Fetal Weight: is the doctor wrong?

Lindsay5781

I am 28 weeks and went to the doc last Friday. Based on measurements baby is 2.3 lbs. According to The Bump that is on the high side of normal for the age. Doctor said 2.3 lbs is extremely low for this time...13th percentile to be exact and said if she goes below the 10th percentile then a high risk for stillbirth. I looked at other sites and they say 2.3 lbs is average for age. How can this be so different? Who is right? Any info would help. Thx in advance

NagaWater

You need to find a new doctor.
2.3lbs is average for 28wks, and him saying it's extremely low is extremely wrong.

I'm sorry, but there is no polite way to say he is an idiot and probably needs to have his license revoked.

mdupon70997

I'd definitely get a second opinion. Most literature says it's average.

MommaBre2007

New Doctor. I cannot believe he said that. I hope you are doing ok. Even though he is wrong, I know those words had to be hard to hear. Thoughts and prayers are with you.

nursemom83

You need a new doctor. That weight is perfect for 28 weeks.

khan08

Fetal weight is just a ball park guess. They can't really know exactly how much the baby weighs at this time. Was he looking at the baby thru an ultra sound or was he measuring from your pelvis to the top of your uterus? They're so many different factors. It's hard to tell. Do you trust your doctor? If you don't, I would think about looking for a different doc!

Mel&John2013

I suggest getting more clarity from your doctor. We don't know what baby was measuring most recently before this measurement. If baby has always been around the 13th percentile it doesn't seem like there should be much concern. But if baby was at the 50th percentile a few weeks ago and is now the 13th that's something else entirely.

Your doctor should have answered any questions you had before you left the appointment. I'd call and schedule another check in to chat through the doctor's logic for being concerned.

topaz7777

My doctor said DD was in the 90th percentile for weight...  she was born at 7lb 6oz.  Definitely not an accurate measurement at all.

anna&jl2011

I was told is my first son he was 5 lbs 9 oz at 38 weeks via ultrasound. Which was supposedly under the 5th percentile. He came out a week later 6 lbs 13 oz and perfect.

CivilMommy

Was this with a level 2 ultrasound and a maternal fetal medicine specialist? 

2.3 sounds average for this gestation.

My son was 2.8lb at 27w and came out at 39w at 11 pounds.  He was well above average.

Your doc is a twat.

Blergbot

Had an ultrasound at 30 weeks and baby was measuring about 3lbs. They said he's in the 44th percentile. 13th percentile seems waaaay off to me.

mamakeeg

My baby was 2.5 measured at 29 weeks and that was 3rd percentile. My placenta quit working and my baby was not growing. Let them do extra ultrasounds to make sure. I had my baby via emergency c-section at 29 weeks almost two weeks ago and she ended up being 1lb 15oz. Healthy and doing well but if they wouldn't have caught that my placenta was failing when they did she would have been still born. Don't listen to people who tell you to find a new doctor that's bull. Your doctor is trying to do everything he can do to make sure your baby is safe and healthy.

angelike81

That sounds scary. Did your doctor schedule you for a follow up visit to recheck the babies growth. If not I would definitely see about having him do so

mrsalvidrez

I'm three weeks ahead of you and for 31 weeks everything I see says 2.5 would be low end. I can't imagine at 28 weeks that 2.3 is too low.

angelfish628

I agree with the PPs. It's time to find a new doctor. I wouldn't trust this one with any further testing and especially labor and delivery.

travelnut11

I think the charts also vary quite a bit.  I had an ultrasound last week at 27w3days and my baby measured 2 lbs 6 ounces which looked to be a bit ahead based on the charts I found on the Internet but my Dr. said it's 42% percentile.  This seemed low to me considering I was measuring only one day behind at 27w2days.  Also, the abdomen/head circumference were at 21% which seemed very low to me but he said it seems that way but those measurements are only 3 days behind at 27w0days which he said is well within the margin of error.  On the flip side, my kid apparently has gigantic femurs as those measured about 10 days ahead and in the 73% percentile.  So I think what we have here is a long, skinny baby which makes sense given my and my husband's genetics. 

I'd take the extra ultrasounds for peace of mind but honestly wouldn't worry too much.  Ultrasound measurements, while the best they have, can have a big margin of error.

Anne1387

I have to go for extra growth ultrasounds because my umbilical cord only has 2 vessels instead of 3. They told me at this last ultrasound (yesterday) that they can only really get an estimate of the baby's weight, and that it has a fairly large margin of error (about half a pound.) When I go for my growth ultrasounds they are taking a lot of other measurements that they are more concerned with than the weight - measuring the belly, the femur, etc.

If you are concerned, I would call your doctor and see if you can talk more about how they arrived at telling you the baby was small and if you can have a follow up growth ultrasound in 2-3 weeks to ensure that baby is still growing correctly.

mhickey426

I don't listen to feral weight after my daughter. She was a week late so I had 3 measurements toward the end along with non stress tests. They told me she was almost 9 lbs, 9lbs something and then almost 10 lbs. she was 7lb 8oz. They told my sil her 2nd daughter was 8lb something and she ended up being 10lbs 6oz! It is hard to get accurate readings.

be888

When in doubt always ask for a second opinion from internet strangers with no medical training.

kier23

My fiancé was a little over 2 lbs when he was born at 24 weeks.....that was on the high side for that gestation so like everyone else said...get a new doctor

nursemom83

At 28 weeks, the MFM said my baby girl was 2 lbs 9 oz which was perfect at that gestational age.

Seriously. Get a second opinion.

boofyboo

I went to the doctor and baby girl is at 3.0 lbs at 28 weeks, I am not sure how accurate an "average" is as you can be over/under. I would get another opinion...

boofyboo

be888 said:

When in doubt always ask for a second opinion from internet strangers with no medical training.

Is this really appropriate to say?? Isn't this what a community is for?

kjuryfl

Just had a growth u/s today at 28wks because my belly was measuring large. Baby is just shy of 3lbs (around 70th% according to my OB) and his legs are measuring 30wks. My husband is 6'4" so I expect that this baby boy will be large. I would speak with your Dr for clarification. Don't worry if they suggest an extra u/s to check on the baby.

adeaea1

I had a similar experience today... My fundal height measured 3 weeks small and my weight hasn't increased since my last appt a month ago. My dr basically accused me of starving my baby by not eating enough. Everything I said I was eating he said wasn't good and I should be eating bacon, steak, and potatoes for every meal. I've been trying to eat healthy for the baby and he just made me feel horrible and I couldn't stop crying. I've gained 25% of my original body weight and have by no means done anything to restrict my caloric intake. So he had them scan with ultrasound measurements and they said the measurements from that were about a week small and there is probably no reason to be concerned. I have to go in for twice weekly NST tests now for extra monitoring.

I'm happy for the extra monitoring but am still so upset by the way he handled this. I seriously couldn't believe it when I've done so much to try to make sure I'm being as healthy as possible for the baby. They say stress on the mother is super bad for fetal development and I just feel like I was put through so much stress today for probably nothing. I'm so frustrated.

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bramage

For the love of christ. If your dr says your fetal weight/growth is so low it suggests imminent still birth you need to be discussing it with him and hammering out a course of action for improving your childs health and weight. Not having a tantrum and running off to a diff doc just because yours didnt sugar coat it enough. Your doc knows your medical history. He knows your progress throughout this pregnancy. Demand answers from him. No doc ia going to say... hm looks like your baby is going to die see ya later. Their job is to take care of you and that baby. Call set a follow up appointment. Stay calm and rational. Ask for options and a further testing.

be888

boofyboo said:

When in doubt always ask for a second opinion from internet strangers with no medical training.

Is this really appropriate to say?? Isn't this what a community is for?

It is very appropriate to say actually. Plus this is not what this community is for. Medical decisions/interventions/questions should be discussed with a medical professional, not with random people on the internet. Asking about personal experience is fine, but asking a bunch of no names if her doctor is wrong is not the appropriate course of action, if she is questioning the knowledge of her doctor.

Mel&John2013

boofyboo said:

When in doubt always ask for a second opinion from internet strangers with no medical training.

Is this really appropriate to say?? Isn't this what a community is for?

This is absolutely NOT what a community is for. Medical advice should be sought from a medical professional. Asking strangers on the internet whether your doctor is wrong is irresponsible.

Lindsay5781

For those of you who understood my post as asking your experience with your fetal weight and percentile thank you for the info. For those of you that have nothing better to do than to criticize a post you obviously didn't understand I feel sorry for you that you obviously have nothing better to do than criticize others. I was not seeking any medical opinion and I did discuss things at length with my specialist. I would be remiss in my duties as a mother if I didn't. I was merely stating that weight charts for fetal weight are so vastly different and wanted info.

bramage

My reading comprehension Is just fine thank you. You literally asked us if your doctor is wrong. And I quote "how is this different? Who is right?" If your post was misunderstood then maybe you should work on actually typing out what you want answered. You didnt ask for personal experience with fetal growth. You asked if your dr is wrong. Iam very sorry that the lack of psychics on this board led to you feeling that your post was misunderstood. We will try to work on that.

HoneyBunn24

Ultrasounds and doctors can be off regarding weight up to two pounds either way. I was told at 37 weeks with my daughter that she was already 7lbs 5oz and she was born the day after my due date at 7lbs 13oz. It's not an exact science to figure out the weight. It's a "best guess" or "educated guess" at this point. 

I wouldn't worry very much.

Mel&John2013

Lindsay5781 said:

For those of you who understood my post as asking your experience with your fetal weight and percentile thank you for the info. For those of you that have nothing better to do than to criticize a post you obviously didn't understand I feel sorry for you that you obviously have nothing better to do than criticize others. I was not seeking any medical opinion and I did discuss things at length with my specialist. I would be remiss in my duties as a mother if I didn't. I was merely stating that weight charts for fetal weight are so vastly different and wanted info.

I'm confused by this reply.

The title of your post said "is the doctor wrong". This title asks internet strangers if you should believe them or believe a medical professional.

And if you already talked about it at length with your specialist I don't understand why you even asked the question.

I believe the responsible answers you received were those ones who pointed out that we don't know your medical history and are not medical professionals and therefore cannot speak to whether or not what your doctor said was correct. Those responses may not have been what you wanted to hear, but I believe they were the appropriate responses.

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john1910

If you're not eager to jump in bed w/a new Dr at this stage in the game, maybe just call & ask for a few mins to discuss his concerns & really voice your opinion that his choice of words had a major impact on you. If he still sounds like there's a giant cause for concern, then I'd certainly get a 2nd opinion! I'm currently 31 wks & was told my baby was on the larger size at 3lbs (70th %ile) @ 28 wks. I feel each Dr & practice goes by their own guidelines in terms of standardized procedures & measurements, which seems odd to me! I would have another honest convo w/your doc & THEN if you don't feel 'better' then seek a 2nd opinion or another OB entirely. Good luck!!