10th centile at 29+4 growth scan

[GeorgiaP88]

Hi everyone,

had a growth scan today and baby is just touching on the 10th centile with an estimated weight of 2.8lb at 29+4 weeks. The lady who did the scan said the blood flow and placenta look good and there’s plenty of fluid around baby, so I’m worried as to why he would be measuring small. Has anyone else had experience with this at all?

also, no one has actually measured my belly with a tape measure, so will this make the estimated weight less accurate? She did plot it on my growth chart but I can’t see how she would know my fundal height without actually measuring it

thanks in advance

Hi @GeorgiaP88, I do not know much myself but I have been having extra scans for different reason and it was then picked up that my baby’s growth has slowed down. He went from 88 centile around 24 weeks I think to 43 at 31 weeks.. and needless to say I am worried. The docs weren’t too much concerned though. Did you have a follow up appointment with a doctor following the scan?

they also seem to use two plotting charts in our hospital. The one on my ultrasound reports would be for the whole U.K. (comparing you to all women) but they also separately can look at what the growth looks like on a chart that had been adjusted for you (comparing you to women of the same height / weight etc)

Growth scan plotting is much more accurate than fundal height. In my experience my babies growth has declined consistently and I am being induced today at 37weeks as baby is on the 1st centile.

Obviously this is only my personal experience. Iv had scans every 2 weeks from 28 weeks and she was actually on the 30th centile then, but went to 8th, 5th, 2nd and now 1st. However my last daughter was exactly the same so I completely expected this.

@20viona could I ask how your daughter is after birth? Was everything okay with her? And all the best with the induction today & safe delivery!

and yes, growths scans while also have a 10-15% margin of error are more accurate than belly measurements, mine was only measured once (when I had to travel to a different hospital) and it wasn’t helpful.

@lillipilli thanks! So her predicted weight was 5lb 6oz but she was actually 5lb 3oz, she perfect in every way and didn't need any additional treatment.

This baby is only measuring 4lb 15oz so I'm Intrigued to see if she's smaller than the scan measurement.

@20viona I have been obsessively reading about potential iugr stories here on Mumsnet, and it seems like there many where the weight was bigger than predicted so it can go either way. Maybe she will be chunkier than you expect. In either case hope it goes smoothly and you are both happy , healthy and all good things 🥰

@lillipilli I have been seen by fetal medicine and they have put it down to SGA as all placenta functions, liquor and Doppler are completely normal. I just grow small babies :)

I had this and thought we were doomed!
I've been having growth scans from 20 wks. Initially baby was just below the 5th centile and they were concerned that she was small and there was a slight issue on my doppler which has now resolved.
At 28 weeks she'd moved up half a centile which was reassuring. At 30 weeks she was half way towards the 50th and at 33wks she is just below the 50th. Estimated weight is 2.1kg.

Midwife doesn't measure my fundal height because I have 3 weekly growth scans so I've no idea if it tallys up or not.

We were expecting the worst and preparing that she might be small for gestational age but she's come on great.

Estimated weights aren't always that accurate. I work on nicu and babies are rarely anywhere near their estimated weight.

Are you small? Is partner?

My baby was 3rd centile at birth now 90th

Other 5th now 50th

And third was under the first now 10th

I'm 5ft 2 and husband 6 3

I think it's genetics don't worry unless there are other concerns it is still in rage
It's more if they plop off their range either up or down a big leap that you would be worried

It's a scary time I was obsessed with my sons legs being short and he's now in age 7-8 trousers and 6 years old

All my love xx

I had to have fortnightly scans from 28 weeks with concerns over baby's growth. The information was really confusing because in some scans she measures 8th centile then in another she measured 35th centile. A mm here or there can make all the difference and she never stopped moving. Most scans showed she was under 10th centile though, with placenta and fluid etc all being fine. Also went in for heart beat monitoring and it was fine too.
I'm the end I was induced at 38 weeks and baby was born weighing 6lb2oz (9th centile) and perfectly healthy. Bigger than everyone expected.
I knew when baby was conceived and I believed her due date was almost a week later than the given date. So in my mind if she was only 37weeks when born and weighing 6lb2 then by 40weeks I would have imagined she would have been at a low average weight and not a concern. Hindsight is a wonderful thing! The extra a scans caused me a lot of stress, especially since no-one could give clear answers but it was reassuring to know that if something was wrong they would have seen it. Sometimes babies are just small. Mine is now 11 months and at last weighing was just below 50th centile.

@20viona hopefully, that's what we have too - as liqour, placenta also so far have been completely normal. I do have occasional reduced movement episodes, and in for twice weekly ctg monitoring now, but so far doctors and midwives are happy with our traces.

@fairgame84 that's so reassuring to hear - my little man also has short legs (but I am trying to think it is just genetics as my husband and all his family are quite short legged, even though I have to for XXLong in next :) )