Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

In a panic after 20 week scan - please help...

40 replies

littlestar · 21/05/2007 16:41

I'm 24 weeks pregnant and have just had my 20-week scan. (I originally had one 10 days ago but, because of the baby's position, they couldn't get all the measurements they needed, although she assured me everything looked fine. So I assumed today's scan would be more of a formality.)

Today the sonographer said the baby looks small, more like 23 weeks. He said my dates could be wrong or there could be a problem with the baby, so I need to go back in 4 weeks for a growth scan. He also advised me to see my midwife. He measured my uterine arteries but didn't go into details (the notes say "no notches but high RI's for both", but he didn't explain that to me) Stupidly, because I was on my own and a bit upset, I probably didn't ask as many questions as I should have done.

I can't get hold of my midwife until tomorrow and now I'm really freaking out in case there is something wrong with my baby.I can't bear the thought of waiting 4 weeks to find out whether she is growing properly and would really appreciate hearing from anyone who may be able to shed light on this or has been in a similar situation.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

fryalot · 21/05/2007 16:45

please try to calm down, you getting into a panic will not help your baby.

I am sure that if they thought there was anything wrong, they would not be expecting you to wait four weeks.

Someone will probably come along who has proper experience of this, but in the meantime, make yourself a cup of tea, put your feet up for five minutes and try not to worry.

Really, if there was anything to worry about, they would have got you back in tomorrow.

minorityrules · 21/05/2007 16:50

Try not to worry, scans are not an exact science but are a useful tool in monitoring the pregnancy

I was told one of mine was small and my dates were wrong. The scan made me 3 weeks less than I knew I was. I knew when she was conceived as it was the only time that month we had had sex (3 babies, twins born a year to the day of first born and were pregnant again, think it might have been only time all year lol)

Like I said, a scan is a tool not exact

Speak to your midwife tomorrow and hopefully she can put your mind at rest

bakedpotato · 21/05/2007 16:50

If the sonographer thought there was serious grounds for concern I'm sure he would have booked you in for another scan in a few days/passed you elsewhere for more tests.

I had a fairly dire/insensitive sonographer at my 20wk scan too. Scared me rigid... and all was fine.

Just get hold of your MW tomorrow, get her to talk you through the notes or maybe ask if there's someone at the scanning unit who can explain them to you.

Honestly what do they teach these people? Grr on your behalf. They don't have a clue.

smallwhitecat · 21/05/2007 16:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Mumpbump · 21/05/2007 16:53

The issue about IURG is that it can be an indication that the placenta is not functioning properly. They should check the blood flow through the umbilical cord when you go for the growth scan. If they don't, ask them to. If there are serious concerns, they may recommend early delivery, but they were worried about ds' growth rate for the last 15 weeks or so of my last pg and he was 7lb and 1oz when he was born!

One week behind doesn't sound horrendous. I met someone whose baby girl weighed 2oz when she was delivered early and she was still tiny, but it is not the end of the world, just means extra care required initially...

Try not to worry too much at this point - as I say, there was nothing wrong at all with ds' growth and they do tend to err on the side of caution, thankfully!

HTH...

tinymum · 21/05/2007 16:54

This happened to me with my first child. I worried myself sick until the next scan, when he said 'oh, it has grown.' That was it. Weeks of worry for nothing! I wish sometimes these professionals would be a bit more sensitive.

bananabump · 21/05/2007 16:55

Aaw sweetheart, try not to panic. I had my 20 week scan and just like you the position was all wrong and they couldn't measure head circumference etc so I had a repeat scan at about 24 weeks, where they measured everything and he was measuring slightly above average but they didn't see it as abnormal, just ordered a 30 week growth scan, which I had this morning.

Anyway today they said his growth has tailed off (wasn't explained much) and he is now slightly below average. They put me on a fetal monitor for 30 mins and everything was fine. Do you feel movement yet? If you do, then just make yourself aware of how much he's moving, as that's the best gauge of his health.

A midwife I spoke to today said that the most accurate scan growth wise is your 12 week one, and after that they do their own thing. I have to admit I'm a tiny bit worried about my baby's growth too, but I'm trying to remind myself that I have 11 weeks to go, and dp and I are both shortarses! You have even longer to go, it's a lot of time to catch up.

Honestly though, try to keep in mind that if they suspected there was anything wrong with your baby they would have ordered a repeat scan much sooner, and get you to have some monitoring.

Next time take someone with you for moral support, and ask questions if you can. If you don't understand what they're telling you, go to the antenatal clinic afterwards and ask a midwife to run through the scan notes with you, as it's usually a load of jargon. You may as well be pushy, after all it's YOUR health and YOUR baby, and all it is to them is another day at work!

Hope you get lots more reassuring answers, it must be very common!

Original poster

littlestar · 21/05/2007 16:59

Thanks everyone. I have put my feet up with a nice cuppa and OK magazine and am trying to keep things in perspective until I can speak to my MW (even though I haven't actually met her yet and she appears to be "my" MW in name only, but that's a whole separate issue!)

I don't think it helped that the (male) sonographer was quite off-hand about it and did nothing to allay my fears, even thought I was clearly upset and concerned. Now I have had time to think about it, I know I didn't ovulate until about day 21/22. I don't really understand how due dates are calculated but could that have something to do with it?

OP posts:

Mumpbump · 21/05/2007 17:03

I guess it could make a difference. Glad to hear you are now feeling a bit more relaxed. They really do err on the side of caution, as I said before, and that is better than taking risks with the lives of our unborn babies!

bananabump · 21/05/2007 17:05

Could have a lot to do with it. I read somewhere that a lot of the time doctors don't take into account women with long cycles etc whose babies take longer to cook than regular 28-day womens.

Glad you're feeling more calm now. At least we're not alone with our runty little babes, eh?

Original poster

littlestar · 21/05/2007 17:07

DS was only 6lb 8oz when he was born, and they had some concerns about him at his 20wk scan, which turned out to be unfounded. So maybe I'm destined to have small babies who cause lots of worry before they arrive!

OP posts:

greedygreedyguzzler · 22/05/2007 16:12

if you didnt ov till day 21 then you would be a week less than your dates calculated by your last period.
was your due date worked out from your last period date?

my cycle is 45 days and so i never ov till day 30 so they always (this is my third pg)work out my due date from scan or form date of ov. so your measurements sound spot on to me

FourJays · 22/05/2007 16:23

Oh they did this to me! I was 39 weeks and they made me go for a scan cos DS2 measured 38 weeks (I ask you!)

Well, he was born on MY due date, not their made up one! I love it wheh I'm right.

Please don't worry - some babies are born at 6lbs and some at 10lbs. Also these people see lots of babies every day and to some it can be just a job - easy to forget you might actually have FEELINGS about the li'l piccie on the screen. Hope all is well and please keep us posted.

bananabump · 22/05/2007 18:18

And just as an update, my doctor has now decided that baby's growth is fine and he's not small, he's average. Honestly!

Did you manage to talk to your midwife at all today littlestar? Hope they managed to reassure you.

Original poster

littlestar · 23/05/2007 10:21

Thanks everyone. I couldn't get hold of my MW yesterday but she has promised to call me back this morning. I had a good night's sleep last night so am feeling much better today. Hearing everyone's words of wisdom and personal experiences also helps, of course! And baby seems to be kicking more than ever, which is reassuring.

I think my due date was worked out using the pregnancy wheel thingy, although when I had my 12 week scan they came up with the same due date.

Bananabump - I'm so glad your baby is average!

OP posts:

Original poster

littlestar · 23/05/2007 15:52

I finally got hold of my MW and she was pretty cross at the way the sonographer has handled it. She also said she can't explain the notes about the scan as it's not really her area, and the sonographer should have known that. She suggested I call the fetal medicine midwife to explain the notes, so I have left them a message.

She also said I shouldn't worry at this stage - it is quite possible my dates could be wrong, or it could be that the situation will rectify itself by the time of my next scan. She said the next scan should hopefully be with an obstetrician, who will be much more sensitive and well-informed than the idiot who did the last one.

I feel a bit more reassured now - and thanks to you all for helping me get things in perspective in the meantime!

OP posts:

fryalot · 23/05/2007 15:53

glad you're feeling a bit better about things.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 23/05/2007 15:56

Glad you have got hold of someone.

Get this.

My mate had her first baby yesterday. He was 7lb6.
Last time she was scanned they told her they would be inducing her as they thought the baby was huge and she may need a c-section.

I was told with ds2 at my 20week scan he was 3/4 weeks larger than they thought.
He was 10lb12. Not 'huge' but large I guess.

kateyp · 23/05/2007 16:00

Hiya - sorry only just seen your message. Measurements at scan get less accurate the further on you are. A week out is actually as accurate as they can get - so it is normal to be a week out either way (although sensible to check again to make sure it is not more than that the next time iyswim).

THe dopplers thingy sounds reasonable - notches are a bad thing so good that there are none, and high RIs - not too sure what they are but if they were anything to worry about he would've got someone to re-check them there and then or repeat the scan sooner.

Scan people sometimes aren't the best trained in the world to give advice. Good at scanning, not so good at the talking and sometimes don't realise that the slightest thing they say can send people worrying like mad.

HTH

tortoiseSHELL · 23/05/2007 16:00

Just seen this - I really wouldn't worry about your baby looking a week smaller - that could just be down to when you ovulated. Mine have all been on the small side on the scans, and were 9lb12, 10lb0 and 10lb2!!! The size seemed to be more to do with how late they were going to be!

Mumpbump - you can't have meant 2oz can you? Did you mean 2lbs? The record for the world's smallest was 8oz something I think!!!!

Blu · 23/05/2007 16:04

I would have thought that if you are pretty sure when you ovulated, and it was later than the datse used to calculate pg, then of course that would make a diffreence! And one week sounds a very minor difference.
I had a v insensitive paediatrician telling me categoriclly that may baby was MUCH later than 6 days late, MUST have been conceived much earlier than I had said...all in front of DP - and I knew exactly (almost to the minute!) when DS was conceived and if the paed had been right then DP could NOT have been the father (he is - and anyone who has seen DP and DS will know he is!).

Keep reading your magazine and don't worry!

Original poster

littlestar · 29/05/2007 14:26

I finally got to speak to the fetal midwife and she has really put my mind at rest. She said I have nothing to worry about at this stage - she looked at my scan and notes and says everything seems pretty normal. She pointed out the baby has always been small (which I didn't realise) - which could mean my dates are wrong, or she's just a small baby. As long as the rate of growth remains fairly consistent (and there is nothing to suggest tht it won't) it's not that significant at this stage.

She also said I don't need to worry about bloodflow to the baby as my wavelengths(?) are normal, and apparently they are more important than my RI's (resistance index, apparently). So all my frenzied googling about IUGR and pre-eclampsia will hopefully prove to be unnecessary!

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time and trouble to respond - I will post an update after the growth scan in 3 weeks

OP posts:

Mumpbump · 29/05/2007 14:38

Pleased to hear that you got positive reassurance!

Tortoise - yes, I did mean 2lb! Oops...

lisad123 · 29/05/2007 22:49

wish i had seen your post earlier, i had same tests with DD, who was small, 5lb at birth.

Im having sam tests with this one, i have appointment with specialist tomorrow, to check blood flow and sizing. Im glad your ok and bumpy s well
Hugs

Original poster

littlestar · 30/05/2007 10:35

Good luck with the specialist - let us know how you get on x

OP posts:

Flip

1 2