fundal length not matching dates......scared!!!!

im scared cause tommorrow i have to go and get another ultrasound done as my fundal length isnt matching up with my dates. i am 34 weeks and my fundal length is only 30-31cms and is meant to be about 34cms. basically its meant to be growing 1cm a week and mine is only 1cm every 2weeks.

My doctor says there probably nothing wrong but she wants to check just in case. i am really scared that my baby isnt growing and will have to be born soon.

has anything like this happened to anyone here? any advice?

I would say it's possible that your weeks are out and that's why your baby is measuring "behind" Weeks and EDD are never what they should be or what you think they should be. Jonah was always measruing ahead or behind at some point. So I wouldn't worry, until they actually say something is wrong because more than likely everything is fine. So just try to relax until tomorrow.

Try not to worry too much. This has happened in both my pregnancies and both my boys were fine. I had to have scans every 2wks from 30wks to check their progress and they were doing just fine, just slow growers.

Kameron was born @ 6lb at 37wks 6 days (induced as they were expecting him to only be 4lb) and Lachlan was born @ 6lb 7 at 38wks 1 day also induced.

Love

I too had this happen at 32wks. According to my GP my fundal height was on the small side so she sent me for an U/S. Turns out Maddy was perfect so try not to worry too much although I know that's easier said than done.

Good luck hon. I'll be thinking about you.

my daughter measured smaller than what she was supposed to be and she had to be born early at 37 weeks because she wasnt growing according to the ultrasounds i was havind every forghtnight

my son also measured smaller than what he was ment to be but he was born 8lb12, so he obviously wasnt small lol, it might just depend on how bubs is laying

LOL, us mums to be, there's always something to worry about hey. ;)

Your fundal height is a little behind and you're worried, mine is ahead and I've started to worry about a giant baby!
I hope everything goes well at your scan!

There are a lot of reasons why you measure differently to dates. Some Doctors don't even measure at all. It is entirely possible that you are having a short baby, or that bubs is positioned funny in there and making it measure differently.

Please don't worry though - your little one will be just fine.

Try not to worry (I know it's impossible!!)

My tummy always measured smaller and was told all these possible worst case scenarios by my dr. I had to have a scan at 37.5 w and it turns out he was fine.

As it was my waters broke 2 days later and he was born right on 38w measuring 46cm and only 5lb 14 (2.67kg) The u/s said he was over 3kg so they didn't even get that right!

Anyway, he was perfectly healthy just a small little boy. He's still quite short for his age but he's probably going to just be little like me!

I don't know why they go on so much about all of that, it really irritates me as you get so scared that something is wrong. I'd like to know the % of people who's babies don't grow in their tummies properly at that stage!!!

Good luck with your scan - let us know how you go!

Fundal height can change or not be accurate to dates depending on baby's position, fluid levels, unique size - so don't stress too much. My Ob never bothered measuring with both my children and he's a very experienced fertility specialist and all the rest.

Hey SarahMC - your situation is IDENTICAL to mine... would you believe Im also 34weeks , and measuring 30cm .. the thing is that in the last 2 weeks my fundal height hasnt increased at all ( not even the 2cm it was meant to ) .. so I had my check up on Monday.. and was sent off for an ultrasound... turns out the baby is as healthy as can be , weighs nearly 2.5kg and all is in order..
The lady doing my ultrasound said that measuring fundal height usually isnt a good indicator of how the baby is growing because every woman develops so differently and every baby is in a diff. position..

so I wouldnt worry , Im sure your baby is OK too :) dont let them scare you.. I know i was

I measured behind too and wish I had requested more scan. I did have a 32w scan because of the position of the placenta at the 18w scan. I was told I would have a small baby and ended up having an emergency c/sec at 38w due to foetal distress. Bubs was only 4lb2oz and was diagnosed with Intra Uterine Growth Retardation. Next time I will be having fortnightly (possibly weekly) scans from 28w.

Hopefully everything will be OK for you but best that your Dr is overly cautious.

I just had this happen to me last week. I am only measuring 31cm and I'm 37 weeks... so that's an even bigger difference!

I was sent off for a scan and thankfully everything looks fine and bubs is estimated to be a healthy 2.9 kgs (though they can be 20% wrong either way LOL).

I was absolutely freaking out last week but like my dr said to us on Friday... "You invite a big, nice sized man into your home - you cannot expect to have a small baby..." LMAO he is a strange Dr!!!! :dunno:

I truly understand how worrying this is for you.

Fundal height measurements can be a bit controversial. Many practitioners use them routinely and many don't.
Fundal height is very reliant on the position of the baby. It is an indicator but not a predictor that growth may be out. It sounds like your baby is growing. That is what we want. Babies are people and we are all unique. Your little ones growth may be quite normal for her/him.
The very best indicator that your baby is doing well is movement. Of course growth is necessary but position can and will influence measurement. The other thing that can influence measurement is the amouunt of amniotic fluid surrounding your baby. Some women have an amount on the lower end of normal and others on the higher. This can and will alter the fundal height. My son was consistently measuring less than my dates would indicate. Finn was born on his due date and was 8lbs.

The good thing is that you are having this looked into. If for some reason your baby had to be born soon he/she has all the very best of odds for doing very well.

Please come back and tell us how you go. I will be thinking of you today.
Lots of love and hugs,
Deb

My cousin was told that her baby was undersized because of her fundal high measurements. She went on to have a 9lb 6oz girl, a huge effort since the mum is only about 50kg herself

Sarah

I never measured the 'correct' fundal height and my ob said it was just because both me and the baby were on the small side.

When Lucy was born she only weighed 2560 gms (5 lb 10 oz) but was perfectly healthy and had not the slightest problem. She was 39 wks. I checked my yellow card and I was at least 3 cm behind the week for fundal height all of the time.

I would say it might just be a little baby!

thank you for all your advice. it helped me alot. i went for my ultrasound on friday and the guy doing the ultrasound said my baby boy is just measuring 32weeks instead of 34weeks, he has to compare these results to my previous results but he thinks 'james' is okay. so later today i have to ring up my doctor to get the actual re****s from the ultrasound. hopefull all is well.

once again thankyou for all your help.

Let us know what the doctor says :) Hopefully as is well.. just a little baby (easier to squeeze out hehe ).. good luck!

I would say just a little baby, depends on how they are lying. Glad my gyno doesn't measure he is very experienced and just feels and I am sure he would have told me if all was not ok. At my 34 week scan, bubs measured 4lb 12oz so 4 oz off what the books say, so I was happy with that. Because I don't appear to grow dramatically I have been worried alll along and gyno has assured me each time all is going well.

Let us know the results would you.

Also Bek, you said your bubba had uterine growth retardation is he / she ok now? Or was it just in the womb and ok now???

well i spoke to my doctor and of course she said everything is FINE. the blood flow through in the umbilical cord is great and the amount of amniotic fluid is perfect etc. she basically just said he will be a little baby which is good for me.

i wonder how these little people inside of us make us worry so much even before they are born!!!!

Hi Sarah,
That is fabulous news!

They do make us worry that is for sure. It never stops there either. Be prepared for another 50 years or so of worry.

Again, I am so glad that all is fine.

HUGS to you...

Congrats Sarah great news, what a relief!

That's great news Sara!!

Oh & someone else took my measurements and got 37 cms this week... And I could feel the difference between where she felt and where others have been feeling... silly midwives haven't had much luck locating my pubis bone apparently!!!

So in one week I've gone from small baby to big!!! :eek: Just goes to show that they can get it wrong!