thread: Fundal Height 4cm's too low- what could that be?

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Apr 2008
    The Purple House, Sydney
    1,811

    Question Fundal Height 4cm's too low- what could that be?

    Hi all,
    I saw my mw today and she seemed a bit concernced. Last time I saw her, at 32 weeks, my fundal height was spot on at 32cm's. Now, at 37 weeks, I'm only just at 33 cms. I don't feel like I've gotten much bigger or rounder over the last 4 weeks, I was just saying to dh the other day I feel like I've stopped growing and am just dropping lower and lower instead.

    Mw says baby is 2/5 engaged, but that's not enough to account for losing 4cm's of fundal height. I have an u/s on Monday. i'm resisting the urge to Google I am a bit owrried, only because my mw is worried and she's actually sending me for an u/s when she is generally very non-interventialionist...

    So, what could be going on here....? Should i brace myself...?

  2. #2
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber

    Feb 2006
    melbourne
    11,462

    hun id say that bubs has just moved on down, heading towards the exit i wouldnt worry at all!!
    FWIW i always measured way behind, middy was never concerned! dont google

  3. #3
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber

    Jun 2005
    Blue Mountains
    5,086

    No idea sorry.. I was never measured in either of my pregnancies.

    Hopefully all is well... and no, don't google! haha.

  4. #4
    rhyb Guest

    Dont worry just sounds like bubs is getting ready.
    If it helps Im only measuring at 23 weeks and I should be huge. All is well Im just carrying more to the back

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Sep 2009
    sydney
    7

    Cool

    the exact same thing happened to me and i was rushed in for an ultrasound. The sonographer told me that all measurememts were fine except her legs werent measuring' right''. Of course i was freaked out and went on the net which told me a million things that could be wrong. doctor even told me when i asked if baby could have dwarfism that he couldnt say. I was in pieces for days until i got the formal results which measursed aloy better and different again! my m/w est that baby would be 4.5 kg bou turned out 3.2! so never can tell. i was always out with fundal measures at the end and yes, my little one came out just fine. so please dont go looking on the net and try and chill baby will be fine.

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Nov 2007
    Southwest Syd
    1,858

    Lori I'm not sure as I was never measures either but try not to worry. Wait for the ultrasound and see. I'm sure everything will be fine.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Feb 2008
    Country Victoria
    5,945

    Mine was all over the place.. up and down.. up and down... im sure everything is fine.

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Dec 2005
    In Bankworld with Barbara
    14,222

    I dropped a few cm's with my 2nd pg when she started to engage. She could also be in a position which changes the height as well.

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Apr 2008
    The Purple House, Sydney
    1,811

    Had my scan today. Bubs is measuring at 35 weeks when she should be 37. Amniotic fluid is on the low side of normal. Mw is not too concernced about the fluid, she said that can happen in the last few weeks. She said I'll probably just have another scan in a week to make sure bubs is still growing, but she needs to check that with the ob first.

    Trying not to worry too much, ds was a tiny baby (2570 gms). Looks like either an even tinier baby or a few more weeks of pregnancy than I thought... I'd definately rather the extra weeks, but neither option is pretty.

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Sep 2006
    951

    Hey babe... sending you heaps of hugs (((())))).... I know its hard not to worry and you will worry but I am sure everything is fine... We were told our buba's tummy was really too big and there could be something wrong with the bowel not forming properly or it was twisted etc etc.... come back in 6 weeks for another scan- don't worry they say!!! ha ha the longest 6 weeks of my life!!! Measured again and it is still on the biggish side but hasn't gotten too big...

    so maybe you grow little ones and I grow ones with big muffins!!!!So all I am saying is that I understand the worry you are having and sending you loads of love xx

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Cowra, NSW
    409

    yeah, could just be almost fully grown. With only 3 weeks to go, maybe the growth spurt is starting to slow down.
    My bubba has been under the average fundal height all the way along, cause my fiance is only tiny. (bred to be a jockey, hes 154 cms tall and weighs 55 kilo lol)

    Hope all goes well, and keep us informed on how the second u/s goes

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Aug 2007
    288

    I was in the same situation with both my kids.

    With DD, my fundal height was down from the beginning and DD was born at 2.98kg

    DS, things were spot on until 30 weeks where things slowed heaps and was sent for a heap of U/S which showed bub was in the 5th percentile. I was induced at 40 weeks and DS was born weighing 2.66kg. The IUGR term was thrown around both before and after DS's birth.

    If your DS was small then this one might just be too. Good luck, hope it all works out

  13. #13
    Registered User

    Aug 2007
    Tas, Australia
    288

    Cool

    Hey Honey,
    I went in for my checkup when I was 36 weeks with my first and she was measuring 32- 33 weeks. I asked for one of the Drs to be bought up to measure and have a look yet they all ended up measuring from a different point on my pubic bone up to the top of my belly. My midwife was concerned and talking about extra ultrasounds and the like yet I chose not to have any intervention. Nothing ended up being wrong, she was born a healthy 3.45kgs and 52cm long. These days you may find a lot of people find the fundal height measurement to be very inaccurate, especially during the last weeks.
    Hope you are feeling less anxious. I know I didn't feel the best but If the ultrasound makes you feel better than get it done.
    P.s I got bigger in the last 2 weeks!

  14. #14
    Registered User

    Apr 2008
    The Purple House, Sydney
    1,811

    Thanks girls I got a phone call from the mw this morning after she talked to the ob. Ob has said a second u/s probably won't even be neccassary, she is not concernced about the results given that ds was so little and I'm only 153 cms myself. I think that's a pretty sensible assumption and I'm very happy with it, not to mention much less worried

  15. #15
    Registered User

    Dec 2005
    In Bankworld with Barbara
    14,222

    I'm glad you've had some reassurance that all is fine. Some women do just have small babies and afterall, we know it takes babies of all sizes to create those charts we all love to hate Plus between now and then bubs has the potential to gain another 500gms if you don't go past dates and even more if you do

  16. #16
    Registered User

    Jun 2009
    Christchurch NZ
    264

    With my last 3 pregnancies I never measured past 32 CM at full term all my babies came out fine. You have plenty more time for growing so relax and enjoy your last few weeks

    I do get IUGR but my babies are all older now and are the same size as other kids their age.