Bad news at 36 week scan - so scared

[worried88]

I had a routine 36 week scan this morning and it picked up some problems. I've been diagnosed with polyhydramnios (deepest pool was 10.6cm). The baby's head is also measuring just above the 97th centile at 355mm, abdominal circumference just below the 97th (although this was not deemed a problem) and everything else was in the normal range. The baby appears to have fluid in the stomach and bladder which means they're swallowing, both kidneys were identified and the heartbeat was normal.

After the sonographer identified the polyhydramnios, I was given a blood test at the hospital and have now been asked to monitor my blood sugar with an AgaMatrix machine for the next three days to check for gestational diabetes.

Eight weeks ago my regular midwife detected a trace of glucose in my wee sample at my 28 week appointment, but it was all clear again at 32 weeks so I assumed it had just been a blip. My 34 week midwife appointment was cancelled due to the coronavirus and was done over the phone instead, so there was no test done at 34 weeks.

I also had a private wellbeing scan done three weeks ago and at that scan, my amniotic fluid was in the normal range. Head circumference was 319mm (compared with 355mm today). I wasn't able to give this information to the hospital today as annoyingly I didn't have my notes with me.

Following today's scan, the hospital have asked me to come in for another scan next week with a consultant at the fetal medicine unit. I'm waiting to hear back from them with a time.

In the meantime though I'm going out of my mind with worry about what all this could mean. It was such a lot to take in that I think a lot of what they were saying went completely over my head as I wasn't really thinking straight.

Has anyone experienced anything similar? I'm so frightened that something is badly wrong.

If you've had the Harmony test, you really don't need to worry re genetic conditions as it would just be vanishingly unlikely. Do your NHS doctors know you've had it? It may put their minds at rest!

PS my first daughter was 8 lb 2 oz and the second one was 8 lb 9 oz, wonderful natural births with both despite their big heads and big tummies!

I had this at 21 week scan and had extra scans all the way through - no gestational diabetes. Dd was 10lbs 4oz with no probs at all (other than my poor stitched up nether regions).

In fact with mine the babies' heads were both 98 or 99th centile and the tummies were actually off the scale... ! (I didn't have GD, I'd had the test)

Do your NHS doctors know you've had it? It may put their minds at rest!

Yes they do know I’ve had the harmony test.

Thanks @MotherOfDragonite - I can’t tell you how reassured I am by reading your posts

Good to know about the c-section as well. Is it something I should definitely go for if the baby is measuring big - and will it be hard to get one? I was always set on a vaginal birth so don’t really know much about my options when it comes to ELCS. But I’ve heard that hospitals don’t give them out lightly.

I have a feeling that I will have gestational diabetes, given one of my readings today is already 0.5 above the threshold. It’s strange as I don’t have any of the risk factors for GD on the NHS website.

Personally I had vaginal births with both babies with no problems whatsoever. My best friend also had straightforward vaginal births with both of her 10 lb babies!

I just think if you are not keen on induction and they end up pressing you to go for one, then elective c-section can be a valid alternative to ask them about. I'm sure you could be fine with a vaginal birth in terms of baby size, I just don't know about the pros/cons with polyhydramnious.

It’s looking likely that I do have gestational diabetes, as two of the three finger prick tests I’ve done today have come back at 8.3 and 8.2, above the 7.8 threshold. I’ve been reading about GD and am feeling so scared after finding this on the Diabetes UK website:

Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said: “It is well established that gestational diabetes is a serious health issue that can cause birth defects, stillbirth and complications for the mother. But it is also important that women understand that gestational diabetes leaves a frightening legacy, putting the child at increased risk of a serious health condition which, if poorly managed, can lead to complications such as kidney disease, stroke and amputation.”

www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news/gestational-diabetes-and-children

I’m so worried that it has been caught too late to do much about it now - and what it could mean for my baby.

I am sorry to read you are going through this. I cannot comment on all your points. But from my own experience, I was told at 30 weeks at a hospital in Hampshire my baby was measuring 3 weeks ahead, and I had an iron deficiency. I relocated back to Scotland 4 days later and had to start again with midwives from the booking in appointment right up to 30 week appointment. I was told at my appointment in Scotland there was no iron deficiency and baby was measuring below 50th percentile.

I had been extremely stressed by what I had originally got told and was basically told the complete opposite a week later.

Please try not to stress as they do not always get it 100% accurate.

I also think with with everything else going on at the moment it can heighten all stress levels. Good luck and I hope it all works out for you and baby xx

OP did you do the gestational diabetes test done before?

@MonaLisaDoesntSmile I’ve only done the standard wee tests for my midwife appointments. The 28 week test had a trace of glucose but at the next appointment (32 weeks) it had disappeared, so everything seemed fine. My 34 week appointment was cancelled due to coronavirus.

I’ve now been given a machine to do a finger prick test four times a day and if I have three readings over the threshold, I have to ring the hospital and will be given an appointment to discuss dietary advice.

Is a home testing device a standard way to diagnose GD - and if I have three readings over the threshold does that mean I definitely have it? It’s day one of testing and I’ve already had two high readings so far.

Sorry I’ve not read the whole thread but I think I had this (too much fluid around the baby?) which was picked up at 38 weeks. I had extra scans because of my age (41). They said the baby was measuring huge, could be diabetes, said I needed to be induced, possible c section etc. in the end the baby came naturally at 39 weeks. Weighed 8lb 8 so not huge. Healthy baby, normal delivery etc. Good luck OP.

Thank you @FinallyGotanIPhone

@worried88 Sorry as can't be of much help, just wondering if you were asked to do OGTT and whether that showed nothing, but then realised these are not routinely done and you need to be in the increase group risk to be offered one.
Do you have any other symptoms of gestational diabetes?

Please try not to worry (easier said that done!), we are already under so much stress already. Can you speak to your midwife on Monday and ask any questions even before you see the consultant? Maybe that can give you a piece of mind.

Yes, I don’t have any of the usual risk factors so was never offered an OGTT. I haven’t had any obvious GD symptoms - I wouldn’t know I had GD if it wasn’t for this scan and test. I’ve got my 36 week midwife appointment on Tuesday (face to face at the moment, but that may change) so will hopefully be able to ask lots of questions then.

I’m just hoping the appointment with the consultant is arranged sooner rather than later.

I had pretty much exactly the same at 37 weeks. Fluid levels were back into the normal range by 39 weeks and no sign of any problems but the baby was certainly a big baby. Labour wasn't much more difficult with my 10lb baby compared to my 7lb baby. Good luck and try not to worry too much!

I gave birth earlier this year after being diagnosed with polyhydraminos. In my case my bump was measuring normal throughout my pregnancy, but then suddenly grew and was 3 weeks ahead in size when I was 34wks. My midwife told me to go in for a scan to check to see what was going on. I thought I was going to be giving birth to a very large baby but measurements were all around the 50th centile and I did not have gestational diabetes, but there was quite a significant amount of excess amniotic fluid. In my case it was unknown what caused it. However it did result in me going into labour spontaneously at 36 wks. This is common when there is excess amniotic fluid and they had actually arranged to induce me at 38wks because there is a risk of cord prolapse when you go into labour naturally under these circumstances. So I had to rush into hospital as soon as I realised what was happening, where I was monitored very closely. The labour was very long and due to it being a preterm birth, there were a few complications. but I wanted to reassure you that whilst it's natural to worry... I was googling all sorts of things around polyhydraminos when it was diagnosed.., I now have a lovely, healthy little baby who is asleep on my tummy right now. Try not to worry, but do be vigilant in case you go into early labour.

Thank you @LBTM and @itshappened - it’s so reassuring to hear from people who’ve been through similar.

I had the same readings as you from scans etc. I also did the finger prick testing, occasionally was high but normally only because I had, had a chocolate bar.
They kept saying my baby was huge, my deepest pool of fluid was 12 point something. I was induced at 37 weeks, but after 5 days wasn’t progressing so had a c section. My huge baby was 7lb 3oz so not so big.
Please listen to the doctors , but try not worry to much, because the scans aren’t always right.
My LO is now 6 months and is now huge, loves her food. Just like her mother.

What I remember from my situation is that there wasn't a clear thing they were looking for that I could immediately tell from Googke. I would take a lot of comfort from your Harmony test (which I didn't have back then).

Try to keep perspective -- your title says "bad news" but so far you just have to have an extra scan. That could cause worry but it's not bad news.

I’ll be full term in a few days - I just wish the baby could come out now, before the gestational diabetes and polyhydamnios cause any more problems. Why are they waiting? The baby was fine three weeks ago.

My daughter measured off the charts for head and abdominal size at 30 and 36. Two glucose tests came back fine. Some babies are just big.

My daughter is currently 10 weeks and asleep on me now. She's perfect.

Is it worth considering genetics? My own head size is large for an adult so suspect it's just genes.

I had poly hydramnios due to the baby having a slight kidney reflux issue. He's two and it's monitored by ultrasound every 6 months but it's been ok and unlikely will need surgery.

Weirdly by the time I was induced and they tried rupturing the membranes, there was literally no water there. The midwives were mystified.

I'm sure it's not as bad as it sounds - and baby will be with you soon.X

Ps he has always had a big head- 98th centile while he's 25th for height and weight. It's not noticeable until we try a new shirt on that doesn't have a stretchy head hole 🧐

Thanks for the reassurances - I can't tell you how much it's helped. I found this online which sounds hopeful, especially the last bit. I just hope it's right:

Polyhydramnios is the presence of amniotic fluid >95th centile.

The main cause for this is idiopathic, but structural, viral and diabetes as causes must be investigated for.

The prognosis is usually good, with only 1% of structurally normal fetuses on ultrasound having an associated congenital abnormality.

teachmeobgyn.com/pregnancy/fetal-abnormality/polyhydramnios/

I'm just counting down the hours until Monday now, when I can speak to the hospital again and hopefully get an appointment with the consultant booked.

@worried88 i havent read the whole thread but just wanted to share my experiences, i had polyhydramnios in all 3 pregnancies, only confirmed in my last one. My waters going in all 3 labours was definitely something else, i remember midwife comments about swimming pools 🤣 My last baby was 10lb 6oz. I was induced 5 days past my due date with him because of his estimated size and the excess water combined, they said with one or the other they would have let me go the full two weeks over. I had 3 normal vaginal deliveries with no complications, and i was tested for diabetes in all 3 too. All 3 came back as normal. I just have loads of fluid and big babies apparently 🤣🤣 hope that helps a little.

Thanks @Hatepickinganame.

I now have an appointment at the hospital's Fetal Medicine Unit on Wednesday afternoon - they're going to do a thorough scan and check and measure everything again.

They were reassuring on the phone - apparently polyhydramnios is one of the most common things they see and anminotic fluid measurements can be distorted if the baby happens to do a wee just before the scan!

Unfortunately though my finger-prick tests for gestational diabetes have now shown three readings over the threshold, which means I probably do have GD and that is the likely cause of the polyhydramnios.

It's a bit of a shock as I was considered low risk for GD, no one in my family has diabetes and it seems to have come on very suddenly. I'm so worried about what this means for the baby's health.