Percentile?

Jen_3334

I posted this on 2nd tri, but I'm hoping you 3rd tri ladies can help me out here....

I had an ultrasound today (I'm high risk, so I have a monthly one).  The doctor told me that the baby is in the 54th percentile for growth.  I must have looked surprised because he reassured me that he is right on target - not too big and not too small.  Does anyone else have experience with percentiles?  I would think you would want to be at 100%, but apparently not....

 

tre777

I would think that 100% would mean the baby is on the larger side.

My DS is now in the 90% for weight. That means that he is above average for his weight. KWIM?

SCP081206

Our baby is in the 20-25th percentile, which means he'll more than likely be a little smaller than other babies. He was measuring even smaller (11th percentile) several weeks ago so we are doing weekly non stress tests to make sure he's doing okay. So I would think if you are in the 54th percentile you are doing fine.

paxilchyk

100 percentile is BIG!  At 32 weeks our baby was in the 79th and was measuring 15 days ahead.  54th sounds right about average!

JG362009

Growth percentiles are just like any other statistical percentiles -- meaning if your baby is at the 54th percentile, he's nearly average in regards to babies that are larger or smaller.  If your baby was at 99%, he'd be ginormous and would be bigger than 99% of the babies out there -- you don't want that! 

BelhurstBride

54th percentile means your baby is larger than 54% of the babies out there. So if your child was in the 100th percentile he'd be larger than 100% of the babies out there... and I can't imagine that anyone would want the world's largest baby.

ejh090305

The percentiles are based on averages....so 50% would be normal, 100% big and 10% would be smaller than average. Same thing goes for after they are born. My daughter is 40% for height and 10% for weight currently. Tall and skinny. My neice is 90% for both. She is one of the bigger kids her age.

Jen_3334

BelhurstBride:

54th percentile means your baby is larger than 54% of the babies out there. So if your child was in the 100th percentile he'd be larger than 100% of the babies out there... and I can't imagine that anyone would want the world's largest baby.

I am laughing hysterically.  No, I don't want the world's largest baby....  Average is MORE than fine with me!

Jen_3334

Thank you all!  I feel so much better. 

whitsim

Neither doctor that has cared for me while I was carrying either of my girls ever gave me their in utero growth percentiles. I'm very used to hearing what my toddler is now from her pediatrician, but while I was carrying her; it was something I was never informed of.

Erika6504

average would be considered 50th%tile.  Your baby is just a bit larger than average.

If it was measuring 100th%tile it means that your baby is HUGE.  Something that you really don't want.

AmandaJane1

LO is currently in the 35th percentile, which my doc estimates will put her around 6.5 - 7.0 lbs. My OB said not to worry about that- and that if she was having a baby right now, she would want her to be in this range. Percentile doesn't mean how well developed your LO is- its just where he is relative to other babies (think bell curve/statistics). 

MTClaire

AmandaJane1:

LO is currently in the 35th percentile, which my doc estimates will put her around 6.5 - 7.0 lbs. My OB said not to worry about that- and that if she was having a baby right now, she would want her to be in this range. Percentile doesn't mean how well developed your LO is- its just where he is relative to other babies (think bell curve/statistics). 

Interesting.  Ours is in 20th percentile, and they said they predict she'll be around 7 lbs.  I wonder if the percentiles are based on national statistics or what?  Because I'd think if yours is supposed to be 6.5-7.0 lbs, and is in 35th percentile, mine would be like 6 lbs.  Anyway, they told me anything above 10th percentile is good, and that since I'm about 20th percentile for size, it makes sense that my baby would be, too.

g8trkim

50% is perfectly in the middle. 100% would be the largest size.