Restricted growth at 33 weeks - any experiences?

[Corilee2806]

First time poster and FTM, looking for a bit of advice and a hand hold. I’m 33w 2d pregnant and after going in for monitoring and a scan for reduced movements, I was told yesterday that my baby is small - 6th centile for estimated weight (around 3lb 7) and only 3rd centile for abdominal circumference. They can’t see any reason at this stage and I now have to have monitoring 2-3 times a week and weekly scans which isn’t ideal but I’m really glad it’s being taken seriously. I have to wait 2 weeks for another growth scan to see if there has been any improvement, if not they may look at early induction.

I’m obviously really worried that the baby isn’t growing as it should be - I just wondered if others had similar experiences and what their outcomes were, or any positive stories really! I know the scans can sometimes be inaccurate but I’m also terrified something is wrong and that my baby isn’t growing properly. Feels like it’s going to be a long 2 weeks!

Bump

I had similar with dc2. Was being scanned for growth as dc1 was small at birth. No growth at all between 32 and 34 weeks so they recommended quick delivery.
They did a Doppler scan which measures blood flow in placenta and it was ok so gave me steroids for 48h to mature lungs before section.
DC2 was fine - 2 weeks on special care. Needed tube feeding and oxygen initially but soon was fine on air and strong and Co-ordinator- enough to feed.
Good luck - you are being monitored and they will know the right time to deliver - you may need a section as baby may not tolerate labour.

Sorry should have read Co-ordinator- enough.

Grrr co-ordinated enough!!

Hi Corilee, i’m In a very similar position but with baby 3. First was small, but no one noticed and had to go to NICU after emergency CS. DS2 was monitored. At 36 weeks they decided he was small and not growing and he was taken out at 37+5. Both these boys are absolutely great now. I’m 32+5 with no.3. First identified as small at 28 weeks- 10th centile in personalised growth chart (do they use that in your trust). Another scan yesterday and baby is showing as below the 5th centile. I have steroids tmrw (had them with DS2 and he has much better health than DS1). Another growth scan, like you, in 2 weeks time. Hoping to get to 37 weeks as don’t want baby in special care if I have two others at home. Consultant was reassuring, but said I needed to prepare myself for a possible earlier birth. Yesterday I was in a right state, but today i’ve kept busier. You just have to go with the advice you receive and be grateful for the monitoring I guess (sounds like you’ve been offered more than me!) I do have another Doppler for next week, so for now just taking one day at a time. Thing to focus on - apparently both my boys were under first centile by weight when born, but 6 and 8 years later they are strapping, healthy lads- DS2 (who had steroids) is on 75th centile for height and weight. Hope all the monitoring goes well for you!

The advice I was given was ‘there’s nothing you can do, just keep an eye on your movements and if anything changes get yourself in!’

DD was small at 28 weeks, reduced movements at 32, high placenta pressure at 34 and therefore delivered (they tried to induce me but this distressed DD so it ended in an emergency csection). We were in hospital for 12 days after her arrival but she is a happy, healthy, 5 month old now 😍

Hi ladies, thank you all for your replies. It is a bit scary and definitely a waiting game but it’s reassuring to hear your stories and know that there are often good outcomes. The main thing is the pressure I’m feeling to keep an eye on movements as that’s the only indication that something is wrong. But I’m back on Saturday so like you say it’s good that I’m having regular monitoring, and the midwives have said I can come back at any point if I’m worried. My nieces (twins) were born at 32 weeks and are very healthy 5 year olds now, so that helps!

Also, with your experiences, did any of you know the cause?

And yes I have a personalised growth chart, they didn’t start it until I was 29 weeks and midwives measured me at around 10th centile at last few appointments - so it was only the scan that picked up the reduced growth, I think it’s the tummy measurement they are more concerned about (head and femur seems ok)

With my second DS I had low PAPP-A and was given serial scans throughout pregnancy, he dropped from the 50th to the 12th to the 9th and remained there till I went into labour a week after that scan at 39+5 he was 6lb4 which meant he was actually born on the 4th centile but has gained weight rapidly and is a very healthy happy 5 month old now looking very chunky on the 80th centile!
It's scary stuff but Drs will keep a close monitoring and if you are fine you should be able to birth naturally as you choose like I did!
One of the worst things for me were strangers commenting on my tiny bump...was already worried enough without people asking if I was eating enough and am I sure baby was healthy! Try not to stress! It should be okay!
Xx

Not quite as early as you but DS was on 50th centile at 28 weeks and then dropped to 32nd then 14th at 37 weeks. I was induced at 39 weeks... He bounced back to 50th centile by his 6 week check.
The hardest thing I found was having to explain to people, including midwives, that I was being induced due to slow growth even though he wasn't considered a small baby (6lb 11 at birth)
Good luck... it's good that they are monitoring you so closely

Consultant told me some trusts don’t use the personalised growth chart and it is only on that chart that my baby appears small. On the wider population chart baby is in normal ranges. He found this reassuring. I don’t know the cause- one midwife suggested it was genetic.

The monitoring movements is so tough, isn't it? Like your baby's life is in your hands.

My ds was on the 10th percentile at 16 weeks and the 1st percentile by 20 weeks. His head circumference was always on the 50th though He stopped growing at 34 weeks, and I was induced at 37+2.

He ended up needing 6 days in NICU and 3 in special care, but this is very unusual.

He's 5 months now and perfectly healthy, though still small. He's not expected to have any long term issues, and will catch up on his growth eventually.

The cause was an unusual one too. He had a hypercoiled umbilical cord. It was tightly curled up like a spring which was restricting blood flow. Placenta issues and pre-eclampsia are far more common causes.

The movement monitoring is so stressful! Wide awake now and just willing the baby to move again, I’m supposed to be travelling away with work today but not sure I can do it.

I was always expecting quite a small baby as me and my partner are not big but didn’t expect this stress! There’s so many factors and things it could be - it’s so stressful not having answers.

In your experiences, was the growth assessment or info you were given accurate? Some of my friends who mean well keep telling me how inaccurate the scans are and not to worry, I’d love that to be true but at the same time think there has to be something in it?

Hope you’ve felt some. I hate the focus on movement checks because it puts all the pressure on the mother. When I asked consultant if there was anything I cld do he said avoid stress and eat healthily. I’ve taken that as a reason to avoid work- any way you could do the same? (I was lucky and had some annual leave saved). All the extra checks must be taking quite a lot of your time anyway. Lots of people told me ‘inaccurate scan’ stories as a way of trying to reassure. Personally I find the constant attempts to reassure from midwife and friends rather irritating (if we’ll-meaning). It is what it is and I am the one who is going to have to deal with the unpredictability of what happens next. Might be worth writing down some of your questions though eg about the small measurement on abdomen- and ask them why it is a particular concern? My husband is very slight too (and they have no measurements for my husband on the personalised plan) so I suspect that might be part of the reason why baby appears so far down the centile chart, but only part.

I am very Aware of a lot of vulnerable pregnant ladies on here so I am not going to share my story.
But please lack of movement get yourself to a hospital..stand your ground.. listening to the heartbeat is not enough.. make them do a scan.
Good luck

I’ve felt a few this morning but this is generally the quieter time of day - he/she was really active last night. Think I’m feeling extra anxious because of having to travel (I’ll be 200 miles from home) - if i was really concerned about anything, presumably I could go to the local maternity unit? Work is a real struggle now, I have 2 weeks left but might go earlier - as you say, missing a lot because of appointments and not feeling like I’m adding much at this point!

Thank you so much for all your replies ladies, it really helps to hear from others. Good idea to write down some questions, I’m not due to see the consultant for the growth scan for almost 2 weeks - would I be able to talk to anyone before that?

And yes, totally know what you mean about well meaning comments from others, it’s well intentioned but doesn’t always help! Plus I think if you haven’t had experience of this you don’t understand it, I know I didn’t previously.

I’m just waiting for steroid injections at maternity daycare now. Can hear various professionals being helpful and offering advice. In terms of questions, could see what response you get at various monitoring visits?

Good luck woolster, really hope it all goes ok for you. I know you’ve been through it before but that doesn’t make it any easier, but it’s a good thing to get the steroid injections now. Yes I’m in tomorrow so will see how I get on then - suspect a weekday visit might be better depending on how well staffed they are.

OP - hope all goes well tomorrow. If you have any concerns prior call labour ward.

Sometimes cause of growth restriction can be identified ( eg maternal illness, baby illness, smoking, pre eclampsia) but not always and rest are termed as placental insufficiency of unknown cause.

Both my DC were exactly same weight at birth despite one being term and second 34 weeks so I assume my dc1 had also stopped growing but it hadn't been noticed.

The importance of AC is that it is measures fat deposition so if is relatively small compared to HC means baby not getting enough nutrition.

Growth scans are notorious for not being accurate. Bizarrely in my case with dc2 they were bang on.....

Please try not to worry too much. You are being monitored and if they need to deliver your baby is mature enough to be fine with some support.

I ended up going back in today, got off the train halfway up north - was leaking some fluid but all fine, they tested and it wasn’t waters. They’ve said to come in for daily monitoring now though, but I think I’d prefer that as it will reassure me a bit more. Also got to see the consultant and ask all my questions which was really helpful, so thanks for that advice! Just a waiting game now...

Dd was measured just below 5th centile from about 32wks. I was told to go in for scans n monitor every week. By week 36 they wanted to induce me, even though baby moved to just below 10th. I felt baby was strong, healthy and growing. Just not as fast as they wanted her to. By week 38 my consultant was getting quite nasty and bullying both me and DH as we both felt strongly that as long as baby keeps on growing, following that curve UPwards we should NOT induce. Growth wasn't restricted, but it was still noted as IUGR.
I had a lovely home vbac at 40+12. Baby was born 6lbs 8oz. To this day I believe they had my dates wrong. If we induced at 36 weeks like consultant suggested she'd have had loads of trouble now.
She's 5 months old now. Still small but so aware, alert and awake.
It was a helluva battle to keep baby in my belly, but so worth it!

Good luck, op xxx

Sorry to jump on your post @Corilee2806 having a similar situation 35+2, I went in with reduced movements twice last week with a gut feeling something was off, then found baby's growth had dipped at 34 week scan. Was slightly expected as I have low PAPP-A so having serial scans anyway. After 5 days of daily CTG I demanded to speak to a doctor (kept waiting for 5hours) as every day I was having to explain the situation to the midwives, it seemed none of my information was being passed on to them & they were as confused as I was, often questioning why I was even on the assessment ward. Nobody knew when/if I had a growth scan booked, when/if a consultant was due to se me... as if it wasn't stressful enough!
Turns out I also may be facing early induction depending on growth at 36 week scan. Feeling more reassured by baby's movements in the last couple days thankfully.
Feeling quite low about the situation and very disappointed in the treatment from the maternity staff, not what you need with a first pregnancy.