Anyone have experience with growth slowing down in late 3rd tri?

ladyteach0505 · April 2015

I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with growth slowing down in later 3rd tri. Because we did IVF we've always known exact dates, and at every measurement and scan she has been spot on to her estimated size for her due date. At 35 weeks my stomach measured 34 and the doctor wasn't concerned because he thought I was carrying her low. So to reassure me he ordered an ultrasound, where every single measurement came up around 34 weeks. I have my 36 week appointment today and I'm worried because when I and DH measure my stomach it's coming up at 34, maybe 35 if we stretch it. I want to know what to ask today if the measurement shows me still at 34 weeks. I know there is some margin of error, but I am concerned that it's slow growth (or none?!) seems to be popping up at this stage of the game.

rella22 · April 2015

Something similar happened to me at my 33 week appointment..I was measuring at 32 weeks for the first time ever. My OB wasn't even the slightest bit concerned however I came home and googled the crap out of it! I also put a post up on the other boards and the consensus was first of all the belly measuring is slightly old school and unreliable and secondly it's not concerning unless you exceed 2+ weeks behind!
I also have an appt today so we will see what they say! Good luck!

ladyteach0505 · April 2015

@rella22 Good luck! Definitely update!

mommytobe062015 · April 2015

I am 31 weeks now and IVF as well and at my appointment last week I measured more than a week behind, which was abnormal based on my last measurements. My Dr was not concerned at all and said that measuring of the belly is just an estimate and once you drop low it is not even used anymore. I of course still worry and asked tuns of questions (is it lack of amnio fluid, is it weight related, did I drop low) but I was reassured that things are going well and to hang in there. I was told at this stage that I should focus on baby movements, fluid leakage, frquenent and strong contractions or pressure 'down low'. Good luck...hope all goes well:)

rella22 · April 2015

Still measuring behind! Dr reassured AGAIN that everything is fine! Reaaaaally trying to trust my doctors!!! I need to have this baby because I feel like the closer we get...the more stressful it becomes!

ladyteach0505 · April 2015

@rella22 I had my appointment yesterday also. In our case my stomach measured 35, up from 34 last week, but of course still that week behind. My doctor is saying she's very low (his words: "She's right there" during my cervical check.) I'm 2 cm and 90% effaced at this point so he still believes strongly that her position is contributing to my size estimates. But, and this will sound like a convoluted backstory, I brought up the ultrasound from last week with measurements at 34 weeks and he sort of laughed and reiterated that she's averaging the 56th percentile. I told him that I didn't understand how with all of her measurements being behind except her head. He then went back to her 29 week ultrasound and told me she was 50thish percentile then too and that her body had been 20-40th percentile just like this time. (?!??!?!? WHAT!? NO ONE TOLD ME THAT!) So apparently my baby has been measuring smaller in her body this entire time and I had no idea because I assumed 50th percentile meant the entire body-not that it was an average of parts. It's so weird to me how kept in the dark patients are about these kinds of things. It seems like an educational moment.

So my OB didn't say anything else and wasn't concerned at all. I'm still not convinced, but it's like banging my head on the wall to figure out why she is measuring how she is and why. I requested a NST yesterday and probably will at every appointment until delivery.

gsancho · April 2015

At this point, I think it's just a matter of a baby having a slightly larger head...or a baby having a longer torso than average...or whatever the case may be for any particular baby. Not every baby will be the same size and shape, and OBs should be able to recognize when there is enough of an outlier to further investigate.

If the variance in measurements was great enough for concern, they would definitely bring it up - I have seen this situation on a Facebook group I'm in, but the difference was WAY bigger than what you are seeing. Usually something like 90th percentile for head and 10th percentile for arms/legs is an indicator of something going on.

rella22 · April 2015

@ladyteach0505 I have my first internal check this Friday...I'll be 36 weeks 1 day. I'm sure they will measure again too...they haven't suggested the low thing, but that definitely makes sense! So maybe after they check me, things will fall into place. I guess we have to just trust our doctors! I was told by a friend that is a nurse in an OB office that a lot of times doctors keep measurements to themselves unless there is a concern...perhaps that is what yours did and what mine should do! Haha!!

sorrellam30 · April 2015

I'm curious about this, when I met w my obgyn for my first appointment months ago she said I'd get growth scan ultrasounds at 28 and 34 weeks bc there was a study that showed that ivf babies growth sometimes slow down at the end of pregnancy, but with all I've read on ivf I had NEVER heard this before....?

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Anyone have experience with growth slowing down in late 3rd tri?

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Me 33, DH 37 -- TTC since Jan'12 -- Low AMH (0.78) & endo, SA w/ low motility
IUI's 1-3 = BFN, IVF converted to IUI 4/13 = BFN
IVF 1.2: 8R 6M 4F -- 2 blastocysts frozen, FET 8/15 = BFP!!
Beta #s = 445;1,098; 9,545 -- EDD 5/2 -- Team Pink!

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Anyone have experience with growth slowing down in late 3rd tri?

Re: Anyone have experience with growth slowing down in late 3rd tri?

Me 33, DH 37 -- TTC since Jan'12 -- Low AMH (0.78) & endo, SA w/ low motilityIUI's 1-3 = BFN, IVF converted to IUI 4/13 = BFNIVF 1.2: 8R 6M 4F -- 2 blastocysts frozen, FET 8/15 = BFP!!Beta #s = 445;1,098; 9,545 -- EDD 5/2 -- Team Pink!

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Me 33, DH 37 -- TTC since Jan'12 -- Low AMH (0.78) & endo, SA w/ low motility
IUI's 1-3 = BFN, IVF converted to IUI 4/13 = BFN
IVF 1.2: 8R 6M 4F -- 2 blastocysts frozen, FET 8/15 = BFP!!
Beta #s = 445;1,098; 9,545 -- EDD 5/2 -- Team Pink!