Small head at scans <3 percentile

[hopeful02]

Hi Ladies,

Please looking for honest reviews (positive/negative) if any of you found that your baby's head circumference was below the 3 percentile in third trimester scan? And if your baby was born with any genetic abnormalities?

I went for a growth scan at 34 weeks and it was under 3 percentile where the rest of the body were all on 50% percentile.

Worse case It could be microcephaly or other genetic issues consultant said. No other anomalies were detected.

would like to hear your experience.

Hi I am going through exactly the same thing as you. I'm 32 weeks. I've sent you a PM. Xxx

@Fjrmum2 - I replied back to you

Hi, I'm going through the same thing. Head is 7th percentile, arms and legs are 3rd, abdomen 23rd. Overall she was at the 3rd percentile at 20 weeks, and at 24 weeks she had moved up to the 6th.

I asked about the small head and my consultant said they only worry if it is below the 1st percentile.

I'm being scanned every 3 weeks for now to check the growth and they can't find anything abnormal so said to consider everything fine. They are considering induction between 35-37 weeks though if she doesn't make it over the 10th percentile.

Good luck and I hope everything works out 💗

my baby measured 50% for everything except her head. I can’t remember what centile her head was on but it was less than 10%. She was born perfect and healthy. She’s just got a dainty head.

My baby’s head was measuring on the 3rd percentile at about 25 weeks. Everything else was around 50th. I was very worried but the lovely consultant who did the scan, and who specialised in fetal brain development, said the brain structures all looked normal. He also asked if I knew what my HC was. I measured it that night and looked it up: what do you know, it’s tiny. Around 3rd percentile for my height. As it turns out my baby’s head was 50th percentile at birth, just like the rest of her, and 75th percentile by 8 weeks.
So, first, do you or DP have a small head?
Secondly, do you know if your baby is a boy or a girl? Girls do have smaller heads (I seem to remember they tend to measure around a week behind boys for HC during gestation) so if a girl she’s probably on a higher percentile for her sex.
Thirdly, think if it this way: being below 3rd percentile means fewer than 3 in every hundred babies have smaller heads. So let’s assume 2.5% of babies have smaller heads than yours. Now, far, far fewer than 2.5% of the population have microcephaly. So even assuming your baby is a boy, and even assuming the measurement is accurate, and he remains on that percentile up to and beyond birth, it is still much more likely statistically that he will be ok than not.

Thank you for sharing your experience.. this is of great comfort x

Thank you ladies for sharing your experience.
I just wanted to update my situation here. So I was being seen by Fetal medicine unit over the last few weeks and they have been measuring baby girl's head which seems to be growing consistently even though it's still below the 3rd percentile with no other anomalies being detected on ultrasound.

Infact I was even referred for a MRI scan which honestly did freak me out but I made the hard choice of going for it even though it wasn't a great experience at all and there was nothing that would have changed irrespective of the outcome as I am already 37 weeks now, but by gods grace all my results have now come back clear but baby's head was confirmed at 2nd centile even in MRI.

After the MRI I was contacted by the neonatal consultant and she asked me how much do both my husband and I weigh and about our Head circumference. Turns out we both are below the 3rd centile so atleast for now there is high chances this is all constitutional and rest I'm leaving to god.

I will update this thread when my baby arrives to let you all know how she is doing as I know there still might be anxious mothers out there looking for some reassurance. Until then please pray for my baby's well being xx

Hi @hopeful02 I am going through the same thing. Baby’s head is below 3rd line. I am 36 weeks now and they couldn’t find anything else on MRI and zika testing…
Now we just need to wait for the baby to be born and see. I refused to do the âmnio.

Hi guys,

22 weeks here and at 3rd centile for HC. Refused amnio, but may take up the MRI scan.

Would like to hear of more cases. Thanks everyone above. It's a terrifying experience.

Hi everyone, do any of you have any updates on this please? Glad to read positive experiences, had my 20 week scan today and baby girl’s head is in the 3rd percentile, everything else very normal. It’s Tuesday today and they’ve booked me in for another scan on Thursday in another city which is obviously a good thing but makes me nervous because they said it would be better than waiting until Monday in my own city, everyone else seems to be getting follow up scans 2 weeks later. Has anyone had the same? Xx

One of my twins had a small head at the anatomy scan. I went for MRIs, was put under the fetal medicine clinic and fortnightly scans. Turns out her head was fine after much worry. She's a small baby anyway, she just has her dads small head!

@hopeful02 how did you get on in the end?

I had my 20 week scan 4 weeks ago and babies head measured on 5th centile. We’ve since had an appointment at Harris Birthright Centre at Kings with the fetal medicine specialists today.

Babies HC is now on 1st centile and AC and overall weight had dropped below the 5th too. We had the amnio today and will have MRI next week. Results take three weeks so I’m now waiting in total agony for results. They brought up the possibility of needing to decide to end the pregnancy dependant on these results which has really scared me.

Id be really interested to hear if anyone else has or has known anyone else with such low measurements and if the outcomes were good or bad?

@Amylou2420

Hi, I totally understand the anxiety you must be going through but you would be glad to hear that my baby was absolutely fine when she was born and she is currently 4 months old and doing many things before her age.

Her head circumference was still on the 2 or 3 percentile when she was born but it didn't matter at all and none of the docs were concerned.

I remember going through MRI when I was 37 weeks pregnant as NHS had to follow certain protocols to rule out any abnormalities which they follow in all cases And it was no less than hell waiting for those reports. But chances of anything going bad very very low especially if they were happy with baby's ultrasound.

Please stay strong, this phase will pass quickly and I am sure everything will turn out fine xx

Hey sorry to ask but how did everything turn out I’m going through this at the moment terrified!

Hi Jemma,

I had the same problem.

Scans showed her HC as 0.50 centile!

She was born in May, with a HC at the 50th centile. :)

Try not to worry too much.

Jay

Just wanted to add for anyone who sees the thread - my DD was fine, the scans were wrong and she was born perfectly fine x