Dating scan wrong

[MCMP13]

The due date I have been given is a week early. I know when we conceived as I tracked ovulation very carefully and know my ovulation day however the dating scan they have put a week early. My question is, how many days overdue did people go with their babies in the uk? I know I’ll be offered induction at 41 weeks and just wondering how common it is for people to decline and just ‘see what happens’. My reasoning is that I know at 41 weeks according to the NHS, I will actually only be 40 weeks.

I would like to avoid induction altogether as it wasn’t a great experience last time.

**obviously if there is a serious medical need I would do it but not just because I’m ‘overdue’

You still can’t guarantee exactly when conception or implantation occurred, chances are it’s not out by much so I’d just follow medical advice personally. Nobody wants an induction but if you get to that point the only important thing is that you and the baby make it out the other side safely. Everyone’s opinion will vary on this though. But being overdue IS the serious medical need, they don’t do it for fun once the due date passes.

The due date I have been given is a week early What scan are you referring to? How far along are you?

Can you question the dates with the sonogrpaher? I’m not in the UK but told my sonographer that I was confident on my dates, which were different to her dates, and so we came to an agreement. There is a margin of error with the dating scan so they should be open to your feedback. A week is a significant about of time so I would definitely be raising it.

The NHS 12 week dating scan x

Yeah I know I can’t be ‘exact’ but this is my 7th pregnancy (not all successful) so I do track and serial test so I am fairly certain of the dates, maybe not exactly but certainly not a full week out

Similar - I was fairly certain that the scan was a week out. DS came 40+5. I’d only been offered a sweep at that point (which I declined)

It’s normal for them to be fairly out but given your history, I’d raise with the midwife that you are 12 weeks and your baby is already recording a week behind.

I’d also expect your medical team to be very concerned at you pushing to see what happens at 41 weeks.

They’ve out her a week ahead, not behind

Hi there it's a midwife. It's not at all easy to coax the first baby out by induction. I am not at all surprised you didn't have a nice experience.

Induction of labour is very different for all other babies. It's usually far more straightforward. The woman's body remembers what it did first time around (unless there's a really large gap between pregnancies). For example, doctors hardly ever resort to the hormonal drip.

I really wouldn't worry too much at this point. Go for long walks throughout pregnancy, don't eat for 2 and chances are excellent you will have a straightforward delivery even if you need induction. You can negotiate extra time closer to the due date. No one can impose medical treatment on a pregnant woman against her will in this country

I hope it helps

Thanks for all your replies. Oh that’s good to know thank you @oneplustwoplustwoplusone.

I know I can’t plan anything but I was just curious of if others have went overdue and by how long in the UK. I dont know anyone who has actually went into labour spontaneously, everyone I know has been induced and the majority ended up with emergency c sections.

Yes baby is measuring bigger, not too small. I was offered the ‘the big baby trial’ with my last baby and had numerous growth scans as she was ‘so big’ and she was born 8 pounds.

@Kosenrufugirl thank you x

Unless there’s medical concern, or you want an induction, going to 42 weeks is normal in my experience. It’s only an estimate isnt it. My baby was born at 41+2, that’s very average in my friends. I didn’t even discuss or book an induction at the hospital, although I did have a sweep at 41 weeks. I have the opposite experience, myself and most of those I know went into labour naturally, rest were planned sections (first babies). I’d recommend Sara Wickham’s book about induction if you want an interesting read.

I had my babies spontaneously at 41+5 then 41+6. I refused an induction for both and instead opted for monitoring given there was no clinical need for an induction. I felt very happy with the data on the risks of induction vs being overdue.
Wholly recommend doing some reading into the absolute (rather than relative) risks of being 'overdue'. Sara Wickham's 'In Your Own Time' is an excellent place to start.

This is exactly what happened to me with my second! I knew my dates exactly, scan put me forward a week. I measured a week behind all pregnancy, and then baby was 6 days 'late'!

For both my previous and current pregnancy my due dates were pushed a week earlier at the dating scan, which confused me as I my cycles are clockwork and I know to the day when we conceived and the new due dates would have put that as during my periods (which was not the case)?!

Anyway at least for my first born I went in to spontaneous labour bang on week 40 (using the NHS due date) so I’m taking that in mind for my second as assuming the nhs date is most accurate for me (somehow).

Worth bearing in mind that the difference in size of fetus at 12 to 13weeks is 1.5cm which is pretty significant and I saw my sonographer measure the length multiple times to get to the number to determine gestational age from.

Unless it's for a medical reason you can refuse the induction.
There are quite a few stages to an induction so I wouldn't worry too much about it now. It will all be explained to you so you can make an informed decision.

I had a similar situation a few years ago. I knew when I had conceived but dd was measuring a week ahead of dates. Midwives worked with the scan date so I was offered a sweep at 40+6 (actually 39+6 on my dates) which I accepted and she was born the following day on my original due date. She was 9lb7 so I'm pleased she didn't have another 2 weeks of cooking time!

Baby might be a big baby for dates?

I had a similar situation. I was totally sure of my dates and because of previous miscarriages had a series of early scans in the same hospital at 6.5, 8.5 and 10.5 weeks which also matched my dates. At the dating scan I was given a date a week earlier, which I did not believe but medics refused to change. A midwife privately commented to me that they were anal about not changing dates.
From 38 weeks, at check up, the hospital team tried to pressure me into early induction for no medical reason, other than I was over 40. And they suggested that I "just pop in for a cesarean" which I firmly refused. My community midwife later confirmed by cervical check that I was not ready. At 40 weeks, or 39 by my dates, strong pressure was put on me to agree induction citing possible breakdown of the placenta but DH if it was possible to check this, and they monitored my umbilical card blood flow for a while, finding it fine. Again I refused induction as there was still no medical reason and went into labour naturally at 40+5 their date, 39+5 my date and baby was covered vernix, so not looking overdue.
I'm certainly glad I stuck to my guns, and had a supportive community midwife and DH or I would likely have have a failed induction and early baby by intervention. I would point out that I was absolutely well and there were no medical concerns at all leading to this.

Interestingly I later met another older mum whose due date had also been brought forward a week, and a relative of hers who worked at that maternity unit had told her that, it was their policy that as standard they would bring the due date forward a week for all mother's over 40.

My ovulation kit said I had ovulated. My transvaginal scan the next day told me I was about 18 hours away from ovulating

I was pregnant with my first and was given 3 sweeps from 39 weeks, i was in labour for 33 hours and had my baby at 40+4.
I declined any inductions as i didnt want to go down that route if possible which is why i had booked in 4 sweeps but the 3rd worked in the end😂
I had an induction booked in for 41+3, thankfully baby wanted to make an appearence earlier than the induction!
You can decline inductions but they just monitor you every day from 41 weeks until you give birth as they dont like you to go over. They can only give advice, they cant force you to go down the induction route!

Just decline it. They can't force you. I was over 41 weeks. I skipped my last appointment because I didn't want the pressure. Educate yourself on the stats of still birth and make an informed decision. Congrats, good luck, don't let them pressure you. Anywhere up to 42 weeks is fine. You know when you conceived so you know when you will be 42.

I had this too. I tracked ovulation very carefully and knew my dates. They put me a week early- I hadn’t even had sex until 2 days before ovulation! When they were pushing for induction at 41 weeks i just held firm and we agreed to book an elective C-Section at 42+0 weeks (41+0 by my dates). Went into spontaneous labour at 41+3, (40+3 by my dates!)