Growth Scan Ladies- LO only gained 10oz in 3-4 weeks!

[ambertwogood]

I had a growth scan done a little over 3 weeks ago and LO was estimated to weigh 5.3. I was 34 weeks along. This week at 37.3 LO was scanned for growth again, I also get 2 biophysicals done a week, now her estimated weight is 5.13. Is this normal? Should I be concerned? I thought they gained way more than that normally? She also dropped from the 33%tile to the 13th%tile. This is all VERY alarming to me. I felt as though my high risk on was just trying to not get me stressed out. But this is the first time they've made note of her growth in a report and the first time they told me that I may be induced early and that they definitely didn't want me to go past 40 weeks. I'm heartbroken. I am worried about the baby and upset BC I really wanted to go into labor on my own and to have my own unique this is how it happened story. I'm disappointed that I may have to be induced. Up until now I had decided against it though regular ob had suggested it for convenience purpose but not medical reasoning. Has anyone ever had this happen with their LO's growth? What happened? Thanks for all your help....

 

[lindblum]

No advice, but i'm going through the same thing.
At 28 weeks my baby was 2lb 14oz and 32 weeks 3lb 7oz so only 9oz weight gain. It went from 57th to 13th percentile. I'm being scanned again in 2 weeks to see if there has been any improvement, if not then i'm told baby will have to come out. I'm hoping it was an anomalous result, the estimated weight can be 20% off bigger or smaller.

When will you know whether you have to be induced?
good luck, i hope everything works out the way you want x

 

[MrsKChicago]

I hope you get some answers. I don't have a diagnosed growth issue, but we have some growth concerns we're still trying to figure out, so I've done a lot of reading up on it.

From what I've read, it's definitely something to monitor closely, but not something to panic over. If baby's not growing at the expected rate, it could mean a problem with the placenta or umbilical cord, but that isn't an absolute thing. They'll keep a very close eye on you to make sure that baby doesn't cross that line where she'll do better out than in - if she does reach that point, they'll probably induce because it can be very dangerous to baby if the cord or placenta aren't getting nutrients to her. Generally growth restricted babies do really well once they're out, especially as far along as you are. I know how you feel about that fear of losing out on the birth you wanted, but in this case, your doctor is probably right to consider alternatives.

 

[ambertwogood]

No advice, but i'm going through the same thing.
At 28 weeks my baby was 2lb 14oz and 32 weeks 3lb 7oz so only 9oz weight gain. It went from 57th to 13th percentile. I'm being scanned again in 2 weeks to see if there has been any improvement, if not then i'm told baby will have to come out. I'm hoping it was an anomalous result, the estimated weight can be 20% off bigger or smaller.

When will you know whether you have to be induced?
good luck, i hope everything works out the way you want x

I'm not sure about when things will be definite. I have an appointment tyhis wendsday with my delivery OB so we will see what she has to say after seeing the us report from my HR OB. She had already suggested an induction early bc I live far from the hospital but she had no medical reasoning so I opted out of it. I guess what my concern is that up until this point my lo although on the smaller side had been gaining weight at what her normal pace was. Then it seems like in the last 3 weeks it has suddenly slowed very significantly. I thought they were supposed to start gaining more rapidily towards the end not slowing? How much do they normally gain between 34 and 37 weeks?

 

[sixzigma]

No advice here , but I am going through something similar , but in my case the fluid levels have also come down (low but still normal ) and the baby has hardly put on 70 g (between 30 and 34 weeks ) .I too have been out under close monitoring and would be induced early if the growth rate continues to be low .My LO has not turned yet -which is another reasone for me to worry , I badly want this too to be a normal vaginal birth .
Anyways you take good rest , eat well and hope for the best :keep us updated !Hope our LOs will be fine and healthy !!

 

[emily3399]

I was in a similar position my 28week scan was 3.3lb 90th centile then at 33+2 weeks he was 5.5lb dropped to 60th centile then at 35+3 he was 6lb so only gained a few oz in 3 weeks and was on the 15th then at my 37+3 he was 6.8 and on the 13th centile but they said its ok as hes following his line but I don't see how when hes dropping centiles I would just like him out safe now xx

 

[ambertwogood]

No advice here , but I am going through something similar , but in my case the fluid levels have also come down (low but still normal ) and the baby has hardly put on 70 g (between 30 and 34 weeks ) .I too have been out under close monitoring and would be induced early if the growth rate continues to be low .My LO has not turned yet -which is another reasone for me to worry , I badly want this too to be a normal vaginal birth .
Anyways you take good rest , eat well and hope for the best :keep us updated !Hope our LOs will be fine and healthy !!

It is unfortunate. This is my first viable pregnancy. I had a miscarriage previous to this. You just never imagine that something will be wrong. Its so stressful. Does anyone know how much weight they are supposed to gain under optimal circumstances? I'm curious. I just don't understand why things suddenly slowed so much with her. She's been small all along. They have told me to expect a small baby. I've even got preemie clothes and diapers just in case. I just worry that with them telling me a few weeks ago to expect a small baby, 6lbs tops full term, that with her growth slowing and them pushing being induced early, just how small is she going to be? Its so frustrating. I'm 38 weeks now and looking at possibly being delivered by next weekend...

 

[lindblum]

According to https://www.babycenter.com/average-fetal-length-weight-chart after 30 weeks it should be roughly 0.4lbs (6.4oz) a week x
There's also this with weight in grams https://www.expectingexpats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/weight-chart.png

 

[MrsKChicago]

My ticker at 35 weeks says about an ounce a day. Close to the figures in that chart. If your scans are accurate, 10 oz in three weeks is definitely not enough, but sometimes those scans aren't accurate.

 

[wifey2013]

I can't say I'm in the same position as you, but I can say that those scans could be VERY innaccurate. At 38 weeks I had a scan due to a low lying placenta and they measured the baby - they told me he was weighing already 8.5lbs and at birth he could be anywhere from 9.5 - 10.5lbs. I was petrified. My dr decided to induce me at 40weeks3days just to be on the safe side. After a terrible 2 day induction that didn't work I opted to just have a c-section. My LO was born that afternoon weighing 7lbs11oz!!! I Really don't think the growth scans are always that accurate. They told me they could be off by a 1lb - but look how my little guy turned out!! I had no Newborn clothes for him because I thought they would never fit.

 

[ambertwogood]

Wow, that's crazy. I would of been terrified too to give birth to a 9/10 pounder!