At our growth ultrasound today, baby girl looked great, and is estimated to be a BIG baby (tech said she is estimated at 7lbs already, and I'm only 34 weeks).
However, despite baby looking good, the tech did see a complication with the umbillical cord. Apparently out of the two arteries, one has "clotted down", so now I'm left with one artery and the vein. This is associated with an increased risk of stillbirth in the last month, so now at 36 weeks I have to go for stress tests every week, and monitor baby's movements.
Anyone else have this? I'm trying not to freak out, but that "s" word is terrifying.
Re: one artery "clotted" in uc?
Do you happen to have diabetes? I have Type 1 and baby was 7lbs 7oz at 34weeks ultrasound last week (she's been 97th percentile at last 6 or so ultrasounds). Anyways with diabetes comes big baby's but also a higher risk of still birth in final weeks, one of the many reasons the docs like to induce early with mom's with diabetes.
With you mentioning big baby and increased stillbirth chance I just wondered if you had diabetes as well.
I know it's scary but the good news is they caught this now and they are being proactive in doing the stress tests each week which will give them a good idea if baby is starting to decline in health allowing them time to induce you. Best wishes in a healthy full term delivery!
No, DH is 6'6, and was 10lbs at birth (and his mom was a smoker) I passed the GD test with DS with flying colors, and was tested twice with this pregnancy, and also passed both with flying colors. DS is also still in the 97th percentile for height and weight at 4yrs old, so he's just a big kid! So no diabetes! Just a family with big baby genes, apparently. I'm also short (5'1), so that may also play a size. The risk of stillbirth isn't related to this baby's size either... the stillbirth risk was increased because of the clotted artery. But the reason I had the ultrasound this morning was due to the size worry... and then they found the clotted artery.
* blog * first baby blog * baby 2.0 blog * twitter *
Im in a similar situation as you however our baby has has a two vessel cord for the entire pregnancy, also called a single umbilical artery. This means he only has one vein and one artery in the cord. It can be a sign of other complications but we have had every test in the book done at this point and it seems it is just a fluke. One tech said it is more common with IVF babies, which ours is.
Starting next week I will go twice a week for growth ultrasounds and non stress tests. Its a pain but of course we are going to do whatever the doctor recommends. Even my regular OB told me the maternal fetal medicine dr.'s just recommend this to cover their butts. The MMF also told me its becoming a controversial topic to say these babies are smaller and have a higher risk of being stillborn. Most of the 2 vessel cord babies who are smaller or born still also almost always have another chromosomal, cardiac or other complication which it doesn't sound like your baby does.
Help me spread Urea Cycle Disorder Awareness!! 2011 DD diagnosed with UCD 2012 started process for IVF with PGD 8/9/12 started stims- 8/20/12 ER- 20 retrieved, 19 ICSI'D, 12 biopsied 5 viable unaffected embryos 8/25/12 ET-1 "awesome" embryo-9/4/12 1st beta- BFP with HPT at 7dp5dt- Beta #1 9/4/12- 210!, Beta #2 9/6/12- 465, First scan on 9/19/12 Baby Boy due 5/13/13- diagnosed with a single umbilical artery
* blog * first baby blog * baby 2.0 blog * twitter *