weight discordance/placenta blood flow issue..may only make it a few more weeks.

starburst210

hi girls.  

needless to say my growth scan today did not go as expected.  I am 30 weeks, 2 days. Baby A (boy) measured at 3 lbs, 3 oz.  He is totally fine.  Baby B(girl) was 2 lbs, 5 oz and they did a doppler on her placental blood flow (i have no idea what this all was) and i guess her numbers were just under what they like to see.  there is also a 22 percent difference in their weights.

now i am being monitored by MFM 2x a week and she said the earliest i will deliver is around 32 weeks but probably not gonna make it to 38.  there is lag time with this type of issue so they will monitor it until it's imminent that they come out.  

i go back on friday and i am praying there is some improvement.  i also had round 1 of steroid shots today and will have another shot tomorrow.  this was preventative but makes sense.  

i am scared, overwhelmed, etc.  any similar experiences with a positive outcome would be great to hear.  the docs seem confident that the babies WILL be okay but will be in the NICU for awhile if this issue persists.  

this was a real shock to my system!   but just trying to remain calm and will do what i have to do. 

ninjabridemom

Keeping you in my thoughts!!!  

starburst210

ninjabridemom:

Keeping you in my thoughts!!!  

thanks!!  how are you doing??? 

thetwinkies&Vivi

Hope they can stay in for a few more weeks, glad you are able to get the steroid shots.

Mrs. Alice

Sorry you are going through this.  Big hugs to you!  Similar thing happened with my mo/di boys but they think it was related to TTTS or TAPS and it was first detected at 22 weeks for us.  Did they say it was absent end diastolic flow?  That's what my A had and then when the flow started reversing they had to be delivered. We made it to 28 weeks which was a milestone.  I hope you get good news on Friday, but it sounds like you are in good hands.  32 weeks is also a milestone in development and in some cases it's better out than in.  If you get steriods, it's likely they will just be feeders and growers in the NICU.  Best wishes to you.

starburst210

Mrs. Alice:

Sorry you are going through this.  Big hugs to you!  Similar thing happened with my mo/di boys but they think it was related to TTTS or TAPS and it was first detected at 22 weeks for us.  Did they say it was absent end diastolic flow?  That's what my A had and then when the flow started reversing they had to be delivered. We made it to 28 weeks which was a milestone.  I hope you get good news on Friday, but it sounds like you are in good hands.  32 weeks is also a milestone in development and in some cases it's better out than in.  If you get steriods, it's likely they will just be feeders and growers in the NICU.  Best wishes to you.

they did a doppler on the baby?  and said the numbers were a little under what they want to see.  does this make sense? i guess the placenta may be compromised? so that's when she said come in again on Friday.  your story is obv. very good for me to hear and your boys are adorable!  i feel like i am in good hands!  and will do what have to do to ensure the best for these babies....just scary! 

Mrs. Alice

starburst210:

Mrs. Alice:

Sorry you are going through this.  Big hugs to you!  Similar thing happened with my mo/di boys but they think it was related to TTTS or TAPS and it was first detected at 22 weeks for us.  Did they say it was absent end diastolic flow?  That's what my A had and then when the flow started reversing they had to be delivered. We made it to 28 weeks which was a milestone.  I hope you get good news on Friday, but it sounds like you are in good hands.  32 weeks is also a milestone in development and in some cases it's better out than in.  If you get steriods, it's likely they will just be feeders and growers in the NICU.  Best wishes to you.

they did a doppler on the baby?  and said the numbers were a little under what they want to see.  does this make sense? i guess the placenta may be compromised? so that's when she said come in again on Friday.  your story is obv. very good for me to hear and your boys are adorable!  i feel like i am in good hands!  and will do what have to do to ensure the best for these babies....just scary! 

The doppler u/s is done on the umbilical cord which shows how well the blood flow is coming to the the baby.  My MFM would take several samples since there are different vessels in the cord.  For the most accurate results, they tried to get the reading as close the the placenta insertion as possible.  You'll see little wave forms at the bottom of the u/s screen when they do it.  Absent end diastolic flow is considered a "yellow flag" and most likely is contributing to her small size.  It should be watched closely as it can turn into reverse end diastolic flow which is a defininetly a red flag and is dangerous enough to require delivery right away.

ColleenS629

We had similar results at our 31w6d u/s. At 36w, they decided that the discordance was getting too big and Baby A's growth was getting too slow so it was time to deliver. Baby A was small, but he did better when he was born because he had been stressed in utero. Baby B was actually the one that went to the NICU because he hadn't been stressed. I did not get the steroid shots when they first noticed the problem but I wish I had... it probably would have kept Baby B out of the NICU. GL!

starburst210

Mrs. Alice:

starburst210:

Mrs. Alice:

Sorry you are going through this.  Big hugs to you!  Similar thing happened with my mo/di boys but they think it was related to TTTS or TAPS and it was first detected at 22 weeks for us.  Did they say it was absent end diastolic flow?  That's what my A had and then when the flow started reversing they had to be delivered. We made it to 28 weeks which was a milestone.  I hope you get good news on Friday, but it sounds like you are in good hands.  32 weeks is also a milestone in development and in some cases it's better out than in.  If you get steriods, it's likely they will just be feeders and growers in the NICU.  Best wishes to you.

they did a doppler on the baby?  and said the numbers were a little under what they want to see.  does this make sense? i guess the placenta may be compromised? so that's when she said come in again on Friday.  your story is obv. very good for me to hear and your boys are adorable!  i feel like i am in good hands!  and will do what have to do to ensure the best for these babies....just scary! 

The doppler u/s is done on the umbilical cord which shows how well the blood flow is coming to the the baby.  My MFM would take several samples since there are different vessels in the cord.  For the most accurate results, they tried to get the reading as close the the placenta insertion as possible.  You'll see little wave forms at the bottom of the u/s screen when they do it.  Absent end diastolic flow is considered a "yellow flag" and most likely is contributing to her small size.  It should be watched closely as it can turn into reverse end diastolic flow which is a defininetly a red flag and is dangerous enough to require delivery right away.

thanks for this info...i assume when i get a BPP on Friday this will be part of it...i am just nervous to go now to every appnt but better to go and deal with it than not. we can't mess around here.  i took the second steroid shot today...ouch!  but i am glad they are done and in there in case.  but your info is completely useful so thanks!!! 

Abbe2b3

You sound like me at 31 weeks they frowned at my A's Doppler numbers. They made me spend the weekend in l&d to check for ptl. I felt like a dead battery by then, but no ptl. They puffed me up with fluid and made me rest. I was. Monitored for the next two weeks 2 times a week. On my 33 wk appt they frowned again because they believed B was over five pounds and A was only three. So my MFM pulled the trigger and I had me csection that evening. My Ob pulled out A she was 3 lbs 2 oz and then she pulled out B. and said " that second baby isn't any bigger than that first one!" B was 3 lbs 11 oz. A never needed anything but feeding B had an iv for a short time and cannula o2. They both were just on monitors but the next afternoon. We spent 3 1/2 wks in the NICU for growing. They are happy healthy people and we just can't imagine our world not filled with them! So try not to worry, fat chance ; ), but you can try.