21st Percentile?

NLJ82 · September 2014

While being in the hospital, I've asked a couple nurses here and they've not really been able to give me a straight forward answer, rather just direct me to the specialist...who I've yet to see

ANYWAY, when I was admitted I went for a BPP ultrasound and was told that LOs head was measuring right on time but that his femur and torso was in the 21st percentile. She said he was a little on the small side. I was 32+5 & he was weighing in at roughly 3lb 10oz. SO OF COURSE, my brain is crazy....dwarfism?autism? etc?

I don't know much about the "percentile game" and I'm trying to steer clear of google so I'm curious as to who has had any experience or knowledge of this. As I had mentioned in another post, I've been given steroid shots to help him grow so hopefully that helps as well

THANKS!

Loopyseven · September 2014

When A was born his head was 95th percentile, weight 32nd percentile, length 65th percentile.

1 - a single percentile measurement doesn't really mean anything. They mostly use them to track the growth curve. A has always had a head in the 90+ percentile and his weight/length closer to 40-60th at each stage/check up. It's how each measurement compares to each other over time when it is potentially a cause for concern. If your baby starts at the 70th percentile for weight and by 4 months is at 20th percentile there's concern that he/she is not getting enough to eat or may have a digestive issue that is not allowing them to use the nutrients they are getting properly. Same with drops in length percentiles over time.

2 - ultrasounds are horribly inaccurate. They have a margin of error of like 20% or something. It's significant (they told me he'd be a 9 lb baby, he was 7 lb 10 oz).

minibean16 · September 2014

My OB said, "anything between 10th and 90th is normal." Someone has to be at the lower end, or we couldn't use the percentile system.

If I remember correctly, you said the DR didn't come in to discuss it with you. I think that if it was a concern, the doctor would have said something right away.

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