Growth at 10th percentile at 31 weeks?

[LisaSimpsonsbff]

In a scan for other purposes at 30+6 yesterday they measured the baby dead-on 10th percentile, and so want me to come back for follow-up scan at 34 weeks. This is a drop down the line from my previous measurements, but those were all bump measurements and this was scan, so I'm not sure how directly comparable? I know some babies are just small, and that someone has to be in the lower percentiles, but I'm 5'10 and DH is 6'2 so we're not obvious candidates to just make little babies. They looked at my placenta blood flow and it seemed fine, so they weren't concerned that it was due to a malfunctioning/underperforming placenta. Just hoping to hear from people who have had similar - how worried should I be?

I had growth scans with my first pregnancy as DD measured 27 weeks at 32 weeks - below tenth percentile.

Don’t worry unless they tell you there’s something to worry about. Some babies just are small. DD was over 6lbs (just) so small but perfectly ok and scored AGPAR 10.

It is stressful but the monitoring is just precautionary at this stage.

Also on the genetics point - am currently in 2nd pregnancy and having growth scans as am told to expect an actual whopper, measuring about the 95th centipede. DH and I both bang on average. Genetics are weird.

Hey - I'm tall as is my son's dad (6'2"). Our families are all very tall too... my son was on the 8th centile when born. He was long and skinny!

He's now 6 very healthy, very tall and broad.

I didn't have any growth scans with my son because all along my pregnancy he was measuring on the 90th centile. I wouldn't worry too much, if all the checks have been done and everything is fine it may just be that you're growing a skinny bean too. :)

Just to add, my friend is 5'10" and her husband is 6'4" both her children were tiny at birth and her son, now 6, is still very small. She spoke to her mother in law the other day who said that friend's hubby was the same then just shot up when he was 9.

Please try not to worry too much, I know it's hard not to bearing in mind your history (I dip in and out of the miscarriage thread).

I had similar - baby was measuring around 10th centile with a particularly small abdominal circumference, but placenta looked good. I had extra scans and monitoring, all looked fine but growth had slowed right down so they induced me at 39 weeks and baby was a very healthy 6lbs 3oz and is now a healthy, petite toddler.

I’m sure everything is fine, but good they are keeping a close eye on you just in case!

Thanks all - trying not to worry, and helpful to hear stories of others who had similar with good outcomes. Have just been looking at my chart and realised how massive they're expecting baby to be based on my height/weight - 10th centile at 40 weeks on my chart would be 7lb 9! They've estimated him at currently 1500g, which as far as I can see is average for all babies but just small for the size of baby they'd expect me to produce (which is theoretical at this point because this is my first) - so hopefully that's reassuring?

I'd say that was definitely reassuring. A 7lb 9oz baby is a good weight. Not long now :)

My health carers freaked when all of a sudden my bump measurement went down from "normal" to 10th.
turns out baby had moved (to breach where she stayed until manually flipped 38weeks) and measured on scans at 10th%(no real measurement scans before that).
She had a perfect labour, only 6lbs 4oz, but I'm only small too. Is now 17 months and has always stuck to her 10th curve on weight. Never been chubby and always petite.
They were so worried about growth restriction that they tried to force a C-sec at 34/5 weeks. I said no because I felt that she was fine, and moving lots, they compromised with lots more fetal movement monitoring.
Just try not to worry and go with what you feel is right for you and babe.

Scans are not comparable to bump measurements at all, so take this as your base line and see what happens from there.

I had twins so I had scans every 4 weeks from 20 weeks. At 28 weeks, one twins legs dropped to the bottom of the chart. No one was concerned. Same again at 32 weeks but they said he was a good weight for gestation etc.

At 35 weeks I didn’t feel well and went in to get checked out - he wasn’t moving, had an emergency section and he had undiagnosed IUGR, and was over a pound lighter than they said he was at 32 weeks.

At this point I wouldn’t be too concerned especially if all the measurements are proportionate. However, if you are concerned by any of the results, speak up, ask questions, push for more tests if you feel you need them. If you feel unwell and like something is wrong, get checked out right away. Trust your instincts. I always think that I should have made more of a fuss at the 28 and 32 week scans, but they seemed sure it was nothing and I didn’t like to make a fuss.

The measurements aren't all proportionate - he basically has tiny legs (8th percentile) and pretty average head and abdominal. Looking at the 20 week scan his femur length was the lowest then, too, but not by this much. I have a midwife appointment later this week so I think I should ask her about it then. I'm just feeling a bit freaked out in general; I had a weird dizzy/near fainting episode last night and don't feel great today.

The problem is that I don't know whether or not I have an instinct something is wrong, or just a general anxiety that means nothing. As AKP alluded to above, I have a bad history (three miscarriages before this pregnancy - but all very early, and testing found nothing wrong, so nothing clinically relevant now). I'm still finding it pretty hard to believe I might have a successful pregnancy, so I know I tend to catastrophise; the scan was actually primarily a cardiac scan for an ectopic heartbeat that was heard a few weeks ago, and I've been worrying myself a lot over that but then the heart structure was (thankfully) all fine. So I don't feel like I have any real ability to gauge if something is really wrong, or whether it's just my own anxiety turning molehills into mountains in what has actually been an very straightforward pregnancy so far.

My consultant and sonography completely disagreed with each other about potential size of DS. Sonography was far more accurate and consultant was way out. DS turned out to be long and skinny 10lbs.

I completely understand - I had bad anxiety and didn’t trust my instincts at all. If my midwife hadn’t convinced me to go in, I wouldn’t have done. The night before I thought I might have been leaking fluid but it stopped and I thought it was probably just urine.

Overnight I just didn’t feel right - couldn’t sleep, headache, felt like my head was huge (which is obviously nonsensical and I still don’t know what was).

Obviously you’re in a better situation because you only have one in there so it’s easier to tell if there’s a decease or increase in movement. If you experience either than definitely go in.

I have always been incredibly anxious during all of my pregnancies. I have 4 healthy (touch wood) children so it's not a doom precursor- please don't worry.
My 4th one- the midwifes were convinced she had very short legs to the point of going on and on about it. She was a tiny but perfect 5lb 9oz when she was born. All the others had been 10lbders. And now I struggle with dresses etc because she is very petite but with long legs for her build.

For the 10th percentile to exist someone has to be on it. My twins were tony in womb and are tiny out. They're happily growing on the 2nd percentile.

I'm having growth scan this time as my last baby was small. My bump measurements and my scans are completely different.
With my first baby, scan said she was going to be really big, at 36wks she was apparently already 8lbs. She was born at 38+6 weighing 6lb 13oz.
Try not to worry too much, easier said than done though I know.

Ds was below the 10th percentile on a personalised growth chart. He was 6 pounds 2 ounces the day we left hospital. He's now on the 90 something percentile for height as a 3 year old. The baby I'm currently carrying is estimated to be slightly bigger but not by much. Dh and I are both tall and broad shouldered but apparently we produce dainty babies.

My DD was born on the 4th percentile. She's 5 months old and still tiny but perfectly healthy.

When I went for my 36 week growth scan, the midwife said that she wouldn't expect "someone like me" to have a small baby. By that, I assume she meant a tall, chubby woman. Meanwhile, my skinny, petite friend had just popped out a 10lb 14oz-er.

There really is no reason in size alone to be concerned, even if you’re both tall - there is no ideal size, they’re all different sizes.

I would only suggest caution because of the shorter leg measurement, same issue we had, and like I say make sure you’re monitoring movement and get checked out if you’re at all concerned. I don’t know how they missed it with my little twin but they did. If you’re not comfortable with the results of your next scan, keep asking questions - I was too much of a pushover I think!

To cut my long story short I had similar issue with my daughter. By 35 week my placenta was failing. By 37 week, she went in distress. I was already in hospital ( as I said long story! ) and she went crazy with her movements. As she is my second child, I knew this wasn’t right. Anyway the nurse buzzed my consultant who came to check on her and they decided she needed to come out immediately. The trolley was barely out of the room and I already was getting a spinal! She was very small ( which we knew she would be ) but luckily she was perfect and came out crying so she didn’t need to go to the NICU ( as I was warned might happen ).

All I will say is monitor your movements and any increase or decrease in movements should be checked out ASAP.

Good luck. Am sure all will be fine!

Hope it's ok if I revive this thread as I got some really useful advice before? I had my second growth scan on Monday and he's gone up to 20th centile - though still with tiny (7th centile) legs. I asked and they said the legs were of no concern at all, that it just meant he was built that way. Does this mean that there's no longer any cause for concern? They've booked me in for another growth scan in two weeks time (by which point I'll be 37 weeks), and said we might discuss induction after that - but did they just mean if growth drops off again? Surely if it continues like this there's no cause to induce? I have had a couple of episodes of reduced fetal movements in the meantime, but the CTGs have always come back absolutely fine.

Hi
I am looking for some comfort. I am 30 weeks and I am having growth scan due to low PappA my baby was on the 11th percentile 3 weeks ago and today after another scan he is on the 10th. His weight has gone up and most other measurements apart from his tummy. I am so paranoid he is going to be short when he is older ( I know this sounds stupid but I can’t get it out of my head) has anyone had a baby on the 10th centile and now they are older they are normal in size? I’m sorry this sounds so stupid but I’m just so paranoid. Thank you