Head circumference >95th centile - petrified now :(

[nicksi27]

Hello ladies, at my growth scan last week at 28 weeks my baby's measurements were:

Head circumference >95th centile
Abdominal circumference 75th centile
femur length 84th centile

He weighed 3lb 1oz

The head circumference was right at the top end of the scale and although my consultant said its ok ive had sleepless nights ever since. Im having a high risk pregnancy anyway and im already very anxious so this has sent my anxiety levels into overdrive! ive stupidly googled large HC centiles and its brought up hydrocephalus (water on the brain) etc etc and now im petrified. The hospital arent concerned though and my notes state 'discussed normal growth scan results'. Google says otherwise tho I was gonna go for a 4D bonding scan with my family and was all excited but im so scared i darent go now in case i see something is wrong with him.

Has anybody got any experience with HC centiles?

 

[New Mrs W]

Ok, yes if this was me I would probably freak out too. But I am an absolute worrier and will worry myself over the most ridiculous things. But I know how you are feeling.

However, reading this as an outsider with a bit of distance I can say that it seems that there is nothing to worry about. All of the measurements are quite high - you're just not going to have a small baby is all!! Your doctor has seen all of the measurements and by your own admittance wasn't concerned. I'm thinking if he was ok with it, then you should be too!!

Take a step back, imagine someone else was telling you this story about themselves. What advice would you give? Would you be concerned?

Big hugs, try not to worry. Book your 4d scan, it's a lovely experience and you would know if things weren't right with your LO from your previous scans xxx

 

[nicksi27]

Ok, yes if this was me I would probably freak out too. But I am an absolute worrier and will worry myself over the most ridiculous things. But I know how you are feeling.

However, reading this as an outsider with a bit of distance I can say that it seems that there is nothing to worry about. All of the measurements are quite high - you're just not going to have a small baby is all!! Your doctor has seen all of the measurements and by your own admittance wasn't concerned. I'm thinking if he was ok with it, then you should be too!!

Take a step back, imagine someone else was telling you this story about themselves. What advice would you give? Would you be concerned?

Big hugs, try not to worry. Book your 4d scan, it's a lovely experience and you would know if things weren't right with your LO from your previous scans xxx

Thank you thinking about it if someone else was worrying about this, i would probably say the same as you and trust the consultant he is the expert after all. ive had lots of scans and no one has ever said they see any abnormalities of his head. Im just a born worrier, im ruining my pregnancy My last baby was growth restricted so i 'should' find it a relief to be having a big baby plus theres absolutely nothing i can do about it. Going to try and chill until my appt with the mw on friday. Thanks again

 

[New Mrs W]

Just seen your ticker, of course you will worry if you lost your other baby if I was you id ring my midwife and explain your worries to her. She will know you're going to be more worried than most mums to be and should be able to put your mind at ease. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy xxxx

 

[littleblonde]

My daughters head was just of the chart when born but like you all her measurements where big. She is perfectly healthy. Was told my 2nd also was going to have a big head and when born it was on the 25th percentile. My eldest still has a big head. If the dr says don't worry then don't worry. If there was the slightest problem you would no x

 

[amjon]

Did they also measure the fluid in the head? I know when we have anatomy U/S they measure each part of the brain and the fluid in there. If there was too much fluid they should know.

 

[lucy_x]

Try not to worry hun! - they should know what they are looking for, if your still worried, ask to speak to your consultant again. although to be fair next time i have a baby i wont be listening to any scan measurements again, as i was induced expecting a supposed 10lb 16oz baby and he came out 8lb 9 oz! his AC measured no where near either! x x

 

[moonbeam_sea]

If they didn't see anything wrong, just that the head is measuring big, that can be perfectly normal. My son was born 64th centile long, 62th centile weight, and 98th centile head. (His head was also measuring high on the anomoly scan, but the doctor said that it all looked good, no issues, just a large headed kid). He is 3 and still has a huge head, but is perfetly fine. I hope you have a lovely 4D scan.

 

[Twinkie210]

My first son had a large head at birth 14.25 inches, which is on the upper end of normal. My second son had a head circumference of 15 inches at birth which is 1/2 longer than the newborn range! One pediatrician we saw in the hospital came in to discuss his HC with me, but said never mind when she saw my husband's head LOL. She even remeasured LO's head and measured my husband's head for her notes (my nurse said she had never seen a DR do this LOL) I guess ours are just genetic. Both of my son's were very proportionate, so although they had large heads they didn't look out of place iykwim.

Remember, ultrasounds measurements are inaccurate too. If your Dr. said that everything looked fine, then I wouldn't worry about the large head (except for maybe delivering it! let me tell you from experience OUCH!) Good luck and I pray for a smooth delivery for your rainbow

 

[MissMaternal]

I'm not sure what my daughter's head measurements were at my 20 week scan, but i remember the chart in my notes saying that it was above average. I panicked, of course, and googled! I was worried sick that something was wrong, but my midwife reassured me. When she was born she did have quite a large head, it was on the 95th centile also and it's circumference was 36cm! But i had a natural birth and she is a completely healthy little girl, she just had a slightly bigger head, but you can't tell to look at xx

 

[nicksi27]

Thank you for all your replies ladies, they have been really reassuring I had another scan this week (after being worried about decreased movements) and everything was fine. His head is still >95th centile but his abdomen is 84th and femur length is also big (cant remember exact number). He is 82nd centile for his weight so maybe he is just big. Hes 3lb 14oz now bless him Ive asked 2 different midwives this week and also asked the technician who said they are not concerned. Im getting a bit worried about the birth though, i hope hes not going to be too big to push out. Maybe at his growth scan at 36 weeks if his estimated weight is really high, they might induce me early. Wishful thinking probably but i can only ask ...... thanks again ladies

 

[nicksi27]

I'm not sure what my daughter's head measurements were at my 20 week scan, but i remember the chart in my notes saying that it was above average. I panicked, of course, and googled! I was worried sick that something was wrong, but my midwife reassured me. When she was born she did have quite a large head, it was on the 95th centile also and it's circumference was 36cm! But i had a natural birth and she is a completely healthy little girl, she just had a slightly bigger head, but you can't tell to look at xx

Thanks MissMaternal - Awwww your DD is absolutely gorgeous xx

 

[lizziedripping]

For what its worth honey, all my babies have had a large hc - even my twins. One twin was over the 95th, the other way over the 100th centile! My first born singleton too had measurements above the 95th. All it meant was that they were big babies and we all have gentically big heads lol The twins were 9 and 8Ibs at 38wks, my singleton was 9Ibs at 39wks, they were all perfectly healthy.

Incidentally tho their leg and abdomen measurements were larger than average too (tho not more than the 90th) so much so that I was tested for gd (didn't have it). Because all the measurements were consistent they didn't worry. At 28wks the twins were 3.5 and 4.5Ibs, and at 31wks were 4 and 5.5Ibs so your lo is on a par with them. Given the weight now I'd say you're in for a good 8Iber, so don't worry about delivery, you'll do just fine It is far more likely that your baby is growing well than there is a problem sweet so try not to worry

 

[summer rain]

Except for my eldest all of mine have had big heads, second eldest his head was 40cm the size of an average 3 month old and off the top of the chart, second youngest's head was on the 91st centile and youngest's was between 75th and 91st. No medical problems with any of them whatsoever nor any serious issues giving birth to them. My second youngest even had both hands on his face when born and the cord around his neck so the MW's had to reach in and unloop it and his chunky hands bruised and scratched me on the way out but I escaped with only a minor second degree tear. This baby was measuring above the 95th centile on the 20 week scan for everything so far they aren't concerned xx

 

[babyhopes2010]

she was 98th percentile.
i knew she would be big at 9lb 3

 

[RebeccaG]

I had loads of growth scans and DD was measuring 97th centile so I was majorly panicked!

My consultant said they prefer not to induce big babies as it often ends in an emergency section so they prefer to do elective sections at the hospital I was at.
Anyway I had a section with her at 38 weeks due to very low fluid and she wasn't that big 7lb 14oz. So yes she was big for 38 weeks but not as big as I thought she was going to be. Try not to worry. Xx

 

[CatherineK]

My boys both had huge heads, off the charts. They are perfectly fine, have grown into their heads, and labor went just fine

 

[MissMaternal]

I'm not sure what my daughter's head measurements were at my 20 week scan, but i remember the chart in my notes saying that it was above average. I panicked, of course, and googled! I was worried sick that something was wrong, but my midwife reassured me. When she was born she did have quite a large head, it was on the 95th centile also and it's circumference was 36cm! But i had a natural birth and she is a completely healthy little girl, she just had a slightly bigger head, but you can't tell to look at xx

Thanks MissMaternal - Awwww your DD is absolutely gorgeous xx

Aww thank you very much!! I'm glad you've been reassured a bit, try not to worry about the birth yet though, but I really hope you get the birth you want xx