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Original poster

20 weeks - short femurs

20 replies

LolaBumble · 30/08/2023 18:40

Hi guys,

had my 20 week scan today and all looked good…

They said the femurs were small though, 4% and 28.1mm. They said this was small but still in normal range no further action. Everything else measuring fine. Done a bit of reading and it looks like it’s relatively common, but it looks like most people get extra scans/monitoring etc when in the 4th percentile.

Has anyone else’s baby had little legs like this and not been offered extra scans etc?

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Chanel05 · 30/08/2023 18:49

My son allegedly had short femurs and I had an extra 5 growth scans. He came out nearly 2 weeks early, 8lbs in weight and perfectly proportioned in size!

smartiesneberhadtheanswer · 30/08/2023 18:50

Are you and baby's dad short?

Original poster
LolaBumble · 30/08/2023 18:52

That’s so good to hear!

Yes I’m only 5ft 2 so that’s probably where it’s come from!

OP posts:
Original poster
LolaBumble · 30/08/2023 18:52

My husband is average though!

OP posts:
smartiesneberhadtheanswer · 30/08/2023 19:08

Then your baby is likely just a shortie:)

STSJ90 · 30/08/2023 19:19

Hi
I’m in exactly the same position as you. I had my scan yesterday with similar measurements to you 28.8mm. We’re having a boy and my partner is 6’4 I’m 5’3 so I am short but he definitely isn’t! When I had a 16 week private gender scan the baby was on the small side but all in proportion. Now I’m worried he’s growing out of proportion, it’s adding to my worry that my partner is so tall!

I didn’t really get a good feeling from the sonographer and should have asked more questions. Really interested to hear the responses on here!

caringcarer · 30/08/2023 20:42

Iay be wrong but I think your baby can only inherit the height gene from one of you either Mum or Dad. It's not like baby can get half a gene for height. It might be baby has inherited your shorter height gene.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 30/08/2023 20:59

LolaBumble · 30/08/2023 18:52

That’s so good to hear!

Yes I’m only 5ft 2 so that’s probably where it’s come from!

Yep they told me my baby's femurs were veeey long (me and his father both tall) and he is a tall /long baby but no issues at all

STSJ90 · 30/08/2023 22:02

Hi,

height is determined by lots of factors from both Mum and Dad. It’s often the case the child falls somewhere in the middle of mum and dad but leaning towards the side of that gender, so if I was having a girl it’s more likely she would be taller than me but still relatively short compared to Dad!

Im not worried about height it’s just often if both parents are short it explains the femur. I know that at other people’s scans where they’ve identified short femur length they’ve asked about family heigh history x

Original poster
LolaBumble · 30/08/2023 22:35

Thank you all for your replies, feeling reassured! I guess we are all built in different sizes, just feels funny seeing size written down as a percentile xx

OP posts:
Gabby10 · 30/08/2023 22:41

I had the same but I'm 4ft 8, I only ended up having to have an extra scan as my bump had gone over the 'normal' range- DD was fine and is fully on proportion (more taking my side of height than dads but can already tell she'll be taller than me and she's only 18mo) 😂 aka she already comes up to my hips haha x

Gabby10 · 30/08/2023 22:41

My side of height on the charts**

smartiesneberhadtheanswer · 31/08/2023 06:32

If it helps OP, DH and I are both 90th centile for height and DD2 was only 50th for femur length. Sonographer asked if we had any short grandparents etc.

DD2 lengthened after she was born, she's about 70th centile now

Ýsette · 31/08/2023 07:14

LolaBumble · 30/08/2023 18:52

That’s so good to hear!

Yes I’m only 5ft 2 so that’s probably where it’s come from!

It's definitely a reflection of the parents. My DIL has short legs so it follows, and there is nothing to worry about, just enjoy your pregnancy

Dandelion7 · 31/08/2023 07:50

LolaBumble · 30/08/2023 18:52

That’s so good to hear!

Yes I’m only 5ft 2 so that’s probably where it’s come from!

Awwww at 5ft 2 you're probably not far off 4th percentile (probably below 10th?) and there's quite a lot of room for error. Sounds like she's just taking after you. Me and hubby have 1 of our children (now 5) predicted to be 6ft4 and size 8-9 clothes. A slight surprise as we're both average. But hubby has some very tall family members. Weird how genes work (p.s. I was told my now predicted 6ft4 child was small at scan and would be less than 6lbs. They do get it wrong. They were 2.7lbs out on growth scan weight prediction a week before he was born. No idea how it was so wrong!). We've laughed with sonographers about it at subsequent pregnancies because they never find out when the measurements are wrong usually.

STSJ90 · 31/08/2023 11:14

Hi,

just to let you know I called the hospital today and they are having me back for a growth scan in 8 weeks time. I spoke to a sonographer who said that 7% is normal range but they do want to keep an eye on it. It may be worth giving your hospital a ring it seems that if you make a bit of a pain of yourself you get somewhere!

wendy20 · 07/09/2024 19:05

Hiya! I know this is an old post but just wanted to ask how everything went ❤️

Original poster
LolaBumble · 09/09/2024 09:26

Absolutely fine!! I think sometimes they tell you too much information with these scans! Had various growth scans towards the end (just because bump measurements kept changing trajectory) and they were measuring baby’s abdomen on the 96th centile and legs on the 4th, thought baby’s proportions were going to look bizarre, but the most perfect little baby came out and she looks perfectly proportioned! Wish I hadn’t wasted any time worrying about it

OP posts:
STSJ90 · 10/09/2024 16:07

Hey
congratulations! Same for me, baby born completely in proportion and actually 75th percentile tile for height! I agree with PP sometimes too much info is given and can cause unnecessary worry x

Original poster
LolaBumble · 10/09/2024 16:59

That’s brilliant! Congratulations to you too 😄

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