Small baby at 29 weeks - worried

[junebug121]

Hi ladies

Just looking for some reassurance I suppose. We went for a growth scan at 28 weeks because I have arthritis and found out our little guy is measuring below the 5th percentile.

We went for a follow up scan today and they're mentioning potential chromosomal issues. We did get a high combined risk but then we had the Harmony which was low. So now I don't know what to think.

I'm finding it all so overwhelming. It hasn't been an easy pregnancy, worrying about the initial high risk and then I've had a couple of small bleeds. Now we have this.

So I'm living to the next scan to see if he's grown. All I can think is that there is something seriously wrong and I'm stressed every time he goes a bit quiet. He's an IVF baby, so we had such a journey to get here and I just need him to be healthy.

Has anyone else been made to worry only to find out everything was ok?

Hi @bisquick thanks for your reply - I can't imagine how tough that must have been, and thanks for sharing your story.

I think I will speak to my cousin who is a fertility specialist and if he recommends the aspirin I might just go ahead and do it as I can't get hold of my midwife at the moment and I guess the GP will just refer me to the midwife.

Lovely to hear all the positive stories x sorry for hijacking a bit OP x

Hi OP, I don't have a useful story for you but I'm currently pregnant with DC2 and DC1 we had lots of DS concerns so I just felt a need to reply. Congratulations for getting this far on your IVF journey, it's a bloody hard thing to do all by itself let alone everything else you've had to cope with. You must have a fabulous little fighter inside you who has clung on this far despite the challenges. You will love your little one no matter what you face. I wish you all the luck in the world.

My DS was also measuring on the 5th percentile at 28 weeks but with good blood flow - he consistently measured very small every week after that so I was on low dose aspirin and ended up with a CS at 37 weeks to minimise the risk of stillbirth. And he came out weighing around the 30th percentile, to everybody's surprise! So the scans were completely wrong. He's now 3 months and has absolutely stacked the weight on and is perfectly healthy.

I completely understand the anxiety and worry (I actually posted a thread here too under a different name because I was stressing so much) but all these scans and estimates are really just guesswork and attempted risk minimisation. There's every chance the measurements for your baby aren't accurate or that even if they are, he's just a naturally small baby. And if he does have to come out a bit early that's ok too, you've made it to 34 weeks which puts you past the riskier stages in terms of premature birth.

Thank you for all the replies ladies. I just assumed getting pregnant was the difficult bit and never even consider how tough actually being pregnant would be!
Bisquick I'm sorry for your loss. Sounds like everything is going well with this little one and I wish you all the best.
Thank you for the positive stories, it really does help to read them and hear how little ones have ended up thriving. I am trying my best to focus on what I can feel, which is the very active little boy inside me. I'm so grateful to be his mummy and I can't wait to meet him, whatever shape, size or form he arrives in.
I agree that these scans can cause more worry than anything else and I've read so much about their inaccuracy. It's great that they're monitoring closely and I'm sure we'd all rather that but I do feel like they've potentially created some unnecessary anxiety.
All we can do now is hope everything will be ok.
x

Will be keeping fingers, toes and eyes crossed for you @Junebug121 please keep us updated :)
I think your attitude is a great one btw and you're dealing with it all admirably x

Keeping my fingers crossed for you both as well junebug and whyhasthrrumgone.

Thanks for well wishes guys, will definitely make sure I keep you updated. It's always a lot more helpful when these threads have a conclusion!
x

Latest news is we're booked in for an induction on the 7th October when I'll be 37+1. Well that's according to the NHS, by IVF timings which are obviously definite, I will actually be 36+5.
Can't say I'm looking forward to it, the doctor even sold it as a very long and frustrating process.
I guess we just need to focus on the end result which is having him here and finally be able to see if he is ok.
He was hiccuping on the scan today and we could even see he had some hair which was pretty amazing

Good luck for your induction OP.. hope it goes off smoothly and your little guy gets here happy and healthy!

Ah @junebug121 hope everything goes okay x

I'm carrying a baby on the 6th centile - previously measured 3rd centile, has been diagnosed with IUGR. Have been monitored since 28 weeks - currently 33 weeks so not far off you.

Consultant appointment today to find out what the plan of action is but they're very blasé about it all.

My papp-a was around 0.2 but I've been on 150mg of aspirin throughout my pregnancy. From what I've read they catch up when come out of the womb.

I've had 2 inductions - the first was a long process but the second was actually a really good experience. Just be prepared for the waiting around.

@lightgreenglass hope everything goes smoothly for you too! What is the aspirin for do you mind me asking? I have the same ish level of papp-a as you but haven't been prescribed anything so just curious x

The consultants mentioned that low papp-a is linked to poor placental function and slow growth so the aspirin thins the blood to allow for less blood flow resistance to the placenta and the baby. I'm also on calcium and Vit D too.

Interesting thank you! I have my sixteen week appointment in a few weeks so will mention it then and see what they say.

Best of luck to you and your little guy. Fingers crossed he's just a little small and otherwise perfect.

You might also find this thread useful re: Low PAPP-A link

Doctors are still not very sure what it implies, but my consultant suggested it was associated with poor placental function (as PP have said), potential issues with baby's growth particularly later on, and higher risks of early delivery. He thinks that's also probably why I went into labour at 37 weeks with baby at 5th centile. But there's also loads and loads of women who have same measurements and have perfectly healthy babies so don't want to needlessly scare you either!

Thank you @Bisquick, don't worry I do a pretty good job of scaring myself - really need to learn to stay away from Google.

Hope you're going okay OP.

Thanks guys! Now we have a date it is starting to seem very real but it's still over 2 weeks away which seems ages. I'm not sure if I want it to hurry up or not as I'm pretty scared about the whole induction process.
My PAPP-A wasn't too bad 0.8 but I was put on aspirin anyway and I'm still taking it. I'm not sure if I should stop soon, no one has said anything.
lightgreenglass does your bubs have symmetrical IUGR or is it the tummy which is measuring smaller? My Drs seem more concerned because the placenta/chord seem fine and he's small all over.

My baby has assymetrical IUGR, so head is normal size, body smaller and limbs around the 5th percentile. So she's preserving her head is what they explained it to me like which sounds weird.

Consultants said 38-40 weeks for induction- so 5 weeks to go. I would love to know the exact week as I think it'll take the stress off.

Thanks for the reply lightgreenglass from what I've read asymmetrical IUGR is the most common. The head being normally sized is called brain sparing, so the baby recognises that the brain is the most important organ and diverts blood flow to it at the expense of less important organs. It's very clever really.
I know what you mean about needing a date, although I wish my guy could fatten up inside for longer I do find I can prepare more now I know when things are going to kick off.

Hi OP - I'm glad you're getting some reassurance from the positive replies.

My DS1 is another "small for dates" baby. This was picked up at 30 weeks and resulted in weekly scans until he was delivered by C - section at 38 weeks. Although the scans couldn't reveal a chromosomal disorder or poor placenta function, nor could they "prove" he'd be okay. It was an incredibly upsetting time. In the end my consultant recommended an early delivery by c-section.

DS was 5lb at birth, small but perfectly formed. He is now 10, is of average height, has had no health issues and falls into the intellectually gifted category. Some babies are just born small.

I hope all goes well for you and that you manage to enjoy the last few weeks of your pregnancy.

Hi OP,
I had a 'small for dates baby' and had growth scans every 2 weeks with my first. He was thought at 32 weeks he would not be any more 4lbs at term. His head measurements were very large and his FL was small. His head was on the 100th and his femur on the 2nd.
We were told because of these factors and another factor to do with fluid (I don't quite remember all the details) that it appeared he had DS. It was hard to swallow but by the time I was induced we knew we would cope and love him unconditionally.
Anyway, he was born at 7lb 14oz and he doesn't have DS.
Pretty much same with my second DS, he was only on 3rd percentile and a consultant doing a growth scan also picked up him having a seizure. Which is stupidly rare.
He was born a healthy weight of nearly 7lbs despite being induced early. He developed sepsis at a few weeks old but he is now a very active, healthy and happy 10 month old.

And we never found out what caused the seizures. I think he had 3 but it was only ever witnessed once by the foetal medicine consultant who was doing the scan. It was terrifying but thank goodness he hasn't ever fitted since, even with a temp of nearly 40 when he had sepsis.

Thanks both for your replies. I do love reading these stories, one because it brings me comfort but also it's lovey to hear your worry ended up with such positive outcomes.
I think some of us are just designed to make small babies.

Hi junebug,

I'm a bit late to your thread but I hope you and baby are doing ok. My son was born at 33/3 by emcs weighing 3lb12. He was tracking small throughout my pregnancy, we were being monitored due to a previous loss at 28 weeks, and i knew I'd likely end up with early delivery. I was due a maternal request section but ?placental abruption led to an even earlier arrival. He is now 15m old, 75th for weight, 90-somethingth for height, and thriving.

I send you all my best wishes.