Worried... measuring fundal height of 24 wks at 28wks...

[legallyblond]

I am scared...

I had my 28 week mw appointment this morning. The baby's heartbeat was fine and it obligingly kicked the mw, a lot!

BUT, aparently my fundal height measures 24 weeks, so very small, which is surprising as all measurements have been bang on so far (20 week scan etc). The mw referred me to the consultant and I have an appointmetn and scan on Thursday.

The mw did say it could be because she thinks the baby is lying transverse, which might make the fundal height smaller, but she's not sure.

She just said to wait and see what the consultant thinks and not to worry in the meantime as the baby seems quite happy. Easier said than done!

So worried..

Has anyone else experienced this? What could be the causes (good and bad, you can scare me if you want...)?

hi, i measured 32 weeks at full term. Went for a growth scan at 38 weeks as new doctor was concerned. Baby was just small, no reason.

My dd is now nearly 20 weeks and still only 12lb, but is perfect!

good luck

Sorry I might scare you... I went to MW at 26+3 and measured small. Scan confirmed very small baby and compromised cord flow. To cut a very long story short I had various scans at Foetal Medicine Unit and DS was delivered by C section at 27+0 for Intra-Uterine Growth Restriction (IUGR). It is related to pre-eclampsia apparently but in my case only affected baby not me.

I also had slightly swollen fingers and feet and slightly high blood pressure. Just a smaller fundal height may be nothing at all to worry about. But definitely go to your scan (I was very reluctant when MW sent me to hospital but so glad I listened).

I will think of you on Thursday. HTH all is well but if it is anything similar feel free to PM me or ask anything you want. It has been a long road but DS is OK now (aged 10 months).

legallyblond glad you got an appointment quickly but please remember that your MW is using a tape measure from the top of your pubic bone to the top of your uterus so its an inexact science at best!

There is a risk of IUGR (poor willbean we had IUGR too but not so bad) but it is a small risk so please try not to worry. The scan will tell you everything you need to know - with EXACT measurements - and if there is a problem they have picked it up in time - especially if you have an active baby - that's a really good sign!

Thanks.

Don't worry Willbean - I would always rather be informed of the possibilities than not know.

So glad your DS is all fine now!

I can't help but worry as my measurement at 24 weeks was 24 weeks, so according to fundal measurements I haven't grown in 4 weeks , although I feel/look bigger, I think.

Hopefully its just its position, as it was normal lie with its head down at 24 weeks (or so my GP thought), but we will see...

My blood pressure was slightly higher today, but still fine... I will point it out to the consultant just in case it gets missed (always best to be on the ball, even if they are medical professionals!).

I certainly plan on going on Thursday - I am too scared not to!

hi - i too measured 32 weeks at full term. at 28 weeks, i measured 22 - i was consistently 8 weeks behind. in my case, i was certain nothing was wrong, as was my midwife but had numerous growth scans as midwife said she couldn't leave it because they'd ask her why she had! i'm certain for me it was that i have a long body, so more room to grow up and down and less to have to "bump" out. anyway, he arrived on his due date at 6lb 8oz, so was well within "normal" range. I do feel they like to scare you - some ladies just have small bumps. I saw someone the day before he was born, who said "oh my lord, you can't be 40 weeks, emergency scan NOW". Just to let you know it's often nothing to worry about.

Thanks mog - I am 5'11" tall, so there is certainly plenty of space between my ribcage and my pubic bone to fit a baby without it popping "out" much!

Fingers crossed... its just so horrid waiting for Thursday!

I don't mind that they are taking it seriously to be honest - I would far rather they do everything right and refer me and I get the all clear than they miss things!

yes, i suppose i was glad deep down too - especially as extra scans (when there's nothing wrong) are quite fun!

i'm sure the long body theory has something to do with it - the other thing my midwife mentioned was that i play a lot of sports and did so til 25ish weeksish, I had "strong stomach muscles" which apparently can hold a baby in, and result in less "popping out". Especially on a first baby.

Another plus point (for me anyway) - no stretch marks!

Good luck for Thursday.

LegallyBlond - I'm 5'10" and was "small for dates" (although only 2cms) at 28 and 30 weeks so was sent for an extra scan. DD was fine, and was born at 8lb 4, just long and slender (like her mother pretends to be!) I am still not very big with DC2 at 24 weeks. I do believe that there is something in the idea that tall women just give the baby more space.

DC1 was also head down, a long way down, for a lot of the pregnancy, and I wonder if that had an effect on the bump size too.

Anyway, good luck for the scan, I hope all goes well. (another one with no stretch marks from DC1 - fingers crossed for DC2)

Just got hold of DH to tell him about this morning's appointment (he's a teacher so can't speak durnig the day)..... typical - he's worried so has got me all worried, again!

My baby measured 33cm at my 35 week appointment, then wriggled round so his back was facing us while the midwife did his heartbeat. We decided to measure again and this time the bump was 35cm.

Hope it is all just positioning and all is well.

Thanks all.

I hope its just the fact that the baby is lying sideways.

Basically, from what I have googled (reeeaaly bad idea, I know!) biggest problems could be IUGR or low amniotic fluid. At least they'll be able to pick those up on thurs if it is either of them.

Baby has been kicking away all day, so it can't be too miserable in there, I hope!

I hate worrying things happening!

I think it's a good sign that you feel and look bigger. I felt I hadn't grown. Also I agree with your plan to remind cons about high BP- my experience taught me to follow my instincts and be a nuisance if I had to to get my questions answered. And they do forget about things.

Hope it is nothing to worry about.

legally when they were monitoring my DS (had iugr and low fluid) his movements were of great interest on the basis that it was a really good sign of him being ok. So if you can feel baby being active I would take that as a really good thing . All the best for Thursday

I'm measuring small by two weeks, it is worrying isn't but I'm 5'10" and its my first, I'm hoping this is part of the reason. I may be having a scan too if I still measure small at my next appointment.

Hi my bf always measures small and had extra scans etc her DD1 was 10lb 2oz (the last scan at 39 weeks said 6lb and DD2 was 10lb 4oz she's 5 7" so not massive but I still have no idea where she hid the girls.
Hope it all goes well on thursday.

Please try not to worry, even the worst case scenario of IUGR isn't that bad.

I had a similar problem with my first pregnancy and am currently going through the same thing on my current pregnancy.

With DS I was consistently measuring small a scan at 36 weeks showed DS was small (estimated weight 5.5 lbs), I went into spontaneous labour at 37+2 and DS was 4lbs 6ozs. He is now 18 months old and more than fine, he grew really fast once he was out. I had some problems establishing breastfeeding due to his size which then led to jaundice, but I expressed and cup fed for a bit and it worked out fine.

This time I am also measuring small and because of my history I am being monitored very closely, with fortnightly growth scans, the doctors have talked about steroid injections in case it needs to come out early, but I am pleased that it is being taken so seriously. I am currently 31 weeks and am hoping to make it to 36 weeks, from my experience with DS I think after a certain point if there is a problem they are better out than in.

This time round the doctors keep emphasising that I must monitor the movements very closely and if they change at all I must phone the labour ward immediately. If you are worried, monitoring movements is the most important thing you can do.

I do want to emphasise that you really should try not to worry to much. I can honestly say this time round I'm really not to worried, even though I know this baby is small, as DS is fine.

If baby is transverse then the measurements will be very different.

Good luck. Sure everything will be fine but do keep all appointments.

Thank you everyone! This all helps.... so much better than worrying it out alone!

I think the fact that I am out by a whole 4 weeks came as a bit of a shock!

Chocolate calculator - I have been monitoring movements like crazy since yesterday morning and the baby is more active than I have ever known it, which is reassuring. I think its becasue I am focussing on it moving rather than it actually moving more, but it can't be that unhappy in there if its kicking, can it?

Poor DH was convinced we had conceived a dwarf...I explained that is not what they are worried about!

Also I spoke to my Mum who said that she consistently measured small with my sister - it turned out to be becasue my sister's head was really low into my Mum's pelvis, so didn't "pop out" much. My Mum is also tall (she's 6'!) and she thought it might be that.

Provided I keep feeling the baby wriggling around, I think I just might be able to hang on until Thursday's appointment and scan without going too insane... still, the waiting is not nice, is it?!

Thanks again everyone for the responses.

Don't worry too much, I have had exactly the same thing. At 33 wks I was measuring 25wks! As it turned out my amniotic fluid was on the 5th centile, which meant I was smaller if you see what I mean. The docs weren't worried, they just did a couple of growth scans. I'm now 36 wks and have come more or less back to size.

Equally, a friend of mine just had her 20 wk scan and is measuring small on fundal height, as it turns out her baby is really low already.

Fundal height measuring is quite subjective/unreliable sometimes too.

I've always measured small. Went for a growth scan at 28 weeks, all was fine and on track for 7.5lb baby. Had to remind midwife at last 34 week appointment that it's just me so she didn't send me for another scan. Been small in all 3 pregs and I'm not particularly tall (5ft 5ins). Just hide em well apparently

Thanks MrsC and duejuly - very reassuring!

I am glad they have picked up on it really - I would always rather be checked out!

Still monitoring movements. I think the baby has hiccoughs now. Is that good or bad?

Good. If you feel two sets, it's a hidden twin.

He he he Nonno! Just one in there!

If the baby is moving then it is fine, apparently hiccups don't count as movement though (doctor was at pains to tell me that last week) Ds had them constantly, this baby hadn't had them at all, so no idea if they're good or bad!

Try to remember that in all likelihood the scan will show a normal sized baby and the small fundal height is just the way you're carrying.