Should I be worried?

[Willsoo]

We had a growth scan recently, I am 24 weeks now. Baby has dropped from the 16th to the 3rd percentile with the AC measuring small. I have two children already- both boys and have always been really good weights- 50th-75th percentile with them. I am now being referred to fetal medicine team and scans every 2 weeks. I can't sleep at night with worry! Has anyone experienced anything similar? Many thanks xx

Edit: yes I’d be concerned but sounds like they’re being very responsive

I know you’re looking for reassurance but nobody on here will know the circumstances or the concerns etc. have you asked the doctors what they think and what this would typically mean, and what they’re concerned about? I think asking for transparency for them will be the most useful thing so you know if your worry is justified and whether it’s a trivial/non trivial thing they’re monitoring for.

good luck OP!

Hey OP was all other parts of the scan normal? Sometimes it's just literally the way the sonographer does the scan, as they All do it differently. All 3 of my children were born below the 1 centile, in fact I think they may of all been below the 0.4 one or there abouts. 5lb 12 1/2oz boy at 39.6 weeks. 5lb 15 1/2oz girl at 41.4 weeks and 4lb 8oz girl at 38.5 weeks. The last one I was induced for as they worried about her size, I think when it comes to our babies id ratherwant them to be over cautious then not.

Hope you’re ok OP I know it feels worrying but just to offer some reassurance I was having growth scans every two weeks throughout my pregnancy and at one point my chart showed that DC measured smaller than the previous scan. After that I realised that the scans really had to be approximate as that was not possible, which put my mind at rest a little. Also the percentiles are an average across the population, not all will grow at the exact same rate so try not to worry although I know that’s easier said than done x

Honestly scans can be so worrying! With my first every scan was something else… first there was a heart defect, so off we went to that consultant, heart is fine but looks like cystic fibrosis, several tests later…. No cystic fibrosis but “this bone here is bright definitely Down’s syndrome”, £300 later as not free on NHS tests confirm highly highly unlikely…. Next ohhhh she’s very very small must have 2 week growth scans, mid way through this changed to ohhhh she’s very very big you must talk to your midwife about this - predicting a 10lb baby. For context I’m 4ft 11 and 45kg (size 2 clothes). Anyway on my last growth scan on the Friday at 41+4 I was told she was huge, over 11lb….. 2 days later at 41+6 she arrives a hugeeeeee 6lb 6oz, with no hearth condition, or CF, or DS. I didn’t realise just how stressful it all was until I went for my first scan with baby number 2 and I just cried the whole way through and didn’t listen to a thing she said. They also predicted he was tiny but was 7.6 at 37+1 could have been quite big if he had got to 41+6!

I can’t promise you everything is fine, but I hope I can reassure you that they often don’t get it right. In fact I’m convinced they make size up! (Queue some angry sonographers)

good luck mama you’ve got this!

ps DD is a 5th% baby and it’s so adorable having a 1 year old who is walking but only in size 3-6m clothes!

I don’t really have advice but my son was born on the 3rd percentile (preemie due to complications with pre eclampsia and he stopped growing for my final two weeks) but he is now 3.5 months old and on the 50th and is thriving! Having a teeny baby can be scary but they are a lot more resilient than they physically look. I had growth scans every two weeks too so it sounds like your team are hot on it!

Oh OP. Hope you’re ok. Scans and size are not always reliable and at least you’re in the care of fetal medicine. Hopefully they have give you more answers.

We have the opposite issue, found out baby is measuring 2.5 weeks ahead yesterday, and now we’re having lots of tests for GD.

Try not to worry. I had the same, my son was eventually born (induced) at 37+6 a fair bit smaller than he was measured at 37 weeks. The consultant said at 28 weeks that babies very often just don't stick to the lines. Anyhow my 0% baby became a 9ish % baby at 4 months.