Who has experience with having BPPs?

[Deleted User]

How long does/did your baby take to show muscle tone? Is it an all or nothing thing? If we pass but it takes a while should I still be concerned?? TIA

Also if he did have low muscle tone, would he be passing NST tests?

birdie_1010

Can I ask, why are you having BPPs done?

[Deleted User]

I am having a BPP and an NST 1x per week. I have a Marginal and possibly velomentous cord insertion which can possibly constrict the amount of nutrients, oxygen and blood flow he receives. I was only having one growth scan a month until last week when he began measuring small. 20th % overall but only 7th in the stomach. If this is not just a bad measurement and he is small then his nutrients may have become constricted. If that is the case they worry about oxygen and blood flow as well. Hence the NSTs and BPPs.

Last week they thought they caught him in a sleep cycle as he was slow to do everything, move, breath and flex. I am not sure he ever did flex so he might have flunked the muscle tone last week. Well today he did pass but again he was slow to do it. They think again he may have been sleeping. However it still worries me. His NSTs are wonderful though.

MaxandRuby

I am assuming a BPP is a bio-physical profile. That is the only acronym for BPP that I know of and I had one with DS2.  I am curious as to why you are having them done and what concerns are you having?

I had one with DS2 (almost 3) at 35wk, 5d. This was the 3rd time I had gone in for lack of movement. That last time though, he failed a NST, acoustical stimulation (which is the 2nd monitoring test), and then he failed the BPP (the 3rd and final monitoring test) with a score of 2/10. That score got me an emergency c/s.  Oh, and the only thing he scored on was having enough amniotic fluid. His heartbeat was steady at 150-some through out ALL of the monitoring that super early morning he was born.

The outcome of all of this? DS2 has CP and was diagnosed at just shy of 10mos old. His tone fluctuates with his arms and legs tending toward higher tone and his torso tending towards too little tone. He had a blood clot where the umbilical cord and placenta met and we (myself, DH, pedi, and his neuro) feel that this clot caused a lack of oxygen to the brain which resulted in the lack of movement and ultimately an early delivery.

From what I know about NST, they are monitoring the heart rate and looking for fluctuations in it. None of the tests are going to show you what the baby's muscle tone is until s/he is born (or so I am assuming). FWIW, the first 2 NST that DS2 had, he passed (although I really wonder about the 2nd one). I also had NST when I was pg with DS1 (2 or 3x I think). He passed all of his tests and he doesn't have any issues.

ETA: Your post showed up while I was replying!

macchiatto

I had weekly BPPs done the last 8ish weeks of pregnancy because I was having twins. I don't remember them looking for muscle tone, though one of my boys did turn out to have mild hypotonia. I hope all goes well for you and your little one!

amajane

I had weekly BPPs and NSTs with M starting at 32 weeks for IUGR. She also had a 2 vessel cord so the peri knew there was something "wrong" (though amnio was normal). She always passed her NSTs and BPPs with flying colors.. I was induced at 38 weeks because her size had dropped to <10%. Normal vaginal delivery, apgars 5 and 8. 

But she was born with multiple congenital abnormalities (no NICU needed) and now at 4 is significantly delayed in development (does not walk among other things). Obviously, she low tone but that is a rather mild issue compared to her cognitive issues.

So I guess my experience is- yes, a baby can have low muscle tone, a multitude of issues and still pass the NSTs and BPPs with ease.