Baby’s head measuring big at 28 weeks?

[dreamerkr]

I just had a growth scan at 28+2 and everything else looked fine except baby’s head measurement which was measuring 31 weeks and 1 day! Almost 3 weeks bigger than it should be! Why could this be guys? I do have gestational diabetes but that’s more likely to affect the abdominal measurement rather than baby’s head measurement. The sonographer said it’s still okay but I’m so worried. 😭

If sonographer says it's OK then I wouldn't fret. They'd refer you. It's not a precise measurement. What is it anyway?

It was a private scan, I have a NHS growth scan next week because I have gestational diabetes, I hope they got the measurement wrong 🥺

So you've had a private growth scan this week and an nhs one planned for next week?

I only found out about the NHS scan an hour ago 🥺

Here are the measurements

My baby girl had a huge head at 28w (beyond 100th percentile) and I was later diagnosed with gestational diabetes. They scanned her and concluded it was congenital as my husband has a large head.

She arrived with a 99th percentile head but was also 100th percentile for length which wasn’t predicted by her scans. She was only 50th for weight though, smaller than predicted. Her head doesn’t look too big for her at all so don’t worry if they say the scan looks fine.

Do you or DP have a big head? My family are very blessed in the head size department and I've had two smallish babies (under 6lb) with 98th centile heads

My ds, when born was a 50percentile baby with a 98 percentile head. He was fine, no issues, but not an easy birth.

Look at their measurements closer to 40 weeks and if still out of proportion, maybe ask about a c-section.

Thank you so much guys, this is reassuring. 🥺 both me and DH have big heads tbh but is it normal for baby to be measuring 3 weeks ahead on head circumference?

@dreamerkr It’s honestly fine - at our 36w scan my baby has a 41w head!

Sorry, I’d add it’s fine providing they have scanned for abnormalities & concluded none are visible. Someone’s baby has to be on the 99th percentile :)

@Porridgeislife thank you so much. My 20 week scan was all good, there were no visible abnormalities so I hope everything will be fine fingers crossed. ❤️

Oh okay fair enough! I wasn't being judgey btw, I was wondering if you were suffering with anxiety due to having 2 scans in 2 weeks for the same issue but I'm now presuming you wouldn't have had the private scan if you'd known you were going to be having the NHS one so ignore me!

Unfortunately both me and exh have big heads. Perhaps they should tell us this when dating so we can consider what this means for giving birth

Dd was born with a head on the 99th percentile and ds was 4 weeks early and his head was still on the 95th fgs.

Luckily for me, scans aren't what they are today so I had no idea what was coming but they were still both born vaginally. I don't think they really know till the day so try not to worry too much unless they get concerned!

@mummyh2016 to be completely honest, I’ve definitely been having anxiety throughout the whole pregnancy. I’ve had lots of private scans up until 20 weeks and even after my 20 week scan I’ve been stressing even though everything looked good. Every tiny little thing is making me so worried 🥺

@SpotOnMyBot thank you so much! Both me and my husband have big heads too, so that may be why baby has a big head haha

Totally normal! I’m pregnant with my 3rd and have GD. The head went from 50th centile at 20 weeks to 99th at 28 weeks! The dr measures it 5x as he couldn’t believe it 🤣🤣 but they weren’t concerned at all, all my babies have had huge heads (as do me and my partner - tbh I couldn’t believe it was only 50th centile at the 20 week scan) and it all balances out I promise! Also, it’s great the abdominal measurement is on track. Mine is at 97th centile even though I’ve kept on top of my blood sugars, which isn’t great x

@Pelotonconvert thank you so much. How many weeks are you now? Gestational diabetes is so difficult right? 🥺

How do you know the centile of the measurements? Can I check somewhere?

GD is So rubbish @dreamerkr especially as sometimes you just NEED a boost and there’s nothing that you can have that hits the spot! The hospital provide the percentiles on the growth chart - it may just be what they do but I’m sure you could ask for them. Good luck but don’t worry all sounds great to me!

@Pelotonconvert thank you so much. I’m always feeling so weak and nauseous with GD and I don’t know what to eat or drink to make me feel better 🥺 even just now I was cooking and felt so dizzy and sick suddenly.

Hi, I have just seen this post. I am 29weeks pregnant and my last scan result was exactly same like yours @dreamerkr
I am wondering how did you end up with the your experience and hopefully you and your baby are fine and healty x

I totally understand your concern, but try not to worry too much. Babies can have growth spurts at different times, and the head measurement might just be a little ahead for now. With gestational diabetes, it's good to keep an eye on things but trust what the sonographer says. If there were any major issues, they would have let you know.

When I needed to measure something online, I found this neat tool at https://ruler.onl/ really handy! Just mentioning it in case, it helps you with other measurements in the future.

As others have said, not unusual!

My son has a huge head. At 34 weeks it was already at 40 weeks. I didn't have GD. I expected it though bc my sisters 2 kids also had giant heads and I was 9lb 7oz when born (to my 5'2" mother!)

I could have written this myself!!!! I had my ultrasound Wednesday at 28+0, and his head was measuring 95th percentile, while the rest was at 56th.
We also have an SUA....

I wanted to ask for a follow up? How is your baby now?? ❤️