pregnancy growth question.

Was hoping someone on pistonheads, preferably with a medical background could help me.

My partner went to see the midwife today, she’s 8 months pregnant.

They measured her and she is only 30inch instead of the 35 they expected. They have booked her in for a scan next week. Is this normal? Should I worry about anything?

I realise that this may seem stupid asking a question like this on a car website but I was at work at the time of her visit. And I have tried searching on the internet but cannot find anything that is relevant to the above question.

Thanks MTB

Clearly not, otherwise they wouldn't bother with the scan. But they haven't rushed her in for a scan today, so they clearly don't consider it an emergency.

You are already (understandably) worried but what can you do to change the situation? Nothing, apart from being reassuring to your partner. So don't go digging about on the internet as you will only make yourself worry more and that will come across to your missus who is probably quite scared enough right now.


Anyway, enough of the sensible stuff....



Edit for spooling

Had very similar experience a few weeks ago when my wife was measuring 24 weeks when she was 28 weeks pregnant. Went for a scan the following week where they can more accurately measure the baby via ultrasound, and it was measured as absolutely spot on for 28 weeks.

They told us it's a fairly standard referral - they'd rather err on the side of caution and the 'usual' tape measure method of measuring growth at maternity appointments can be a bit hit and miss.

forget the external measurement - it's measurer dependent

it's the bone scan measures that mean something

Thanks for the responses. Its somewhat put my mind at rest.

is that from the wane or me?

In any case doesn't it make a difference depending on whether or not a pregnant woman was a blimp before the pregnancy started?

....not that I'm suggesting there has been any undue blimpishness at any stage in this instance.

Best wishes all,
Dave - not an expert on pregnancies, or anything else, for that matter.

I measured 6-8cm behind in both pregnancies (actually at 33 weeks you couldn't tell I was pregnant). It was nonsense really as the tape measure does not give an accurate idea of the size of the baby according to both my consultants. What does give a better (but not always accurate) measure is the scan. I had weekly scans from 24 weeks in pregnancy 1 and twice weekly in pregnancy two - so I do know a bit about scans. It is routine for them to do scans if you measure as little as 2cm behind or ahead (local policy).

(I was 6cm behind as I very very low amniotic fluid both times - at the lowest it was 3 - 15+ is normal. However I was still measuring small with all the fluid there. The other thing is fluid levels go up and down dramatically.)

If your OH has made it to 8 months - at 37 weeks the baby is term anyway - so you are in safe ground if they decide baby might need to make an earlier apperance - highly unlikely though.

All in all I wouldn't worry and hopefully the extra scan will be a nice bit of reassurance before baby arrives.

No, it's not normal at all and that is why they have asked for a scan. Don't ever be passed off, it's your wife and baby that they are dealing with. If you are at all worried or unhappy with anything insist on further inspection. In fact in many cases when the baby is smaller than expected, or has stopped growing they'll induce at 37 weeks to get it out - could be something like the placenta has stopped working properly etc.

I'd be after some fetal heart monitoring and a Doppler scan to make sure that enough blood flow is reaching the baby, particularly the brain.