IUGR

MagPie08 · January 2012

At my last u/s, the peri seemed concerned because the baby's belly is measuring a full 3 weeks behind; head is measuring one week ahead and extremeties are one week behind. She called it assymeteical IUGR and I'm having a follow up u/s on Monday.

Has anybody been through this, and was the result? I wish I had asked more questions while I was at the office . . .

JuliaJAG · January 2012

My baby hasn't experienced this yet since I'm only 26 weeks, but I'm at very high risk of both IUGR and pre-eclampsia so I've been researching it a lot (and being monitored closely).

Asymmetrical IUGR, where baby's abdomen measures small but head circumference is good, means the placenta isn't getting enough nutrients to the baby, but what is going on is called head-sparing. The brain is being nourished at the expense of the rest of the body (for now). That's a GOOD thing, since the brain's development is so important. Did they tell you baby's overall size/weight?

I'm glad your peri is going to monitor your baby closely. If baby continues to grow, even with IUGR, they will keep baby cooking for as long as possible. If the baby's growth becomes so slow that it pretty much stops (indicating the placenta has started to fail), they will want to deliver early, because at that point baby will do better on the outside than inside.

If you search preemie forums as well as terms like "IUGR success stories," you'll find a ton of encouragement. IUGR babies can do perfectly well and thrive... the key is careful monitoring, which you're getting (it sounds like you're in excellent hands!), and a good NICU should baby need it after birth.

appylovee · January 2012

I am also really interested in reading the responses. My babies head is measuring almost ontime, and the limbs and ambdomen are measuring a few weeks behind. Also, at around 20 weeks my amniotic fluid level went from normal to 4 cm. My drs have me getting two NSTs a week, a level 2 u/s w/ doppler reading & a regular ob appt a week. It's starting to get really real for me that my baby will probably be born very early. I'm meeting with the NICU team in two weeks. My dr had mentions IUGR, but I didn't look into that much. It's nice to know that whats going on has a name.

snoangel79 · January 2012

You answered me on the cholestasis! I am also dealing with this for both my babies. My babies bellies are small, and legs are alil short. Heads are fine. They do growth checks with me every two weeks (babies are growing at their own curve) Also, NST's, cord flow checks, fluid checks. All which have been normal leading my doctors to believe I am just having "small babies" and nothing else is causing this. I had an egg donor who was 5'2"105lbs and her family are all under 5'7" so they think it's because of this. No other issues with babies. They are both IUGR (boy was 2lb11oz and girl 2lb7oz at 30 weeks). Coupled with this cholestasis crap I am delivering no later than 37 w, I assume I will go a few weeks earlier though. My doctor wants them to be 3lbs+ a piece if possible and we are luckily heading that way!! I'm at a level 3 NICU also.

MagPie08 · January 2012

Thanks for all the replies and info ladies. I feel like between my history of cholestasis & hellp from last pregnancy, combined with the low platelets, IUGR, and an antibody issue in this pregnancy, I'm constantly thinking I'm going to be induced any day now and I feel so uneasy. I had to do NICU time with the twins and don't want to repeat that.

I thought I'd have a walk-in-the-park singleton pregnancy after the twins and it's actually been a bit bumpy as of late

Great reassuring info on IUGR though- I thought maybe my peri was just being overly conservative but reading all this, I'm glad shes tracking it.

lkm2006 · January 2012

Just wanted to add in that I also had assymterical IUGR and my baby boy is now a healthy 3 1/2 month old!

My IUGR was due to a dying placenta so I was monitored with twice weekly BPPs and from 29 to 36 weeks. I was induced at 36 weeks and have birth to a healthy boy weighing 5.3. His only health issue was a case of jaudice so we were sent home with A bili blanket.

Good luck with your LO!

gringa78 · January 2012

One of my twins is measuring this way as well...her head is on schedule and her belly is in the 7th percentile (limbs also about 10 days behind). She's in the 29th percentile, so she's not IUGR, but I'm being monitored closely. She's following her own growth curve, so that's a good sign. It's very stressful, I know....hang in there and see how your LO does over the next few weeks. It seems like something they watch for awhile before making any decisions.

OfficiallyHollyC · February 2012

I also had asymmetrical IUGR and my baby is healthy. He measured behind 2 weeks, I believe, to be honest its been a while. He does measure strangely on the charts. I've never asked if it has to do with the IUGR however. I just assume it does. Now he falls 80% for length, 15% for weight, and behind for his head. Either way the doctor isn't concerned.

As you can see by my pic he was small when he was born. The shirt he is wearing is a newborn shirt, and he was swimming in it. It isn't a concern, but it may be handy to have some preemie sized diapers. I guess the benefit is he's still wearing his 3 month outfits so we can't say that he's never worn an outfit. Wink

IUGR

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