How accurate are growth scans?

[maria94]

According to my growth scan, baby is measuring almost 9 pounds at 38 weeks! Im happy she's nice and healthy but I'm worried I'm going to go overdue and she is going to be huge!!

How accurate are these growth scans?

My daughter was born at 37+4 and was estimated on scans as being 5lb 6oz. I was induced due to IUGR and she was 5lb 3oz so pretty close.

@maria94 it depends on where you live. I asked for early induction and was told "there was no evidence that early delivery would help". I asked for a c-section in the end.

My growth scans showed big babies. My actually babies were 2-3lbs heavier than predicted. I had a 10lbs 12oz at 41 weeks and a 10lbs 8oz at 39 weeks.

Spot on for me times two. Twins measured to be 5lb5 and 5lb4 at 34+4 and they were 5lb4 and 5lb6 at 34+5

I asked for an elective with my first- it was denied. With my second I insisted based on the labour of my first . This was Kent NHS, I don't know if it varies.

DC1 was told at growth scan baby would 6lb maximum if born at 40 weeks - was 8lb4oz born at 40+1.
Currently 35 weeks and told this one is already over 95th centile so will just have to wait and see

@amazedmummy that doesn't sound right, of course an early delivery would help? Less time for the baby to keep putting on the weight! Don't blame you for asking for a c section.

@Kanga83 gosh! Were they both delivered naturally?

@maria94 no, my first was an emergency c-sec purely as her head was big and I'm only 5ft. My second was an elective c-sec and went to plan.

@Kanga83 that's what I'm scared about, not being able to push her out. I'm small myself as well and I'd really like to avoid a stressful birth. I'd rather plan a c section now if we all know she's going to struggle coming out!

Out for me, I had a growth scan at 38 weeks, measured at 7 lb 11,
DD arrived two weeks later at 6 lb 11
They went off the size of her thigh bone, she was lanky but skinny so I guess that threw it off

@maria94 yup, apparently they were doing a research trial too and would have liked me first take part. He was estimated big I think 9lbs 12oz at 37 weeks. Due to reduced movements he was delivered at 39 weeks on the dot by ELCS, the c-section was my request because he was big. He was 10lbs 10oz.

There is a pretty large margin of error. DD was predicated to be around 8 and a half lbs. She was actually 6lbs 12oz!

Late scan at 40 wks + 9 days and was told baby would be 10 lb 4oz. DD born 48 hrs later and was 8 lb 4oz. Don't think that she lost 2lb in two days in utero...

Can I say how comforting this thread is?!?

Mine were accurate within a couple of oz, so very accurate

Really out for me, was told mines was 9lb 3 on 37 week scan got induced at 38 weeks and was only 7lb 12.

Not accurate for me. My last scan was at 38w and they predicted high 7's at 40w. Baby born at 40+2 weighing 9lb 2oz very straightforward delivery though if it helps, and I'm slim built naturally. Big babies don't always equal problems - I had a much easier delivery than my friend who had a 6lb 12oz baby!

Not that accurate in my case. Baby was measuring over 10lbs and he was born 7lb 5. I think they are notorious for being wrong

Had a growth scan at 38 weeks which predicted baby 10lb+ he was 8lb 12oz when he was born 2 weeks later

I had a fair few (ivf then a couple of bleeds) and he measured big. I was induced at 41+5 and he was 10lb9oz so in our case the scans were accurate (and in hindsight I’d have accepted induction the first time they offered rather than waiting for my labour to start naturally which it didn’t) - however, my baby was massive, and back to back, and I am a size 6 to 8 with 12-year-old-boy hips, and he still made it into the world ok - vaginal delivery with forceps, some pelvic floor damage for me but comparable to friends with smaller babies/less intervention.

Whatever happens, chances are you’ll be ok. And I felt much calmer about establishing breastfeeding because he wasn’t tiny and ravenous so psychologically it was somehow easier to relax about whether he was getting enough milk.