28+5, worried by scan - femur length/bladder size 😭

[Goldie600]

28+5, worried by scan - femur length/bladder size 😭
Yesterday I had my 28 week growth scan and the sonographer referred me to the MAU doctor/midwife straight away as she was worried about what she found:

*
Head Circumference (HC) - 260.6mm
Abdominal Circumference (AC) - 234.7mm
Femur Length (FL) - 49.1mm
Est. Fetal Weight - 1079g / 2lb 6oz

Heart activity present. Cephalic presentation. Amniotic fluid index- 11.1cm, deepest pool 3.4cm.
Placenta: anterior high, presentation normal.

Fetal movements seen during scan. Bladder appears dilated (25mm). Normal AFI and normal stomach. Normal umbilical artery Doppler.
* *

The main concerns were that since my last scan (8 weeks ago) the Femur Length had only increased by nearly 15mm (was 34.7mm at 20 weeks) with the current measurement sitting on 3% centile, and also the dilated bladder.

So, my question is has anyone else had any anomalies with Femur Length/Bladder showing up at a growth scan?

Before this 28 week scan, Bean was measuring bang on average but with a larger Abdominal Circumference. But they're worried that her growth has now slowed down, and even spoke to us last night about next steps incase they have to deliver her early, which scares me massively!

Its looking likely that I'll have to have weekly/fortnightly scans with the head of maternal medicine (apparently??) so he can keep an eye on her, and I'm just playing the waiting game of when these can start to be booked in, so benefits are that I'll see her more often. But equally I'm scared to death and just spent the whole evening/night crying that we are so close and now everything is a worry 😭 When you read about growth issues etc obviously things like DS come up (nuchal tests at first scan showed really low chances of DS) and I'm worried what an enlarged bladder could mean for her.

Sorry for the long post! X

the scan mesurements arent always accurate, it depends on angle of baby etc. mine dropped between 20-32 weeks from 75th to 11th centiles woth super small femur length, but then by 35 week measurements put her back up to 80th centile with femur length measuring the other way. No experience of the bladder measurement though.
However that's why they will recommend the extra growth scans to keep an eye. Try to take each day and scan as it comes. You've been referred to the right place should baby need extra help x

At my last scan on Monday one of my town's femur or hth appeared to have shrunk since our last scan 2 weeks ago. For now my consultant is fairly relaxed about it, I'm going for another scan next week as he's of the opinion it's more likely a measurement error than a problem with the baby. Hopefully something similar is the case for you?

I got told my baby had short femurs at 12 and 20 weeks. She came out on the 70th centiles for height and just seems to have quite a long body compared to her leg length, but then so do I. The measurements aren't always accurate.

Not bladder but d's had an enlarged kidney. I had a further scan a few weeks later and it was normal. The sonographer said it would have been because he hadn't urinated.

I did wonder if it was too do with her needing a pee, and I guess I'd be more worried if fluid etc was odd too, but that was all perceived as normal?
I think it was one of those things where, at the time, it was an awful lot to take on board and the sonographer seemed to rush me round to MAU rather quickly which panicked me!

I'm on Labetalol for my blood pressure (never had an issue before pregnancy!) so of course, I've been thinking all kinds of bad, that it's my fault and I've affected her development in some way etc...

Hospital have just called and my next scan/appointment with the specialist is 10.45 next Monday 😱 Not sure how I'll cope until then, but equally on a mission to pump my body full of 'healthies' for her!

Thank you all xxx

My DS had femur length that went down the centiles as he grew... ended up with abdominal circumference on the 78th, head on something similar and femur on something like the 29th. Not only are scan measurements difficult to get accurately but they don't really translate to "real life". What I mean by that is that when my son was born, his belly didn't look large, his head was big (got stuck and had to have EMCS) but looked normal, and his legs were normal too, despite measuring short. He's now 17 weeks old and over the 100th for length!

Take things with a pinch on salt and hopefully the specialist can shed a bit more light on things for you. If your little bean has to come a bit early, you're at a gestation where the outlook is good, though there would be some NICU time.

I hope everything goes well with the rest of your pregnancy. It's easier said than done, but please try not to worry. You are in good hands

Thank you lovely, ftm worried hey?! 💗