What do they measure at growth scans - size of head and shoulders too?

[Tapster]

Had a consultants appointment today at 20 weeks and he has advised/agreed growth scans at 36 and 38 weeks. Do they just measure the weight or do they do head/shoulder measurements too if required? Doctor said they would but I'm a bit sceptical.

My worry is having a baby too big for my pelvis for the second time (DD born by EMCS as she didn't even enter the pelvic brim 24hours after beign induced). I'm down on the consultants notes as a very high risk VBAC, and if baby 4kg or over then I will be advised an elective. Its not the weight that concerns me its the head/shoulders. At 20 weeks my son-to-be has a 99th percentile head and big all over.

What info were you given at your growth scan?

Well, they can't actually measure the weight of the baby - what they are doing is estimating the likely weight based on certain measurements. They measure the circumference of the head and tummy and the length of the arm and leg bones and from this I believe that they can reach an estimate of what the baby might weigh. I'm not sure about the shoulders or what else is measured. I guess the greater those measurements are the heavier they think the baby will be.

I would imagine that they will err on the side of caution with your baby but there's no point in you worrying until you have those later scans.