experience of IUGR ?

[lizkalsi]

Hi I am being monitored with growth scans due to my age, no other issues in the pregnancy. Had a growth scan at 28 weeks and baby was on 10th percentile which is fine. I had another 13 days later and baby had dropped to below 5th percentile. Weight had gone up a little but not as much as expected and AC measurement had not changes. Blood flow , liquor and all other signs still good. I have been asked to come back 3 days later for cord and liquor monitoring to discuss steroids in case baby needs to come early and another scan booked for a week later.

going on how soon they are bringing me back in and scanning me (at first they said they dont scan more frequently than fortnightly but this will be only a week) - does this indicate they think baby will need to come out very soon?

thanks

Hi there,

I’m sure they’re just being cautious and keeping an eye. I had a scan at 28 weeks and baby was measuring small (I can’t remember specific centiles). They put me on weekly monitoring as they found the blood flow between us was stopping and starting hence the slow growth. At 31 weeks they found the blood flow had completely reversed so they decided steroids and deliver. He was born below the 0.4 however was breathing independently. He is now an active 5 year old and you wouldn’t even know how small he once was.

It’s good that they’re taking this seriously and I hope baby continues to grow as expected, but if they do decide to deliver early there will be lots of highly experienced professionals to ensure you and baby are safe.

Good luck

thank you, i do feel i am being looked after well and know that even 31 weeks as i will be in a couple of days will be a safe gestation, i guess I'm just trying to figure out if there are any clues as to timescales here, guess its all wait and see though! I know how scans can be off and the ACmeasurement in particular can fluctuate so i am wondering if i really need to take the steroids before the next scan , in case things get back on track, (i have read there is a link with steroids and later AHDD) but then again the next scan may show its really time to get baby out and i would have needed to take them already.... Is a drop from 10th to under 5th in that short space of time an indicator it might happen rapidly , or is the fact the blood flow is still fine more an indicator of just monitoring until such a time as it starts to fail? if the blood flow is still good how come the baby isnt growing?! !

ps how long did your baby stay in hospital being born at 31 weeks?

My little irl had reduced fluid and her growth started tailing off from 28 weeks. Had fortnightly scans as the blood flow was still good and at 34 weeks the AC had not grown in 2 weeks. They discussed what I wanted explaining benefits and risks and I decided i wanted baby out as it would be safer. She was born 3 days later at and needed help feeding and with jaundice but healthy. I would say when in doubt baby is safer out than in and the consultant also agreed. I would advise you imagine your baby may be in until their due date as most babies need some support when born pre term. We stayed in 18 days after she was born at 35+1 xx

I’m sorry I can’t give you a clear answer on your situation as it’s different for everyone, but I imagine good flow between you and baby is a good sign.

My ds spent 5 weeks in hospital but it was mainly due to size. He was in an incubator for 2 weeks and struggled with feeding but they also said he was kept longer as their policy is babies must weigh at least 4 1/2lbs before going home (understandably). But they say to aim for your due date and he came home almost a month before that so feel we were lucky.

I found this website www.verywellfamily.com/premature-babies-week-by-week-2748606 that tells you what to expect should your baby need to arrive early. However I was also told that my ds was developing like a 28 week we due to size so you may want to go by estimates weight rather than gestation.

Can't really answer that for you. I had a 29-weeker with IUGR, only picked up at my 28-week check, and subsequent scan showed absent end diastolic flow, so I had steroids that day & he was delivered 48hrs later , he was on the bottom of the chart.

With DD, I had good diastolic flow, she was 50th centile but had low liquor volume, so I had steroids & she came along within a day or two, at 35 weeks.

I honestly wouldn't focus in too much on the steroids. In the kindest possible way, they are not an overall priority when you have a child who needs to come early.

And yes, I had almost daily scans towards the end of each pregnancy when it was clear that thugs were not right; they were clearly looking for a point to intervene.

Prior to this, with DD, my scans were fortnightly (high risk pregnancy.

Big things can change; you will see more of an overall pattern with repeated scans.

@RandomUser23 that link is really useful thanks!

I'm 26+2 with identical twin boys. Expecting a c section at 36-37 weeks but their growth has slowed a little so very interested in premie development.

I was told my son was iugr, which freaked me out. Mine was due to pre eclampsia.
Anyway, he was born at 37 weeks so not too early.
5lbs 4 oz. I was thrown out after a week, he fed well and was healthy.
I had him weighed weekly but as he breast fed so well I didn't bother when he got to 11lbs ish.

Now aged 14 hoovering everything out of the fridge, taller than dh I don't know why I was persuaded to be so frightened and worried by the health profession.

Second baby was 5lb as well, again born at 37 weeks, pre eclampsia but iugr was never mentioned with him.
All is well with them both.

That sounds pretty normal to me. I had an appointment every week but I was scanned one week and had dopplers the next to check the flow through the cord etc. I was eventually induced at 38+3 as DD hadn't grown between 36 and 38 weeks. She was born on the 4th percentile but perfectly healthy.

I'd try not to worry too much. They exercise caution with IUGR babies hence all the scans. Better to be safe than sorry.

I had iugr diagnosed at the 28 week scan. I was then very closely monitored. Like some others on the thread the issue was with blood flow to the baby. At just over 33 weeks they decided the situation was getting too dangerous so they decided to get her out as soon as a nicu space was available. She was delivered (by a very unwanted section) at 34 weeks. She was tiny (3lb6) and had issues with feeding and jaundice (and two bloody hospital acquired infections -grrr). She was in for just over three weeks. It was a shit time but you get through it. She's now 3 and a half and petite but doing fine.