Short femur length

[Catred4]

Hi everyone, I’ve just had a private growth scan at 16+4. It’s looking like baby’s head and abdominal measurements are on the 75th percentile but the femur length measurement is on the 15th percentile. Just getting a bit worried by that ratio, has anyone ever had a similar experience?

Hi there, not e xactly but my wee girls femurs were fine at 20week like at 50th centile, scan by 28weeks they then measured below 15th centile, next 34week scan were around 12th centile with head & abdominal still around 50th, i panicked so much, googled too much esp since my husband and I both tall ... she was born 53cm, absolutely perfect so try not to worry.

Hi my hubby and I are both tall too and our babies femurs are always considerably below 50th percentile and abdomen is 97th and head I think sort of somewhere between 70-90. I envisage a very fat baby with short legs but doctors don’t seem worried. I think if doctors aren’t concerned we need not be.

@Catred4, I had a scan at 16 weeks at which the femur was at 20 percentile, and everything else was in the 50 percentile
The sonographer said everthing was fine, but of course I started to google it and worry..
Then went back for my 20 week scan and saw the femur had catched up and now is at 50 percentile and in line with the rest which continues to be in the 50s (escept for belly which is now higher in 80).
So try not to worry, if anything was wrong they would have mentioned it.. as long as the measurements are within the percentiles they are considered normal. Hope everything goes well in your next scan :)

Did the sonographer measure both legs?

Currently going through something similar, my babys femur length is below the 5th percentile with abdominal on the 25th percentile and hc on the 50th, I think the doctors only worry if the femur length is below the 5th percentile and the abdominal is on the 25th or higher, I have to go back for another scan next week just to check his measurements but the woman who did my scan didnt seem overly concerned as I'm quite short myself x

I had similar at my 20w scan. Came home and googled it, which I shouldn't have as the midwife really wasnt too concerned, just said baby wouldn't be very tall (I'm 5 foot 2). I'm sure its fine, try not to worry

I had to have extra scans with my first as they said he was measuring small. He was 7lb 5 when born and is now nearly 6 ft tall. In short, try not to worry as scans can be wrong.

Hi All, I'm going through the same thing now, went for my 20 week scan 2 weeks ago and everything else was measuring within the average range apart from his femurs which was the 7th percentile. Went back 2 weeks later (yesterday) for a growth scan and they've said they've grown but are still boarder line between 5th & 7th percentile at 33mm so have referred me to a consultant for another scan and further checks next week.

Hi @RainbowL2020 just wondering how everything is going as I'm in a similar situation with my babies measurements x

@Laura3151 I actually went into labour early with a placental abruption at 31+ 4 ! Turns out it hadn't been working properly all along (although on every scan blood flow etc always showed fine). Absolutely nothing wrong with him just small after all the worry! I'm sure you'll be the same xx

At my 20 week scan my baby's head and body were 90th percentile and legs were 10th 😬 The sonographer said she wasn't worried and I haven't been offered any more scans. I've brought it up at several midwife appts and they just say they're not worried because the legs were above 5th percentile and everything else seems absolutely fine. I'm now 36 weeks so we shall see whether he comes out with tiny legs or not!

Hi @bluemoon2468 yeah I was absolutely worried sick but my measurements were off the charts so they had to tell me all worse case scenarios but I wouldn't of got any more scans if they were above 10th. He's absolutely fine though and I'm sure your little one will be too 🥰

Hi ladies, glad to have found this thread. We were referred for a growth scan as 31 week fundal measurement was low. Scan results for his size came back as AGA but they have placed his femurs on the 3rd centile! At my previous, 23-week scan (rescan) he was on 20th centile for femur length. His humerus length is on the 10th centile currently, so praying his femurs may grow a little to reach above fifth centile too. His AC is on 60th centile. Have another scan in 2-weeks so will update then.

@RainbowL2020 thanks for update. I did have another scan and she was still the same, still measuring in proportion but her legs and arms are behind sounds like a contradiction doesn't it, especially when u see those markings on the graphs in comparison to humerus and femur. Glad everything turned out with u. My others Half's nan before all of this in early stages of pregnancy said I've got a feeling you'll have this one early. Like you, my placenta is looking good and aminotic fluid etc. It's just such a worry, it's hard to switch off. I'm going back for another scan at the end of this month xx

@JJxo good luck pls let us know how u get on. It's a worrying time isn't it. Xx

@bluemoon2468 yes I've read too that's it's only a concern if they r below the 5th. I guess it's only mm which are tiny but they make such such a difference to the percentile. Hope all is well. Not long for you now xxx

Both mine had this

Both of them are fine

I was so worried as well btw

(My son was 4lb 4oz And on the 3rd centile at birth) he was premature

He is now 115 cm tall and weighs 21 kg 🥳 first day of school today at just 4 years old

I hac something similar with large head and belly and short arms and legs.

He came out perfectly normal and healthy, he's 2 and a half now.

Does have a rather large head and shortish stocky legs, but looks completely normal.

Thanks @Laura3151 The wait in between the scans is so tough, thinking of you as well. X

@JJxo hi, just wondering how you are getting on? I'm still having regular growth scans. Each one she had been on the 5th percentile for arms and legs but had stayed on the growth chart going up for her weeks. Next scan is 3rd Nov and I'll be approaching 32 weeks xx

Just wanted to update for anyone who may be torturing themselves about femur length such as we did a few months back. DS now aged 3.5 months is perfectly fine with absolutely no concerns regards his femurs. In fact he is almost out of his 3-6 month sleepsuits! Whilst the ultrasounds are really important, in our case I found the growth scans at 30+ weeks to be anxiety inducing and cannot believe how much we worried when I look at him now x

@JJxo I can also update - I now have a 5 month old on the 90th centile for height about to go into 9-12 month sleepsuits 😆

@JJxo and @Tucancrossing thank you so much for updating. My baby's femur length has gone down to 14 to 10 centile and I'm so worried. I won't see a doctor until next week discuss the results so I'm currently worrying myself sick on google. Tummy and head are 85 and 63 to its a big difference.

I had a growth scan at 30+6 weeks a few days ago and my baby also has small femurs and a larger tummy and I was unsure why but it wasn't mentioned to me at all. I am only 158cm and my partner isn't much taller than me so 🤷‍♀️. It was on the 22nd percentile when we was scanned at 24 weeks so I feel nervous for my next growth scan at 32+6