Extra scan for extreme growth

[nikkihughes]

I've just been to see the midwife and she's sent me for another scan for extreme growth. I'm 31+6 and according to the chart baby is about 4.4lbs. Has anyone else had this? TIA

Did she actually say ‘extreme’? Is this from bump measuring? Has the growth happened quickly?

Not trying to be goady, just trying to useful with info. I was already in for growth scan at 28 weeks due to predicted small growth, but actually my baby was estimated 3lb at 28+5. Have a follow up scan on Monday. That growth put him on 89th centile ... so just at upper line on the growth chart. I did get sent for a glucose test for diabetes as gestational diabetes can cause large babies. It was negative. When we asked consultant what 89th centile actually meant, he said IF the growth carried on at that rate and IF I went to 42 weeks (unlikely in itself) the baby was PROJECTED to be 9lb. That larger babies do need more assistance but they are rubbish ( his word!) at predicting shoulder dystocia (shoulders sticking). They just wanted to keep an eye on the growth trend in case it went over the line.

If it’s from bump measuring, I don’t have much experience as I was already getting growth scans so MW hasn’t bothered. But can imagine they can be inaccurate - my baby recently turned from prime breech ( bum right down into my pelvis) to head down and my bump looks so different.

We've had a nightmare with bump measurements - had two which have triggered sending me for static growth scans as baby has been measuring smaller than they'd like.

At the first one (I think it was 28 weeks) growth scan showed DD was growing fine and was just under the 90th centile, tummy two weeks ahead. But my bump measurement showed I had only grown 1 1cm in 2 weeks.

Second scan (36 weeks) has shown DD is going to be big- over the 90th centile- after having bump measurement show only a 0.5cm increase in two weeks. Her tummy is 3 weeks ahead.

Had the gestational diabetes test which came back negative. So we're just having a huuuge baby.

I had to go to the MOAU to talk to a consultant for a 'care plan' but tbh they aren't too concerned now that they know it's not diabetes related. They had initially suggested I have an induction date booked in of 40+11, but as they are predicticting baby to be 4.5kg by then, I asked for 41 weeks instead.

I’ve been scanned a lot through the pregnancy including two glucose tests our baby was measuring 6lbs at 33 weeks. None of the doctors or midwives seem worried that he is measuring over the 95th percentile- just saying he is big in a matter of fact way. Is it because this is a growth spurt for you that they are worried?

This is only my second measurement and I think what's triggered the scan is that the growth has been faster than normal. She has put on the request form for the hospital that's it's 'extreme growth'. My first measurement was at 28+3 and bump measured just over the 10th centile and now 3 weeks later it's measured at about 70th centile

Have you had a glucose test?

No not yet. Are they done as standard with every pregnancy?

If they are worried about sudden growth in the baby they usually do a diabetes test to check you aren’t passing too much sugar to the baby.... just wondered if they had mentioned that to you. I’m sure you will be fine and it’s nice to see your baby again on the scan! ❤️

They told me this when i was pregnant with ds 8 months. When i had the scan they said he was small and it was the way he was lying. I had repeated growth scans for poor growth and then he was 7lb 3. I wouldnt worry at all. The last growth scan showed ds to be under 5lbs and this was done by a consultant. Both measuring and growth scan are inaccurate from my experience.

Sorry if I’m reading this wrong but have you actually had the scan yet? You say the baby is measuring 4.4lbs but that can’t be estimated from a fundal height measurement so I think you may be misinterpreting the growth chart. An increase in growth should trigger a scan to investigate but wouldn’t necessarily mean a large baby

Thank you for your help! it's my first pregnancy so not really sure what I'm doing but fingers crossed everything is ok 😊

I've read it off the chart but maybe I've read it wrong? When the size of bump is plotted on the graph I think it gives an estimated weight but maybe I'm wrong. New to all this so still trying to figure it all out! 🤦🏻‍♀️

I thought that’s what you might have done but that’s not how the charts work. They show FH measurements down one side and these can be plotted against gestation to see which centile the FH lies on. Alternatively the estimated fetal weight from scan (EFW) is shown down the other side and similarly this can be plotted. However, the FH is not meant to be used to estimate the weight of the baby because you’ve no way of knowing how much of the FH measurement is made up of maternal tissue or amniotic fluid. FH is used as a screening tool to see who might need a scan but more often than not everything is ok at scan so try not to worry.

Hope that makes sense (btw I’m a midwife sonographer)

Ah right ok. Thank you! The midwife didn't seem concerned so I'll try not to worry and just look forward to seeing little bump again 😊

4.4lbs at 31+6 seems okay to me. My son was estimated at 4.8lbs at 32+5 and was born a perfectly reasonably sized 6.14lbs at 38+2

Try not to worry 😊