20 week scan measurement concern

[SamJTony]

Hi everyone

Just having a bit of a panic after my 20 week scan (I was exactly 20 weeks to the day according to my dates) where I saw from my notes that baby is measuring around 50-55th centile for everything except trancerebellar diameter which at 18.4mm puts it around 10th centile. Everything I’ve read online about having a small cerebellum has scared the bajeezus out of me so I’m just wondering if anyone else has had this experience and how things turned out. The sonographer did not comment on it at the time of the scan or raise any concerns subsequently, she said everything looked fine but it’s just something I noticed having reviewed the paperwork later on as it was the only measurement that was behind (and significantly so to my untrained eye). That said, the paperwork also stated that the brain and head appeared normal and no obvious fetal abnormalities spotted which is obviously reassuring but I’m still worrying (hopefully stupidly). One thing to comment was that the baby was laying with its head and face down with its hands by the side of its head so it was a little tricky for her to even get the measurements of the head/brain areas. I know I’m probably being irrational and if there was a problem, they would have said at the time or referred me to a specialist but I still can’t help googling and thinking worst case scenarios. Please can anyone help/advise? Thank you xx

Bump

Anyone?

Sorry you’re feeling this way.

I would have expected the sonographer to ask for a second opinion, refer you or discuss it with you if she was concerned.

Maybe mention it at your next MW appointment for reassurance?

10th centile means that 10% of babies measure smaller. You baby has a bigger cerebellum than 10% of babies. Its it the case that 10% of babies have developmental problems associated with being small here? No. Nothing like that many. You baby is a bit smaller than average but well within the normal range.

Do ask your midwife when you get the chance, but don't overestimate how small this measurement actually is in context.

Honestly at 20 weeks it doesn’t mean anything, they change and grow so quickly so try not to panic!

Thanks so much for your replies everyone. I know it’s probably silly of me to get so wound up when I’ve not been told there is anything to worry about and besides, I realise the sonographer will know a lot more than I ever will about what constitutes a concern or not. For a little context, my son was born with a hearing loss (not nearly the same ballpark as a brain/developmental problem, I know) but we had a lot of worry and uncertainty after his birth about what might have caused it and if there might be any further issues yet to present themselves (thankfully he’s almost 3 now and absolutely perfect aside from his hearing loss) but it hit like a bolt from the blue so I’m hyper aware of everything this time round. I will definitely speak to my midwife when I see her next (although frustratingly that’s not for a quite a while). I do have another scan with fetal medicine in mid September as they want to check the baby’s heart (I had a hole in my heart when I was born) so I guess if there is an issue, it will be another opportunity for it to be spotted/monitored.