Late onset IUGR

So up until now both babies have been growing really well. At my last ultrasound (4 weeks ago) both were 2lb 12 oz and sitting nicely at the 43rd percentile. So today I go in not expecting anything under 4lbs and my baby girl is only measuring 3lb 4 oz, now in the 12th percentile, and my baby boy is at 3lb 15 oz. in the 30 th percentile. My peri was concerned about her, because although she is not officially considered IUGR, she only grew 8oz in a month and she is creeping awfully close to the 10th percentile. Needless to say I had a BPP done, and both my little munchkins passed with flying colors. My peri says that if she doesn't grow in 2 weeks that I will be delivering then. I will be 34 weeks 5 days, but she will still be so little! I am really happy that she is over 3lbs. My first son was only 3lbs and you'd never be able to tell now. It's just frustrating because they have no idea why this is happening, and I was really hoping for big babies with no NICU time this time around. I know that in the end everything will be okay though. I've read so many amazing success stories on here of IUGR cases much worse than this on this forum that have given me so much hope, and for that a huge thank you!

 

I am in the same boat as you. I am 33 w 2 d and i went for my bio today and they are waiting to do measurements until next week. I asked b/c i knew that the babies weights weren't that great last week. My OB told me the babies were in the 10th and 11th percentile, i was concerned and asked the peri today, he said until they drop below the 10th they will be ok. I just am worried as are you, b/c i wanted bigger babies. Mine have always either measured right on schedule or a week ahead. I know something is going on. My advice is take it easy and eat PROTEIN. Lets try and get our babies bigger!! So, i wonder if after our next measurements how soon would they want to deliver them? Does anyne know if this is common in twin pregnancies?

 

QUOTE(KCPD @ Jan 27 2009, 05:42 PM) [snapback]1164773[/snapback]
I am in the same boat as you. I am 33 w 2 d and i went for my bio today and they are waiting to do measurements until next week. I asked b/c i knew that the babies weights weren't that great last week. My OB told me the babies were in the 10th and 11th percentile, i was concerned and asked the peri today, he said until they drop below the 10th they will be ok. I just am worried as are you, b/c i wanted bigger babies. Mine have always either measured right on schedule or a week ahead. I know something is going on. My advice is take it easy and eat PROTEIN. Lets try and get our babies bigger!! So, i wonder if after our next measurements how soon would they want to deliver them? Does anyne know if this is common in twin pregnancies?


I am so sorry you're going through this too! My peri made it sound like they would want to deliver them reallly soon if mine didn't grow (he gave me the impression that it would be within a day or 2 of my next growth appt). He told me that both babies looked healthy, so I didn't even think to ask about organ development. I just wonder if since my little girl is measuring the size of an almost 30 weeker if her lungs will be more that size. I've read that sometimes everything develops to normal gestational age, but the babies are just small. I know normally they don't give steroid shots for babies older than 34 weeks, but do they if the babies are tiny like ours? So many questions to be asked at the next appt. Anyways, I really hope your babies grow for your next appt. Big protein shake "Cheers" :drinks: to bigger babies!

 

It wasn't officially diagnosed for Sabrina because of the late date, but I suspect we had that. She was always a little smaller than Sydney, but the last month, she didn't grow at all. I ended up being induced at 37w5d, both because I'd reached full term, and also because of her lack of growth. Sydney was 7#9 and Sabrina was only 5#3. She dropped to 4#9 and took a month to get up to birth weight again. She's tiny, but healthy. My girls are three and she's the size of a smallish 2 yo... she's 38 months and if she were 24 months, she'd be 50th %ile for height and 10th %ile for weight. But she rarely gets sick and continues to grow and develop. She was in EI for about a year, but has graduated out of it, as she's no longer delayed. And she's above average verbally.

Oh, and though Sabrina had some eating issues, they both came home with me and didn't have NICU time at all.

 

QUOTE(4munchkins @ Jan 27 2009, 09:22 PM) [snapback]1164992[/snapback]
I know normally they don't give steroid shots for babies older than 34 weeks, but do they if the babies are tiny like ours?


I think the doctors will not recommend steroid shots after 34 weeks because the steroids hinder growth. That's exactly what you DON'T need! What the steroid shots do is help the lungs develop. By 34 weeks, most babies' lungs are pretty far along. That's why they typically don't give the shots after that.

ETA my peri indicated that even though my smaller twin is smaller (measuring 4 weeks behind) her organs are developed to the same gestational age as her sister's, just smaller. So even though your baby is measuring 30 weeks in size, that doesn't mean the lungs are only 30 weeks developed.

 

Yup, one of mine was IUGR with no reason why. She was born full term and only 5.7. Her twin was 6.10, and her older sister singletons were 8.5 and 8.6. So she was TINY! I think it was because everything I ate, I threw up. I could not get enough calories in for her. I downed those protien shakes like crazy! And don't do too much - I figured anything I did exerted energy and calories she could use.

She's huge and perfect now. In fact she gained a pound a week once she was born. My FIL said I should put her on a diet!!!

 

I had late onset IUGR (I'm thinking it was week 29?) with our fraternal boys. Many of the fine details are fuzzy to me now since its been over 5 years. My one son started to present with very slow weight gain at that time. By 32 weeks, my OB wanted to deliver me, I had steroid shots,etc. I went for a second opinion with a leading neonatal specialist at the leading university hospital and after BPP's, he thought I could hang in there. I went in 3x/week for BPP's and ended up getting 2 more weeks and making it to 34 weeks on the dot.

Luke weighed 5lbs 11oz, 19 inch and Ben 2lb 13oz, 16.5 inch. From ultrasounds, they had estimated Ben to be over 3lb so I was disappointed. However, he did great , his lungs were matured and was on room air by morning. Luke went home with us and Ben came home 10 days after delivery. While, he was still small at that point, he was totally developed and perfectly fine. Never any a's or b's.

By 9 mons old, Ben was 50% height and 25% weight. From a year on, he was over 85-90% height and in the range of 25-40% weight for the first few years. Now at 5, he is 90% height and 50% weight. Just like your first son, people are amazed when I tell them Ben's birth weight! I understand your frustration. Upon placenta testing, they never determined why or how the IUGR happened. I did everything by the book with my health and nutrition during my pregnancy. It's just one of those things. Anyway, I wish you all the best and that you get a good week of growth!