Small Fundal Height

[laurren2101]

I am 33 weeks pregnant and have measured 29cm fundal height for 2 weeks in a row and have now been referred to for a growth scan as being small for my dates.
The midwife wouldn't say very much about what it means or could mean apart from saying it could be nothing. Well that wasn't good enough for me and have searched on Google what it could mean and came across a lot of scary information of which the last thing I read was "fetal demise".

I am petrified and want to know if measuring 4cm smaller is something to worry about and what does happen without the horror stories from people who have experienced this before!

Please can someone tell me what could be happening?? Just so confused

 

[Blondie007]

I have read so many stories like this and I dont remember one that was serious bad news. I am opposite and measuring too big - still panicking!

These measurements are notoriously inaccurate, try not to panic x

 

[Mom 2B]

I had IUGR with my first....Intrauterine growth restriction. Basically baby stopped growing between 28-32 weeks. My daughter was born 9 days early and weighed 4lbs 13oz but was very healthy. Odd thing was my belly always measured correctly adn i alwasy gained the right amount of weight.
On to baby number 2......I am now 31 weeks adn FH is 28cm. So 3 weeks behind. I have a growth scan this week. Im sure baby is probaly small but im hoping that he will be jsut like his sister and come out tiny but healthy.

I hope this helps! Tiny babies can still be healthy. And sometimes FH measurments are not very accurate

 

[joeyjo]

Really try not to worry; fundal height is very unreliable as a way of estimating faetal growth/size. I never measured above 31cm and was actually measured at 29cm at 40 weeks; it depends how baby is lying & varies with different people measuring etc. My son was born on his due date & weighed 7lb 5oz.

 

[laurren2101]

Do you know what caused the restricted growth?
He has measured smaller than he perhaps should but not a lot smaller the whole way through and has been growing following the line on the graph just a bit below, the problem is that now he's 4 weeks under and not changed in 2.

I was wondering what they did if the baby is smaller, but they did nothing with you? There's not a lot of information on the internet other than what can only be described as scaremongering!

Thank you, you've given me some much needed relief!

 

[Mom 2B]

For me it was probably smoking. I cut back but never could quit all together. Same with this one althou im trying really hard to quit as of tomorrow.
They put me on bedrest for 7weeks until i delivered but it didn't help much....thats why they think smoking might not have been why i had IUGR. i was hardley smoking for those 7 weeks and baby only gained approx 13oz.
as long as baby looks good they will keep baby in...but if there is problems they would have taken her out earlier...same with this baby.

Oh i also had to go for weekly non stress tests and bi-weekly growth scans so if either of those showed problems thats when they would have taken her out.

 

[laurren2101]

Really try not to worry; fundal height is very unreliable as a way of estimating faetal growth/size. I never measured above 31cm and was actually measured at 29cm at 40 weeks; it depends how baby is lying & varies with different people measuring etc. My son was born on his due date & weighed 7lb 5oz.

Thank you! Were you sent for growth scans? If so did it show him to be sized normally, just the fundal small??

 

[hels08]

hi there, i have not experienced this myself but my sister in law had to have a growth scan at 34 weeks as she was only measuring 28 weeks, she was very worried as we all probably would be. she had the scan and it showed baby was perfect size, her small bump was due to the fact that baby was laying mostly to the back so not much bump at the front, he is now a happy healthy 2 year old xxxx

 

[joeyjo]

Really try not to worry; fundal height is very unreliable as a way of estimating faetal growth/size. I never measured above 31cm and was actually measured at 29cm at 40 weeks; it depends how baby is lying & varies with different people measuring etc. My son was born on his due date & weighed 7lb 5oz.

Thank you! Were you sent for growth scans? If so did it show him to be sized normally, just the fundal small??

I had monthly scans from my obgyn (in Switzerland) which dropped to every 2 weeks when my belly didn't get bigger. He was always measuring almost bang on dates except the very last scan at 39 weeks he only measured just over 37 weeks but he sent me for a more indepth scan at the hospital and LO measured 39weeks there; I was induced 3 days before my duedate because the placenta looked a bit like it was deteriorating but he clearly wasn't ready coz he took 3 days to come! The induction just wouldn't get things going!

 

[laurren2101]

Thank you everyone for your advice and help!
I have had my scan and he was measured at precisely the age he should be to the day and weighed roughly 4lb 11oz which is marks him at being dead on his growth chart. They can only surmise that I have good stomach muscles.
If my fundal doesn't increase next week I will have another scan to see if he is growing normally.

So happy!