Measuring 16th percentile at anatomy scan

katynnew

Hiiii. So I've never started a discussion before. I've commented on stuff here and there but have mostly just read. I tried to search but didn't find anything specific enough to help but apologies if I missed anything!

I had my anatomy scan today (finally!) at 21w2d. All of her organs were perfect but then the doctor said that she is quite small, measuring in the 16th percentile. She said that she wasn't concerned yet, that they don't worry unless they are 10% or lower. But I will have a follow up US at 28 weeks to make sure she's at least staying along the curve that she's at now. Basically making sure she hasn't dropped in percentile. It's obviously reassuring to hear the doctor say they aren't concerned, but of course I can't get the what ifs out of head. That I will go in for the follow up and it will be worse! -__-

Anywho, I'm just looking to see if anyone else has been told their baby is itty bitty. Positive stories and whatnot are always helpful.


(Also I had to include this picture of her sucking her little thumb. So cute. Agh.)

mrstrax

We cheered at DD's 4 month doctors appointment when she broke into double digits in both weight and percentile. She had growth restriction, which is what your OB will be checking for with the follow up - she dropped from 30th percentile at 35 weeks to 16th at 38 weeks. She was born at 38w5 at 6#3. DH and I were both 7#11, so 6 pounds is significantly less than would be expected.

Small babies are usually nothing to worry about so long as they are growing appropriately for the curve. SGA (small for gestational age - <10%) babies do have some increased risks, but my Internet research seems like the risks are often more connected to the cause of the size issue and not the size itself. In our experience, the only issue her size caused was difficulty breastfeeding - it's hard to latch (on flat nipples) with such a little mouth! Otherwise she is ahead or on track with developmental expectations for the average 18 month old - she's just itty bitty (17.5# at a year, 18 mo appt next week).

I would recommend talking to your OB about the "what ifs?" if you are still anxious at your next appointment. They can give you much more (and more scientific) information about your specific case/policies and reassure you as you have to wait.

katynnew

Thanks so much @mrstrax! I'll definitely talk more about it at my next appointment. In the moment, it was like I couldn't think very well but as soon as I got home I was just like ahhhhh I just want her to be perfect and healthy!

thaisac1

katynnew said:

Hiiii. So I've never started a discussion before. I've commented on stuff here and there but have mostly just read. I tried to search but didn't find anything specific enough to help but apologies if I missed anything!

I had my anatomy scan today (finally!) at 21w2d. All of her organs were perfect but then the doctor said that she is quite small, measuring in the 16th percentile. She said that she wasn't concerned yet, that they don't worry unless they are 10% or lower. But I will have a follow up US at 28 weeks to make sure she's at least staying along the curve that she's at now. Basically making sure she hasn't dropped in percentile. It's obviously reassuring to hear the doctor say they aren't concerned, but of course I can't get the what ifs out of head. That I will go in for the follow up and it will be worse! -__-

Anywho, I'm just looking to see if anyone else has been told their baby is itty bitty. Positive stories and whatnot are always helpful.


(Also I had to include this picture of her sucking her little thumb. So cute. Agh.)

My boy was also in the 16th percentile for weight and no one was concerned...

Wearing my physician's hat rather than my pregnant woman's hat, there are a few things I could tell you:

1) these measurements are far from being super accurate;
2) the growth curve , as you have more scans , is more important than an isolated measurement;
3) in medicine and imaging studies, we usually define normal values as 2 standard deviations below and above the mean, which takes you from the 5th to the 95th percentiles. Thus, 16th percentile is still within that normal range.

Hope that helps!

RoseShadow873

Do they always tell people what the percentile is? I was not told a percentile.

MariaSara1134

Yea I wasnt told anything the lady that did my a/s was only able to tell me the gender, nothing else. Irritating because my next appointment wasnt for another 3 weeks (now 5 days away) and she told me to direct my questions to the doctor when I see her, and that no news is good news. And then my baby went and got difficult so I had to change position a million times and use the restroom to try to get him to move, and she seemed annoyed with that. It only made me worry more on top of the normal questions I had.

MariaSara1134

And I'm sorry, wrong place to vent, I really hope your baby is ok and it sounds like she is! I just needed to get that off my chest I'm sorry

thaisac1

RoseShadow873 said:

Do they always tell people what the percentile is? I was not told a percentile.

They didn't tell me either. But I asked for a copy of my report (I am not saying everyone should ask for a copy, remember I'm MD so I like to actually read medical reports ). The report per Se did not say a percentile because the growth curve on the report started at 22 weeks and I had the U.S. at 20 weeks. But I took the measurements from the report and added to a medical calculator that then estimated the baby's weight, and that's how I determined the percentile.

thaisac1

MariaSara1134 said:

Yea I wasnt told anything the lady that did my a/s was only able to tell me the gender, nothing else. Irritating because my next appointment wasnt for another 3 weeks (now 5 days away) and she told me to direct my questions to the doctor when I see her, and that no news is good news. And then my baby went and got difficult so I had to change position a million times and use the restroom to try to get him to move, and she seemed annoyed with that. It only made me worry more on top of the normal questions I had.

Sorry this made you nervous... Just wanted to give you the feedback that I work with ultrasound (of the heart) and our technicians are instructed to proceed just like that - they are not allowed to give reports, and if patients ask questions they tell them the doctor will go over the report with them. As good as the Techs may be, they can miss, or misinterpret things, so we don't want patients hearing about results until the MD has released a final report. This was also the practice at the hospital where I trained in the US, and I believe it's the practice in most places.
And she is correct that no news is good news.

MariaSara1134

@thaisac1 Thank you, I think it's just getting to me that I haven't gotten any answers and even if the wait is for good news, my imagination goes crazy after waiting almost 3 weeks now.. I know I am extremely lucky to not have gotten any calls or emails. Very thankful for that, and grateful for the work of anyone and everyone in the medical field.. I am just very impatient and curious

thaisac1

MariaSara1134 said:

@thaisac1 Thank you, I think it's just getting to me that I haven't gotten any answers and even if the wait is for good news, my imagination goes crazy after waiting almost 3 weeks now.. I know I am extremely lucky to not have gotten any calls or emails. Very thankful for that, and grateful for the work of anyone and everyone in the medical field.. I am just very impatient and curious

I totally know the feeling. The physician in me typed the reply above, but the pregnant woman in me understands you 100%!
After I finished my IPS tests I didn't have an appointment with my doc for another month. I was going nuts not knowing what my results were, doc never called. When I finally had my app we learned the results were perfectly normal. On the other hand, on my anatomy ultrasound the tech indicated that everything looked ok but she couldn't see belly well because he was all curled up. We left pretty relieved. Then as soon as my doc got the report, she called me because the radiologist reported echogenic bowel, which is a soft marker for Downs. So while she never bother to call me when my IPS was normal, she called right away when they was an ultrasound abnormality (so no news is indeed good news, take that as comfort). Also, the tech had not seen the echogenic bowel, only the MD saw it after the fact -that's why we don't like techs giving preliminary impressions...

brie_and_almonds

I don't have experience with baby measuring small in the womb, but my DD has been at the bottom of the percentile chart since she was a couple months old (currently 26lbs at 3). It is stressful at times, but I look at how short I am and how slender her dad is, and remember that she is developmentally on track, and I feel a bit more at peace with it. Some people are just smaller.

If your doc isn't worried, I wouldn't be (though as a mom, that's close to impossible sometimes). Like PP said, ultrasound is not that accurate for determining weight, but if the difference gets too great, it's good that your doc is keeping an eye on it.

MariaSara1134

I am so sorry to hear that. I hope everything turns out perfectly fine, you'll be in my thoughts and prayers. Not to sound creepy. We all deserve some peace of mind so I hope you get yours very soon @thaisac1

katynnew

@RoseShadow873 @MariaSara1134
Yeah, the US tech wouldn't tell me anything, but I met with my doctor directly after and she told me then. And the doctor probably only mentioned it because I had to schedule a follow up US.

I'm sure everything is fine, but like one person said its hard not to worry about everything. I just started having irrational fears like what if she just like stopped growing and she's just not going to grow anymore?! But I have yet to hear anything to make those silly fears seem
more rational so I'm definitely feeling better today.

Andie41

Try not to worry too much. Somebody has to be in the lower percentiles or it wouldn't work! We can't all be big As long as LO stays on the curve, you're good. My LOs were average sized fetuses but my daughter has always been on the small side. Born at 40w5d at 6#15oz and is now a beautiful 5 year old....who's always in the 30th percentile. She's just a small person but totally healthy. Stay positive!

Sincera4

My DS has always been small and petite. He's always been below 10th percentile and healthy and growing. My DH and I are both short so it is no surprise. With this new DS2 at our Anatomy Scan, he was measuring about a week behind from what my LMP due date said. Not worried though because I'll probably just have another petite child Very normal!

mojomama6

My second child was born small and has stayed small. She's nine now, and has consistently stayed between the 3rd and 5th percentiles. Like @mrstrax, we had some early breastfeeding problems- small mouth, big nipples, but they were easily resolved by a little growth and some creative positioning (football hold only until she was about a month old). Now her biggest problem is always being g the smallest kid in her school class, but she isn't bothered by it. Or by the fact that her younger brother is bigger than she is.
Chin up! Someone has to be on the ends of the scale.

NachosAndPeaches

My son always measured small in utero, was 6lb5oz at 38 weeks, and at 4-6 months started leveling off and is now 50th. Some kids are just small just like some adults are small or big. Two of my friends have kids around ds's age who are far less picky eaters than he is and significantly smaller. They're just little. Ultrasound measurements are highly inaccurate but really the biggest concern is if there's a large, sudden difference in percentile.

Ready4theParty

DD always measured small. When she was born she was 7 lbs 12 ounces. She stayed small. At 2.5 years old she just hit 25 lbs and is finally hitting a growth spurt. At her 2 yo appointment she was in the 3rd percentile. I was devastated since our pediatrician was worried. We have since switched pediatricians and they aren't concerned.

amaniupendo

I wouldn't waste time worrying until your doctor is worried! Some kids have to be small while others have to be large.

korpatch

Oh! I had a coworker who was in that exact boat. They ended up inducing her to labor 6 weeks early because they were afraid she wasn't getting enough nutrition from the placenta and wasn't gaining weight. The baby was barely 5 lb when she was born. She passed every new born test and got to go home the very next day! My friend also said labor was really easy!
Hope that is encouraging... I found it so!

Bootsie327

I don't personally have this specific experience to comment on, but I do know that my niece and nephew were both teeny tiny kids, all through infancy and early childhood. Most of the time they were both 0% for both height and weight. As long as kids continue to grow consistently with their own chart, then everything is fine! Also my niece is now 11 and tall, and she is almost the same weight as her 14 year old brother!