Head circumference measurements

[frenchy]

Hi all.

I posted this recently on 3rd tri but thought it may be more appropriate here.

Basically I had a scan last week to locate the placenta which was low but is now out of the way however, following the scan, the docs informed us that the baby's head is measuring 36.1 weeks and I was 32.3 on the day of the scan.

Don't know how this translates into percentiles etc but now I am absolutely crapping myself incase there's a problem. The baby is also breech which I foolishly Googled and am now convinced that this all adds up something being wrong with my baby

I haven't slept for a week since and can't think straight anymore. We have to go back on Monday for a re-scan and I am so scared.

All the other measurements and everything else looked ok (so they told me) but I am sceptical as when I asked the sonographer if all the measurements were ok she said 'yes' ...when they clearly were not

Has this happened to anyone else and does anyone know what a large head measurement could mean?? So frightened now and need advice

 

[littleblonde]

Awww how worried you must be. Dont have much advise only that they are only estimated at the moment. My daughter had a big head as well. Still does infact. She wears a whole size bigger in hats than her body size. She was also breach and we have had no problems. Hope you get clearer answers. I think you need to push for some answers as you need to relax and rest as much as you can now.

 

[TripleB]

I know it hard but you have to trust in your doctors - i.e. that they would have told you if anything was wrong and if that turns out to be the case they will give you the appropriate care (Dr Google is nobody's friend!). I wouldn't however listen to the sonographer. Sonographers are qualified to take the measurements not to interpret them. At my last growth scan the sonographer told me the baby was plump (exactly what I didn't want to hear as I have gestational diabetes) which sent me into a spin. When I saw the consultant afterwards she explained the measurements to me and assured me everything was just fine - I was fuming with the sonographer!

Sorry I can't help on the head measurement thing but I hope your next scan gives you some reassurance. Good luck.

xxx

 

[Sammy2009]

Good luck with the scan

 

[Vici]

Don't panic yourself. Imogen measured huge all the way through my pregnancy (about 3 boxes over the upper limit!!) and although she was big she was by no means huge and all perfect. The fact that your LO is breech at 33 weeks is most def not uncommon and doesn't mean anything is wrong. Plus, don't forget scans can be up to 25% inaccurate xx

 

[louise1302]

im in the same position at 34 weeks my los head is measuring 38 weeks and his stomach is measuring 37 hes over the 97th percentile, and hes lying transverse atm but he needs to be born at 38 weeks as i have cholestasis its driving me insane

 

[lizziedripping]

Don't worry hun. My babies have always has large head measurements - way over the 100th centile. My twins too had massive heads, femur and abdomen measurements. Turns out they were just huge babies at birth. My oldest son (8yrs) has the head size of a 16yr old, and the twinnies are in age 1-2yr hats at 6 months old!!!

They are very healthy, and just bouncing bubbas. Admittedly they all had proportionally large body measurments as a whole too, so not sure if your baby does, or is it just the head that is large? Even then, this may well just be genetics, not something sinister. Let us know how u get on love xxx

 

[frenchy]

Just wanted to say thanks to all you ladies who have replied.

I hope I'm just over reacting and that things will be ok. Got my scan at 2pm this afternoon and will hopefully have the chance to speak to the obstetrician properly.

Will let you know how I get on xxxx

 

[lizziedripping]

Good luck for today my sweet x

 

[sk100]

Hi
Hope your scan went well.
I was the opposite - baby's head was measuring on lowest centile whilst all else was ok. I was told by the obstetrician that this was "very abnormal" and to come back 3 weeks later for another scan. Like you, my sonographer said all was normal.

I was so anxious and upset that I went for a private scan with a world specialist in fetal medicine. He said all measurements were spot on. My baby too is breech and he said that can make is difficult for measurements to be taken accuartely as the head becomes rugby ball shaped rather than round. So, different points chosen for measurements of HC would give different results.

I am so glad I had a private scan. Sonographers are not trained to do complicated things.

 

[frenchy]

Hello!

Just to let you all know that the scan went well today. Basically (as I suspected), the damn sonographer was way off the mark and somehow managed to get the measurement wrong by 50mm!!!!

I can't believe someone supposedly trained could make such a large error and cause unecessary anxiety to people. The obstetrician was surprised that the measurement was so inaccurate, athough she did say that the position of the baby can make taking accurate measurements rather difficult.

Anyway, the important thing now is that my baby is spot on for her dates and everything looks 'normal'. All I have to do now is try to get her out of the breech position she's in, otherwise, it's an ECV for me in 3 weeks time.

Not looking forward to that prospect at all but after the stress of the last week or so, it pales into insignificance!

Just wanted to say thank you all for your kind words of support and I hope that everyone on here gets positive outcomes for all their gorgeous babies.

 

[marnie79]

Hi hun, when i was preg with Olly they kept telling me his head was litually off he chart in size compaired to the rest of him, when he was actually born his head was in perfect ratio to his body, so try not to worry too much, i know its hard not to, but they can only give u a rough guide and its not always that close to what it really is iukwim xxx

 

[summer rain]

Hi hun

glad to know all is ok. Big heads run in mine and OH's family; my uncle is a catholic priest and when he was ordained he had to have a hat specially made. My middle son his head was 40cm at birth (either 98th percentile or off the chart depending on the chart used) but he was perfectly fine and healthy; now his head is actually slightly smaller than average but he is still perfectly fine, healthy and intelligent. My youngest (who is three and a half almost) his head was a similar size to my middle son at birth and about a year ago his head was absolutely huge still; actually bigger than my six year olds head; if he was lying down he'd have to manouvere himself in a funny way to pick himself up, GP wasn't concerned and said he'd probably grow into it; which he has; hes now very tall for his age and his head doesn't look quite so odd in comparison to the rest of him.