Small for dates..

[pinksam73]

Please help, I am 29 wks and last week at antenatal I measured small for dates (26cm) was told to take time off work and rest, I went back at end of week and measured 27cm which was reassuring but was told to go back this week to keep check on things and I measured 25cm!!??? Have now been given appt for growth scan next Wed, MW told me not to worry as measuring open to "human error" but I cant help but worry and Wed seems a long way off. My main worry is that I have just read Downs babies can be small, as we chose not to have any tests for Downs I am now in a flap!! Has anyone else had this happen for all to be ok in the end?

Downs babies can be small, but that's not the only reason a baby may measure small.

One reason is, as the MW says, human error.

Another is that something is restricting the baby's growth. If you smoke, or have high blood pressure, this may affect growth. This does constitute a small risk to the baby in labour, so they will probably want to monitor you and maybe induce you early if the growth seems to slow down to much, but won't necessarily lead to any lasting problems.

Both my dcs were growth retarded. Dd was induced at the end of week 37 and ds in week 36. Not known why, but possibly caused by my tendency to high blood pressure. Nothing like Downs anyway.

Another reason your baby ay be measureing small is the position its in.. if your baby is lying transverse it can measure smaller x

pinksam, I would think that the drop in measurements has more to do wioth baby's position than any problems. As MUM2B09 says, transverse lie can account for drop, as fundal measurements are only meaningful if baby is head down (or breech?) position. With dd3 I had dropped 3 cms in a week - cue growth scan - was due to changing from head down to transverse.

I had the same problem. I was in hospital from 32 weeks for high blood pressure and scanned every 2 weeks.

At my first scan at 12 weeks ds was small for dates and they put this down to long periods and my due date was moved by a week.

Once they started scanning me again at 32 weeks in one of the scans it appeared that ds had shrunk, they put it down to using a different scanner, but they sent me to UCH for a dopler which showed blood flow etc was fine. I was induced at 38 weeks because of the increase in pre eclampsia symptoms and he was fine.
He is 13 now and towers over me_

I have had two growth scans, prompted by my small bump and midwife palpation, and each one has revealed an "average" sized baby (measured head, tummy, femur). I too was worried, but have been reassured by the VERY inexact "science" that seems to be involved. My friend just gave birth to an 8lb 7oz baby at term, and she too had been for THREE growth scans, and had been very anxious each time. I have now stopped worrying, as baby is due in two weeks, and if its average for dates now, that will do nicely. Please try not to worry and just wait and see.

I too am small for dates.

DD1 Fundal Height just drifted away, and by 39 weeks was measuring 33cms. DD1 was induced for being 'small' at 39+6, after a scan, and she was OK. Just over 9th centile. 3.3 now.

DD2 Prem labour at 33 weeks, successfully halted. But repeat growth scan at 35 weeks showed no growth at all in 2 weeks, so induced at 35+3. Fine other than a touch of jaundice. 19 months old now.

DC3 Due in 6 weeks. Have been having growth scans since 28 weeks. Scans all seem Ok, but fundal height is only 28cms at almost 35 weeks. A 7cm discrepancy. Baby is head down but not engaged, so not due to position. Midwife is a little sceptical also, that perhaps the growth scans are over estimating baby's size, and has told me to keep a close eye on movements & go to the ward if I have a drop in them at all.

I know they say Fundal Height is not massively accurate, but 7 cms is a LOT to be out.

I measured small with ds. He arrived at 37+5 weighing 5lbs 7oz which while smaller than average isn't anything to worry about particularly given he was 3 weeks early. I know it's hard but try not to worry. I know quite a few people who've had growth scans but none of them have ended up having exceptionally small or large babies.

Thanks for all of your posts, they are v reassuring. I just hope Im worrying unduly and at least its an opportunity to have a peek at baby again

Please try not to worry. A week before I had DS1 the midwife who examined me said she thought the baby seemed small, a week later I gave birth to a 10lb 10oz whopper! HTH

I was also told DD was going to be small after growth scans and measuring small for dates by 4cm, she was delivered at 37w3d weighing 7lb3oz!

I had fornightly growth scans for ds (suspected IUGR). Fundal height was 34cm at term and based on the scans I was told he was likely to be 5lb, he was actually 7lb

I have a friend who was small with both pg and then had small babies and had HV on at her day and night to feed them double cream etc.

The thing is, that she and her DH are both pretty small, so you wouldn't exactly expect a huge great baby.

The lengths measurements etc are all averages which few people will meet and quite a lot of people will be quite a way off, while nothing is actually wrong.

Im just back from growth scan and thankfully all ok,measuring completely normal, so relieved. As lots of your replies said, I was told measuring small could be for lots of reasons -most probably from the way baby was lay. Just wish I hadnt needed to panic for the past week, but at least it turned out ok in the end, roll on the end of May......Thanks again for all of your replies, they helped alot while sat at home worrying over the weekend.