IUGR

[greenemerald]

Hi,

I'm currently 28w pregnant and since 20w baby has consistently measured on the 2nd centile (he was only 730g on my last scan when the average should be 1kg at 27w gestation). I've since been having regular scanning/dopplers weekly, and my consultant has now said they will increase this to twice weekly. I have been told this is down to placental insufficiency and they have also noted an increase in resistance, and there is an extremely high chance I will have to deliver by 32-34 weeks. However it could happen at any time.

It's all been a bit much the last few weeks with such regular hospital appointments and tests etc but obviously glad they're keeping a close eye.

Has anyone else had any experience of an IUGR baby that was delivered around 32w or even before? I really don't know what to expect in terms of the babies development etc. I have an appointment in a few days to discuss so any pointers to what questions I should be asking would be great, too.

Hi, can I ask how you got on as I am
Going through the same thing now. My scenario sounds very similar I am currently 27 weeks (28 tomorrow) and contemplating termination. I was leaving it to fate/nature take its cause which consultant thought would happen about now but now saying it get to 32-34 weeks baby has much higher chance of being ok but as it’s going on getting harder. I have other children and so just can’t take chance on their lives ok brining child into the world with lots of problems, long term disability. For us we just wouldn’t be able to cope so now in this dilemma.

My daughter was an IUGR baby. She had to be born by emergency c-section at 34 weeks as she was in distress. She had measured small (her stomach in particular) from the 12 week scan but the hospital never really kept an eye on it. Being as she was my first, I was clueless to the whole thing. At the 5 month scan they realised there was an actual problem but there wasn’t much done in terms of follow up. They were really bad! Anyhow, at 34 weeks I realised something was wrong after I started bleeding at home and heard her heartbeat really faint on my Doppler. Roll on a few hours later and she was delivered weighing 3 pounds as it turned out she wasn’t getting much food through the umbilical cord. She stayed in intensive care for two weeks but then was discharged super tiny but doing great. Feeding was regular and every 2 hours, but she grew in no time and we had no other problems. Roll on 8 years later and I have the most beautiful and healthy little girl. She excels in everything she does and in terms of early development ie. walking and talking, there were no problems whatsoever, she hit all her milestones exactly when she should have. It was a scary time and I look back and think I should have been on the hospital more but I was so young and clueless to it all. It all worked out for me though in the end as I’m sure it will for you too!

We were the same. Placenta wasn't working and baby wasn't growing. Was having to go to hospital every day and was just told to keep bags packed in the car. it was very stressful and I understand how you feel.

Eventually I was taken in and was given injections to boost his lungs and 2 days later he was delivered by cesarian at 34w, he weighed 3lb 5 but completely healthy, he didn't even have to go in an incubator.

Your doctors will keep a close eye on you and judge when its better baby is out than in.

Hes also now caught up and on the 9th cemtile and is amazing.

These doctors do amazing work. There were babies on NICU that were born weighing 1lb.

Good luck with everything.

I was an IUGR baby and was born at 34 weeks. It hasn’t really affected me at all, although a lot more is known about it these days in terms of neurodevelopmental consequences. Coincidentally I had a growth restricted baby myself at 36w, though that wasn’t the main issue in the pregnancy, and he’s been fine. He hit his milestones at the end of the normal range but after a year started to get ahead on things.
I did find it a bit hard taking him out and having people shocked by how tiny he was, especially during the time when putting weight on him was a constant battle, but he had a huge growth spurt very early, which can be common apparently.

My dd was born at 30 weeks due to pre-eclampsia, but she was also iugr.

She was 980g and was in nicu for roughly 1.5 months, this was 6 years ago so my memory is not accurate on exact duration.

Upon birth (planned cs) she had a great apgar score and went straight to nicu with dh, I went to visit first the next day.

She was fed via longline at the beginning then through ng then expressed bottle fed before coming home. She needed cpap at beginning and the blue light for jaundice. But was off both within a week. We could hold her within a day or so and over the weeks gradually took over all the cares of nappies, clothes and feeding. The nicu staff were great, very organised and caring. There was a room for expressing and freezer storage of expressed milk. Hospital grade pump to rent really cheaply.

There was no judgement on how long you stayed with your baby. I noticed other mums wanted to stay all day but I preferred to visit for a few hours at a time several times a day/night instead and was never made to feel guilty.

My dd didn't have any ROP problems, and dodged NEC, she had a minor bleeding the brain, apparently this is a common thing with babies born at this gestation and had no problems from this to this day.

She did have an inguinal hernia (no idea if prematurity had anything to do with this) which was fixed at 3 months and a large facial birthmark, apparently also more common in premature birth.

These were literally all her "problems" from prematurity, but apart from the birthmark (which has ongoing treatment) and the general initial smallness there are thankfully no effects of being born that early.

What happened was unexpected and not pleasant but babies born at 30 weeks and even a bit earlier, even with iugr have great prospects to be ok.

Good luck to you, I wish you well!