IUGR baby possibly taking her early

[Magicbabydust]

I am 33 weeks tomorrow and have had weekly ultrasounds since 28 weeks. I have been diagnosed with IUGR(inter uterine growth restriction) as my dd is only in the 6th percentile. At 28 weeks she weighed 2lbs 5oz approx and three days ago weighed 3lbs 11oz. Before her abdomen was small but now her abdomen is ok and its her leg length thats small. The ultrasounds are with a specialist amd they send reportd to my reg ob. Saw one of reg ob(multi doc practice)and he seemed very concerned. The specialist sent note with me as full report wouldnt have been there before me. It listed her percentiles and said IUGR and some stuff I didnt understand. Doc said in his experience he didnt think she would make it to 39 weeks and said they wanted to try for 37. He didnt say 100% 37 but now I think he just didn't want to upset me. He said we would take it week by week. Anyone have this experience? What was your outcome? Is it most likely 37 now? He said anything over 34 was better for her to reduce risk of dd having permanent damage. Should I just say 37 weeks now?

 

[alocin22]

My DD was born with severe IUGR. I was scanned on a weekly basis from 28 weeks and then had her heartbeat and movement monitored every other day. If I recall she was mainly on the 5th Centile :s at about 33 weeks the scan showed no growth. My consultant was absent that day and I was given steroid injections to help her lungs and was told that they would perform an EMCS in 24-48 hrs. Luckily my consultant appeared the next day and requested a re scan and he was happy that their was slight growth and the previous scan must have been incorrect. As the umbilical cord appeared to be working fine he wanted to get me as close to 38 weeks as possible. I was then induced at exactly 38wks. Unfortunately before I was able to feel any contractions my DD became distressed and I was rushed in for an EMCS. After being given an estimated weight of 5lb8oz.... My DD was born weighing a tiny 3lb15oz..... But luckily she was absolutely perfect just small and did not need special care and we were able to both go home 4 days later.
Can they tell if there is any reason for the cause of the IUGR?
From my experience I was happy at the time that they let me carry on as long as possible, but had they known the full extent of the IUGR I don't think i would have been left for so long. I am just so thankful that all was ok in the end.

 

[Magicbabydust]

They did have a bunch of blood drawn and were going to have tests done to try to find out why. They said that sometimes people have some sort of infection and dont know it and that could cause IUGR to happen. I wont know until next week when I go back to the specialists and its two weeks before I go back to reg ob. They do growth measurements every three weeks which would put me around 36 weeks before they knew if she has gained weight or not. Im wondering now if taking her at 37 would be best for her since shes not getting what she needs inside. Reg ob yesterday said her body was classic IUGR baby where its head biggest, then abdomen, and then legs and that it would probably continue that way until she was out.

 

[vermeil]

*hugs* I know it`s very hard to do right now, but do try not to stress. You`ve made it to 32 weeks, that`s a HUGE milestone! The lungs and brain are fully formed now. Survival rates with no complications are VERY good after 28 weeks, close to 100%. The longer you can keep going, the better. The risk of permanent damage is VERY low already. My son was an IUGR baby, I read on the topic for months and know the stats inside out

Basically these little babies are amazing. IF (a big IF!) they are not getting enough bloodflow, what they do receive is sent to the brain and vital organs. The rest can catch up later. My son was born at 27 weeks with the weight of a 22-23 weeker. He was 1-2% in terms of weight so a severe IUGR. The amazing part is his head, lungs and heart measured at 27 weeks. The rest of his body was tiny, measuring like a 22 weeker. Which is not important, those will catch up in time. That`s what saved him. He`s 3 now and is slowly catching up, he`s 15% now yay

What I`m saying is birth weight doesn`t matter. 'cooking' a bit longer is. That`s what the doctor awkwardly was explaining to you. THey will NOT put your baby through any risk don`t worry! If they feel it`s safe to wait two more weeks, then it is! If there was even a tiny chance your little one would be in distress before that, they wouldn`t take a chance and deliver her now. 33 weeks is already VERY good.

I`m sorry the doctor was rushed and didn`t explain it better.

You can look at the pics in my sig if you want a happy ending to IUGR

Sending you positive vibes

 

[Magicbabydust]

My bloodwork finally came back and everything was good so no idea why iugr. I have a bad feeling that keeps getting worse and I really think a date should be set for delivery. I know im worrying too much but even though all her bloodflow looks good and she passes the NSTs shes started moving less and less. She was moving great for the NST so specialist isnt that worried but that was the most movement she'd done in dats. I have to poke at her to get her to move because sometimes she doesnt move all day and it scares me. Im going to talk to my reg doc next appt about my concerns. I don tr want to short change her any time but I know the risk of stillbirth increases after 37 weeks and I truelly feel she would be better out than in. Has anyone else had this sort of thing happen? Shes staying in the 6% so she is growing at her own speed but it still doesnt seem right to me. Plus every time I go to my reg doc I get a different one so it makes me a little nervous since I have no idea if one docs opinion is the same as the others. Anyone else have something similar happen with them? What did you do?

 

[mommy2lilmen]

Go with a goal of 37 weeks, and go from there. My 4th son was IUGR to BUT was born a healthy weight and we have no idea. He was VERY thin, dry and looked over due but he was born at 39 weeks. He was told to me by the way he looked on ultrasound at 36 weeks he would be about 4-5 pounds but at 39 weeks he came out 7 pounds 9 oz. But like I said skinny. IUGR babies are healthy all around if their fluid is ok and what not I believe, so try to keep eating well and drinking and keep her in as long as possible. Good luck

 

[MariaF]

I don't have any personal experience but a lady from our NCT group had her son at 36 weeks and he weighed 4lb11. She had to have a c section pretty immediately. It was pure chance he was diagnosed with IUGR! He is now a healthy 1yo. Best of luck!

 

[MYBezalel]

My son is severe IUGR, born at 36weeks 2days weighing 1.3kilos only.

The perinatologist also wanted me to deliver at FT, that is 37weeks but we did not make it as my little one lost weight while still inside, amniotic fluid dropped, and his blood flow through his cord is not healthy anymore.

Actually he's a 2-vessel cord. I was awake while they were operating on me. So I heard my OB, calling the Intensive Pedia to have a look at the cord of my son. 10cm of it is as thin as a telephone wire while at the end of that thin cord is a coil. Miraculously he made it, and we heard a very loud cry which made me teary.

I guess pushing through FT with an IUGR baby depends on the situation of the baby, and as long as he/she is not yet distressed or the uterine environment is still healthy for him/her.

 

[_Lexi_]

My son was an iugr baby, and sadly wasn't one of the lucky ones. I was diagnosed with low fluid at 22 weeks, and iugr at 24 weeks. From then on I had weekly growth scans, and placenta/cord flow checks every other day. At 33+4 they couldn't see an increase in growth and the blood flow through the cord wasn't great. That weekend I had steroid injections and they got him out by c section at 34 weeks. He was a tiny 2lb 7oz. We spent 13 long hours in the nicu before he lost his fight. If the placenta and cord flow are healthy, and she's still growing, they most likely wont set a date for delivery, just take it week by week. The longer she's in the better, until problems start to arise.

 

[Magicbabydust]

They are going to have to set a date some time because I'm having ac section and its dangerous for me to go into labor on my own. If I go into labor on my own and things get too far before I get to the hospital then it could be very dangerous for me and my baby. Plus I have to tell my work something so I can schedule my leave. My job isn't the kind you can just call and say not coming in for a couple months unless serious unexpected/unknown emergency.

 

[sunnylove]

I don't know too much about IUGR, but your weight measurements for the gestation don't seem that small to me. There's an IUGR baby in the NICU right now who was born at 28 weeks weighing about 14ozs. He is now 35 weeks and weighs 2 lbs 5 ozs. That is small!! Your measurements sound much, much better.