Should I be worried? Baby in 90th centile, stomach 99th centile, femur 19th centile

[RandomCatGenerator]

Hello

I’m a bit worried about my baby having a MASSIVE stomach. I have gestational diabetes so it’s not unexpected that he’s big - but I am worried that my scan today showed his stomach is disproportionately massive.

I am 34 weeks pregnant today.

Should I be worried? Could this lead to health problems or miscarriage or complications?

Thanks

Anyone?

Have you been referred to fetal medicine? What did the sonographer say?

I don’t know if it’s something to worry about or not but didn’t want to leave you unanswered. Didn’t the sonographer give you a ome idea of whether they were seeing something that is unusual/worrying/needs further investigation?

The sonographer just said ‘someone will talk you through the results’ but not who. I don’t have a consultant appointment in the diary - I’ve met her once, last week - and I have a midwife appointment in a week and a half but can they talk me through ultrasound results?

99th centile sounds massive and not normal?

If you think that around 700,000 babies are born each year in the UK, 7,000 of them would have a bigger stomach than your DS. I would probably take a view that he's towards the top end of a normal range, similar to an adult male being about 6 foot 3 (which is tall, but not remarkably tall)

My DD1 , now 21. Also had a huge stomach and short femur according to her scans. When she was born she did indeed have a massive stomach, she was
like a frog 😂. DD was and still is beautiful and was quickly looked proportional.

Midwife here, with gestational diabetes the AC or stomach measurement can be bigger alright, it’s not uncommon. How are your sugars?

They’re ok, being managed with diet only. Mostly in target range with only one or two out of range and no higher than 8.1.

I really love the description of her as like a little frog. I told DH and he loved it too. That has made me feel better - thank you.

No higher than 8.1? That's super high? I had GD myself with my DS. When do you get the 8.1 reading, what time of the day?

I would contact the hospital and ask if you could be contacted by a doctor who can talk you through the results. Maybe an appointment is being arranged for you and you'll get a letter soon, but if you're not sure, worth checking.

Omg @RandomCatGenerator I didn't realise it's your thread!!! Congrats, chick, how are you doing???

Here are the recommended levels btw:

https://www.nice.org.uk/news/article/new-thresholds-for-diagnosis-of-diabetes-in-pregnancy

So good to see you! 😄 xx

Hi! I can’t give any advice other than share my story with you.

I also had GD, diet controlled and my sugars never went over the 7.8, in fact they never got close to that number after any meal!
I had growth scans every two weeks and a consultant appointment after each scan, my baby was showing similar to yourself to be in the higher percentile for some things and lower for others which worried me a lot!

My last growth scan showed baby to be on the 80th percentile and estimated to weigh around 9lbs.
I was checked at around 38 weeks and was 2cm with bulging waters and then because of reduced movements i was admitted and waters broken.
Baby girl was born weighing 5lbs at 38+2; all her measurements after birth were perfect snd she in fact was on the 5th percentile..

I remember speaking to a midwife after birth and she said the later in the pregnancy the harder to get accurate measurements in growth scans.
I know it’s hard to worry but for me, her measuring larger in some places didn’t mean anything when she was born 🙂

Good luck! X

Hi purple! Hope you’re doing very well :)

8.1 isn’t super high? Up to 7.7 is the range given on the app the NHS have asked me to use. So it is out of range but not madly. And has only happened a few times. Mostly it’s well below 7; ones above 7 have appeared like 3 times in two weeks and they’ve been when I haven’t gone for a walk after a meal basically.

It’s so hard to know when to contact the doctors and midwives, and how. My first son wasn’t born on the NHS (as you know @PurplePansy05, he was born overseas) and I find the system very difficult to navigate. I feel like you’re constantly treated like you’re wasting someone’s time…

@RandomCatGenerator I don't know what they told you, but my midwives in Wales were super hot on me being even a tiny bit above the normal readings, they put me on Metformin and then were considering increasing my dose. Are you monitored by them in real time, do they have access to your readings? I think it's worth keeping an eye on how often you go above the top bracket because you still have 6 weeks to go and it is often the case diet doesn't work for very long because it's all hormonal unfortunately. I remember very well your first one was born overseas, it must be very confusing for you this time, managing GD isn't straightforward even if you had prior experience here, so big hugs girl! It will all be OK, few more weeks of this!

I'm doing great, thanks. Leo is a total dude now, wicked sense of humour, a boisterous, happy little boy. I'm a proud mama ❤️ And my head is finally sorted after solid 18 months of PNA. The difference is incredible. Still finding pregnancy etc. triggering my anxiety so not thinking about no 2 now, happy to give cuddles to all of my friends' gorgeous newborns though! How are you finding life back here? So happy for you, do you know what you're having this time? Xxx

I had GD and had similar issues with head and stomach measuring almost 100th centile and the long bones measuring small. I was so worried and they scanned me every two weeks to ensure the legs didn't drop further off the curve m. It was fine, I think I had some assymetrical growth restriction. He was induced early at 37 weeks and he's now a 60th centile baby.

Re the GD readings, I had three readings over 8 in a week and was told I had to take insulin or metformin. I think weeks 36-37 are peak for Gd, so they wanted me on medication for those