Low Gestational Weight

[teenmom2be]

Hi all,

My fundal measurement has been getting lower than it should be over the past weeks and is now only 31cm at 35+4.

I am now being sent for a growth scan today and am getting extremely worried - due to how far on I am etc.

Has anyone else experienced this? What was your outcome etc?

I just want to know best and worst case scenario what to expect - these are scary times without this happening on top and obviously I have to go in myself!

Hey, I didn't have the same but I had the opposite, my baby was very large and they was worried she wouldn't arrive safely. when I went for my scan at around 36/37 weeks they made me stay in for 2 days and have steroid injection (in your bum cheeks ) to strengthen the lungs of baby incase they need to get them out early. They then normally scan again to check growth. I got out of hospital on the Saturday and had a csection on the Thursday at 38 weeks.
Don't be too worried op, they should keep you very informed with everything! Goodluck!

@GAW19 what did she weigh? Heard so many stories where they predicted the weight wrong x

I hope all is well OP.
Sometimes not for all but the weight they estimate can be so off!
Glad they sent you for a scan today though

Sorry forgot to add when babies drop in the later stage of pregnancy the measurement may not reflect on the baby's true size

Hello op, it could just be the position of the baby, however there are a number of things they will check. Firstly it’s the cord flow, thing could indicate If there is a reason for poor growth, and could indicate IGRU.

The rest they check is head, tummy, legs measurements, then they give you a predicted weight and centipede range.

With my first I was sent for growth scans at 36 weeks as I measured 30 weeks... he was fine just dinky. There was talk of induction but His heart rate and movement as fine so he came naturally at 40weeks at a dinky 6lb 2. He had SGA -small gestational age.

My 2nd I had lots of issues in pregnancy and was heavily scanned and monitored, she was 0.04 centile and I was due an induction at 37+4, she arrived after a sweep at bang on 37 weeks. Weighing 5lb 5/6ish can’t remember exactly.

If baby is small at growth scan today but cord flow is fine, they might just bring you back in another 2 weeks for another scan. They might just not need to see you again and just you go in if any concerns

Centipede? Obviously should be centile haha haha

Thanks everyone for your help and experiences! Has helped me somewhat put my mind at ease!

@Mummyspider27 tbh they really weren't that far off! Day before we had her they said 8lb 13oz, she was born 8lb 11oz but I'm only 4ft 11" so she was huge for my frame

Hi there! I had 2 babies with very serve growth issues. One was 2lbs at birth. One was 3kbs

Do they know why get?

It usually goes.

Legs stop. Stomach stop

Head stops growing. A human will always protect the head

Also is it all over growth?

Have they tested for genetics?

My two carried on to be very SGA. Small for gestational age. Even now my 8yr old weighs 18kgs. Most 1 year olds weigh 15kgs. They both weighed 12lbs at 1 yr old

Not twins. But sisters.

However. Both are really healthy. Just tiny. I am not tall and I was a size 4 till I was 35ish. My mother is a size 10. My auntie after 4 children is a size 6

My husbands family. His mother is incredibly slim! A size 6.

We saw all sorts of dr. I actually had a very rare condition which made me very poorly. I spent almost a year in hospital after the bay was born (don't worry though. I'm one of only 300 cases ever!) so very very rare. Most drs don't ever see a case in 150 years.

We saw endocrine drs. We saw growth drs. But it turns out. It's just genetic. Small family. Small kids. The drs told me that because so many children are obese naturally now. They panic when a small child comes along!

Oh. One more thing.

It can be caused by 1000's if reasons. For IUGR. Or even severe IUGR. Like mine. It can be cord compression. It can be blood issues. It can be pituitary issues. It can be genetic issues. WTer issues.

The really positive thing to come. Even now. Is that it's been noticed!!! That is the one best thing can ever of happened from this

Make sure to immediately go and get checked if babe stops moving. This is the number one reason for distress in IUGR babies.

I had an issue with growth restriction. A marker was picked up of a possible issue at my 20 week scan so I had a follow up at 28 weeks to see if it had corrected itself (it hadn't) so I was then closely monitored with lots of scans which showed the baby was small before the fundal height measurement started dropping off (which it did from about 32-33 weeks). The upshot was that the baby was whipped out via section at 34 weeks as she was struggling. She spent some time in nicu but was then fine and quickly chubbed up once she was out in the world.

Btw my issue was with blood flow through the placenta - she just wasn't getting what she needed to grow.

It was extremely stressful at the time but ultimately turned out fine.

@teenmom2be how did it go?