Baby’s growth has slowed at 31 weeks

[Star15]

Hi everyone

We’ve been having regular scans since they found our baby’s femur was short at 20 weeks. Since then we’ve had tests for genetic/chromosomal issues which have all come back clear. They put issues with growth down to placental insufficiency (overall weight once dropped to 0.6th centile) and predicted they’d need to deliver the baby by 30 weeks. The past couple of scans were more positive with overall weight estimated at 12th centile and femur growing although still small.

The last scan found that the femur remains small and they estimated that overall weight has dropped to 2.5th centile, which is closer to estimations from 20 weeks. This came as a bit of a blow after the more positive scans previously.

They measure bloodflow every week and this has stayed ok so they seemed less convinced there is a problem with the placenta, which makes me worried about the short femur and small overall weight being linked to something underlying.

We had IVF to get pregnant and had a very rocky first 12 weeks so it feels as though there’s been something to worry about for a really long time and every so often it all feels quite overwhelming.

If anybody has had a similar experience and can offer any advice I’d be really grateful.

Thanks for any help 😃 x

[Emilylouise-]

Hi I'm having same issue baby has been on 10th centile last scan showed he dropped just under it but weight estimations are around 5lb4oz his femur too measuring small and we have been told he has a chance of having Down's syndrome but this really doesn't bother us as they told me the same with my second who was born perfectly healthy

I'm currently awaiting little ones arrival as I only have 2 weeks left x

[Star15 in reply to Emilylouise-]

Thanks for replying. It must be reassuring that your second child was fine and I hope all goes well with this baby 😃 x

[Emilylouise- in reply to Star15]

I'm short myself so baby may just be following me I was 5lb4 when born so he's on track my others were around the 7lb plus My S.i.l baby was small when born and he measured small all the way through her pregnancy he's a happy healthy yet short 16 month old x

[Binky1983]

Just wanted to say I hope you get some advice from people who have had similar. You’ve not got long to go now so you’re on the home stretch.

Have they said about what could be causing it or is it a case of waiting until they are born?

I hope you get some answers soon. X

[Star15 in reply to Binky1983]

Thank you 😃 We are really pleased to have made it this far after they said they’d want to deliver by 30 weeks but feels like a long way to go still... I don’t feel clear about what is going on really. They’d put growth issues down to problems with the placenta but actually the bloodflow to and from the baby has been ok which makes me think there might be something else, maybe a rare condition (all the tests we’ve had came back clear but they can’t test for everything). I guess best case scenario is that it’s just a small baby and will be fine but is pretty worrying in the meantime x

[Kata89]

I can’t remember the details with centile lines etc but my now ten month old put me through this. Back and forth to the hospital for scans etc she was an elective c section at 38 weeks due to her size and her being breach, my fluids had also reduced. She was predicated being about the 5.5 mark but came along at 6lb8 small but a good size.

It’s easier said than done but enjoy the remainder of the pregnancy, I loved the extra scans as it was extra confirmation that her heart beat was strong (I had an anterior placenta so didn’t feel her move much) and I knew that she (we) was being looked after. You don’t see much though.

[lcheckley]

I had this and all the worry with regular scans and not much growth. We were warned for the worst and induced at 37 weeks. Our little girl was 5lb 4 (during scans she measured no more than 4lb) and absolutely nothing wrong with her . I hope this is abit I'd reassurance for you xxx