I had a 32 week sonogram today and everything looks good with baby except they said she’s measuring really big. 5.5lbs. They want me to come in for heartrate monitoring weekly and another ultrasound in 3 weeks. I just KNOW they’re going to push for an induction at some point. With my first I was 3 days past due date and got really strong armed in to an induction that ended up going badly. I don’t want to risk my baby at all of course but had such high hopes of progressing naturally this time. I have a doula who hasn’t been very responsive/I don’t feel great about, and while my OB is solid, she’s part of the hospital system where they’re recommending monitoring.
Talk to me about babies measuring big (5.5lbs at 32 weeks), monitoring and avoiding induction!
- Thread starter omnitude
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butterscoth
New member
@butterscoth Thank you for sharing this.
patticorum
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butterscoth
New member
@butterscoth Friend had a similar experience with her "9 lb today" baby who was somehow barely 6 that same day.
I got an US at 34 weeks that predicted 6.5 lbs at 39w which is worth I unexpectedly delivered my 7 lb 5 oz daughter. She'd been in the low to mid 20th percentile all pregnancy and was born at the 55th percentile. The Dr said they can be off by 10 percentiles either way, but it both my friend's and my case it was 20+ with her kid being underweight and struggling because of the early birth.
I got an US at 34 weeks that predicted 6.5 lbs at 39w which is worth I unexpectedly delivered my 7 lb 5 oz daughter. She'd been in the low to mid 20th percentile all pregnancy and was born at the 55th percentile. The Dr said they can be off by 10 percentiles either way, but it both my friend's and my case it was 20+ with her kid being underweight and struggling because of the early birth.
francoisakafran
New member
@butterscoth At my 32 week growth scan I was told if I went to 40 weeks, I could have a 9-10 lb baby based on measurements. I went to 41 weeks 1 day with an 8lb 1oz babe.
@deeppeace Came here to link this! It’s a great resource OP.
My advice OP, go along with monitoring if it’s covered by your insurance and the Dr is insistent. They have to cover their asses and follow protocol within their hospital and liability insurance. If you have to pay out of pocket, I think that’s good grounds to compromise on extra scans.
During those appointments, if they say “baby is measuring 10,000 pounds,” have the research ready and a little script memorized to ask, “I’ve read some literature reviewing late term ultrasounds and know that weight estimations can be off by +/- x%. Can we do the math right now to see what that range is based on this scan? Ok, so the low estimate for my baby’s weight is abc pounds? What is your medical recommendation for a baby measuring abc pounds at this gestational age?”
It’s easy to get sucked in to the “better safe than sorry” way of OB thinking, but you have rights as a patient and can do a little homework now to make sure your appointments are as informative and evidence based as possible. Wishing you a healthy empowering birth!
My advice OP, go along with monitoring if it’s covered by your insurance and the Dr is insistent. They have to cover their asses and follow protocol within their hospital and liability insurance. If you have to pay out of pocket, I think that’s good grounds to compromise on extra scans.
During those appointments, if they say “baby is measuring 10,000 pounds,” have the research ready and a little script memorized to ask, “I’ve read some literature reviewing late term ultrasounds and know that weight estimations can be off by +/- x%. Can we do the math right now to see what that range is based on this scan? Ok, so the low estimate for my baby’s weight is abc pounds? What is your medical recommendation for a baby measuring abc pounds at this gestational age?”
It’s easy to get sucked in to the “better safe than sorry” way of OB thinking, but you have rights as a patient and can do a little homework now to make sure your appointments are as informative and evidence based as possible. Wishing you a healthy empowering birth!
hazelnutoc
New member
@deeppeace Question, what about if your baby is measuring in the "very big" category. Grade 3. Is that still 50% accurate? 50% chance the baby is actually only 8lbs? Or if the baby is measuring grade 3 is it more likely to be grade 1 or 2?
@omnitude While I can't relate to my baby's being measured big, I can relate to them actually being big. My son was 11th percentile on ultrasound and >99 percentile at birth, my daughter was 15th percentile on ultrasound and 95th percentile at birth. First and foremost, ultrasound measurements late in pregnancy like this are notoriously inaccurate to the point that most countries outside of the USA wont even do them.
I did go very far over with my son, to pretty much 42 weeks and I had to really stick to my guns.
I did go very far over with my son, to pretty much 42 weeks and I had to really stick to my guns.
godsgatekeeper
New member
@godsgatekeeper It was the first time around but not so much the second lol! I was a nearly 11lb baby myself and my husband was 8.5 so I was prepared! When I heard my oldest was only in the 15th percentile I was like “Wooooow! I really am gonna have a cute little 6 pounder!” but alas it was not meant to be. By the time my son came around and they said “Oh he’s in the 11th percentile.” I literally said “No he’s not, he’s definitely bigger than that!” to the tech and I was correct by about 89 percentiles 
@paul3993 I get that a lot It was the first time for sure, I had a feeling I was going to have big babies because I was almost 11lbs myself and my husband was 8.5lbs. When I heard 15th percentile though I was so excited to have a teeny little 6-7 pounder but that’s not how it shook out lol! When they told me my second born was 11th percentile on the scan I actually said “No he’s not he’s for sure bigger than that!” And I was correct by about 88 percentiles haha!
Yes but only for maybe a week or so!
It was the first time for sure, I had a feeling I was going to have big babies because I was almost 11lbs myself and my husband was 8.5lbs. When I heard 15th percentile though I was so excited to have a teeny little 6-7 pounder but that’s not how it shook out lol! When they told me my second born was 11th percentile on the scan I actually said “No he’s not he’s for sure bigger than that!” And I was correct by about 88 percentiles haha!Yes but only for maybe a week or so!
javier_is_life
New member
@omnitude https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2001/0701/p169.html
"Suspected fetal macrosomia is not an indication for induction of labor, because induction does not improve maternal or fetal outcomes.
Labor and vaginal delivery are not contraindicated for women with estimated fetal weights up to 5,000 g (11 lbs) in the absence of maternal diabetes."
"Suspected fetal macrosomia is not an indication for induction of labor, because induction does not improve maternal or fetal outcomes.
Labor and vaginal delivery are not contraindicated for women with estimated fetal weights up to 5,000 g (11 lbs) in the absence of maternal diabetes."
@javier_is_life Thank you!
transformed89
New member
@javier_is_life Saving this! My doctor has already started talking about induction at 39 or 40 weeks because my belly is big and my first was 8 lb 13 oz with a 99th percentile head circumference. (He’s now an itty bitty 20th percentile 3.5 year old still wearing 24 mo clothes. Cool.)
Ironically, I have a scan tomorrow meant to detect IUGR that my MFM clinic always schedules for IVF pregnancies. Really don’t think IUGR is going to be a problem, but worry they’ll use that scan to push for induction due to a big baby.
Ironically, I have a scan tomorrow meant to detect IUGR that my MFM clinic always schedules for IVF pregnancies. Really don’t think IUGR is going to be a problem, but worry they’ll use that scan to push for induction due to a big baby.