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20 week rescan- measuring small for dates

Hello,

I had my 20 week scan on Tuesday of this week. and all went well. The sonographer was very detailed and we were able to see the brain, cerebellum, ribs, spine, liver, kidneys, full and empty bladder and the sonographer explained that all of these looked exactly as they should do. All of the measurements that were taken dated the baby at 19 1 to 19 6 as opposed to 20 2,. At the 12 week scan the measurements were exact match to my dates. When the sonographer looked at the heart we were clearly able to see the four chambers of the heart (in the four leaf clover type of shape) and were able to see each chamber of the heart beating. However the sonographer said that as the measurements were coming up smaller (but still within the average range between 8th and 32nd percentile and all in proportion with each other) she was unable to see the great vessels of the heart in as much detail as needed and therefore has arranged for a re scan in 2 weeks time. I asked and asked if this was something we need to worry about and if there was anything wrong and the sonographer very clearly said there is nothing to worry about at all and there is nothing wrong, the heart is just too small to see in enough detail at the moment. She said if there was something wrong we would be referred to a consultant which we haven't been. When we have the rescan it is another sonographer that will be doing it. I also called my midwife just to check she didn't think there was anything to worry about and she also assured me there was nothing to worry about and nothing wrong. The rational, level headed part of me knows there isn't anything to worry about but I am just keen to hear if anyone else had experienced this too?

Thank you in advance :)

Replies

  • Hi, I had to go back for a repeat 20wk scan because she couldn't get the required data with regards the heart. We didn't have a size issue though.

    I know it's easy to say but try not to worry too much about size details. I've learnt that they are rarely accurate and also that the view the sonographer gets and the angle the baby is at can have a huge impact on these things.

    Hopefully the rescan will come round quickly and put your mind at rest :)

  • I had to go back for a re-scan too. I was 20+6 and they measured 20+6. They told me baby has a growth spurt between 20 and 22 weeks and that after 22 weeks the heart and it's chambers and vessels are much easier to see, no matter what position or angle baby is in.

    All was fine when we went back. If there was a cause for concern they would have been honest and open with you.

    At your next scan, baby's head circumference, abdomen circumference and thigh bone measurement will most likely be checked again and you will hopefully see a lovely growth between the two scans. That will put your mind at rest too.

    They tend not to worry unless the discrepancy in size is more than a week (total, parts of baby will naturally measure smaller or bigger than average, we are all different after all). And as counter says, the angle can easily miss or add a few mm which explains the days difference. Another cause for concern is if they haven't seen a good difference in growth between scans. So far, none of these are issues for you :)

    Do you have a date for your re-scan yet?

  • At our 20 week scan baby was measuring too small for his dates, particularly his head and femur length. We were referred straight to a consultant who then re-scanned and looked into every little detail. They also found that he had a hole in between the chambers of his heart (which closed up before he was born). I had regular scans every few weeks to keep an eye on his growth. They told us that he would be born a very small weight. Predicted around 5-6 pounds. When he was born he was 9lb 2oz and scored very high on all his health checks. There is nothing wrong with his weight at all and he is a very healthy and happy baby.

    So I guess what I am trying to say is don't worry. I wish I had worried less. They can't always be 100% with these things. They can only estimate things like measurements. If there was anything at all that they were slightly worried about then they would have referred you straight away. I know its worrying though as you are carrying this baby and you want to do everything you can to make sure it is all fine.

    As they said, they need to re-scan as they can't quite see the heart in as much detail as they need to. This isn't to say that there is anything wrong. They have to be very thorough when doing these scans.

    Keep us posted on how it goes.

  • They are more likely to be over cautious than under so if it was something to worry about at this stage I am sure they would tell you x

  • Thank you for your support and for sharing your experiences- it really is reassuring.

    The rescan is on Tuesday 10th June.  

    :)

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