Fundal Height

[Rose1999]

How accurate are fundal height measurements?
I'm 37+4 and today my fundal height was 38. I've been referred for a growth scan in 7 days and now can't stop worrying 😕

id say the least accurate measurement they can take really. Saying that my growth scans were way off too!

fundal height always measured way ahead and growth scans said a big baby….ended up having him at 37 weeks at 5lb 13oz. He was tiny!

Not sure the accuracy is great but I think the scan is just a “better to check” measure if your fundal measurements change off of their usual course. What were you before? Were you the same measurements as your week’s gestation or smaller?
I had a growth scan at 38w as I was measuring 37 on my fundal height and had previously been measuring +1 for weeks and then the week before that measurement I was on the week. Midwife referred for a growth scan just to check all was okay and it was.
I know mine was smaller, but they do it for bigger or smaller off your usual my midwife said

I'm measuring 38 at 37+4. Previously I was on the 50th centile when scanned having been referred for being 33 at 33+4. It's all confusing to me. But it's close to the 97th in the chart now 🤷‍♀️

@Rose1999 sorry I probably wasn’t very clear, baby brain myself at 40+2 😅
I meant as in were you measuring the same as meant to before this 37 week check I.E 33 at 33, 34 at 34 or were you maybe smaller so 32 at 33 etc.

I don’t really see how 38 at 37+4 seems of concern to them, nor 33 at 33+4 as it’s a mere few days out, but better to check I guess, as I say. Apparently the percentiles can vary massively just from the centimetre difference and or mm measurement on scan can alter it massively. When people say their scans/guesstimate size etc were accurate I just think they’re part of the minority who happen to have it coincidentally guessed right as neither seem accurate from my research and it’s just still used as is the most accurate we’ve got 🤷🏼‍♀️

I am below 3rd centile for fundal height but scan put baby at 50th centile. I’ve been referred for another scan as I’m even lower on the curve now but I’m not worried. I know I carry small and I’ve not put on as much weight as I did with my DD, been craving less sugar!

I honestly wouldn't worry too much about it. There's a lot of room for human error when measuring. Additionally, baby can be growing just fine even though fundal height is lower than expected.

In my first pregnancy my fundal height was 30 at 40 weeks. Second pregnancy I was measuring 34/35 (can't remember exact number) at 40 weeks. Babies were fine (average weight - although second baby was a lb larger), I just carry small.

I had this throughout my second pregnancy. They stopped bothering to scan me after I had about 3. And then to top it off my baby was a chunky 8lb 6 and so a lot bigger than they'd estimated them to be too! It's all so inaccurate.

Completely unreliable and totally dependent on the skills of the MW.

I was referred for a scan too. Consultant looked at me and laughed saying that I was obviously ok. Then she measured me and got an even lower number 😂😂
Scan (and subsequent birth) showed everything was absolutely fine.

It can vary a lot between midwives. Was it the same midwife that did it? I’m assuming you have gone up or down on the curve and that has prompted the scan.
in my trust, if we are concerned or the drop/growth goes over a percentile line we scan within 48 hours. A week for a scan and measuring on the same week as gestation seems like something not to worry about x

I'd try not to worry (easier said than done, i know) Mine consistently measured the 50th centile, then one day it dropped to the 9th so they rushed me for a growth scan the next day and everything was absolutely fine. When I asked, they said its protocol that if the percentile drops a certain amount they have to order a growth scan. The same has happened to a few other people I know, and everything's been normal on the growth scan. I think it's quite common. However, I understand it's difficult not to worry