are not the most accurate however without doing regular scans it's all they have to indicate that there may be a problem. I had this where my growth dropped between measurements (twice) and both times I was referred for a growth scan. Neither time was the midwife remotely concerned but I was told they have set criteria to follow which if I recall were actually listed on my growth chart. I was measured by different midwives too so I'm still surprised you were not referred for a scan.

It's 2cm 'out' in my trust to be referred for a growth scan.

I wouldn't worry. When I had my last children they never even measured me. Now its all over, 2 weeks ahead, 2 weeks behind, one week ahead. Was sent for one scan imo was totally unnecessary. Depends how baby is positioned too.

My midwife sent me to hospital 3 times because of her measurements - each time there was no issue and they couldn't understand why I was there. I wouldn't worry.

I was also told I was going to have a tiny baby as I had a small bump - 7 lb baby who is 65% percentile for everything