Small and Beautiful Babies
What are the Risks and Implications of my Baby being Termed as Small
Aug 2, 2009 Andrea Seren Charrington-Greene
Pregnancy is an exciting time with the prospect of a new baby marking a major life transition for everyone concerned, but it can also present worries and anxieties over the wellbeing of mother and baby. Even whilst the baby is still in the womb most mothers-to-be want ensure that they are doing the very best for their baby and have formed a deep bond with their bump. Being told that extra scans are needed because your baby is ‘small for date’ during a routine antenatal visit can create a great sense of anxiety and the fear that something is wrong can grow disproportionate in a short space of time causing undue stress. Very often women are unaware of how a baby’s growth is charted and how a baby is defined as small for date; furthermore they have little or no idea of what the implications are.
During your routine antenatal visits the midwife will want to assess whether the foetus is developing normally. One way of gauging the foetal size is to measure the size of your tummy with a tape measure. This is known as measuring the height of the fundus. The midwife will measure the distance from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus. Incredibly, the number of centimetres usually equals the number of weeks that you are pregnant. This method of measuring tends to be accurate to within two centimetres. So for example at 32 weeks' pregnant, your measurement should be somewhere between 30 and 34 centimetres.
Determining the Exact Age of the Pregnancy
If you measure smaller than expected the midwife may wish to exercise caution and send you for an ultra sound scan during which an accurate reading of the foetal size can be obtained. It could be that your dates are not accurate and further measurements taken during an ultra sound scan may result in a revised due date. If however, the ultra sound indicates that the foetal development is in line with your due date being correct then your baby is termed as being ‘small for date’. This is not necessarily a cause for concern but caution is generally exercised in case it is a sign of a more serious problem.
The Mother’s Lifestyle and General Health
Questions relating to your lifestyle and general health are usually posed by the midwife or doctor to assess why your baby is not growing at the expected rate. Factors that can contribute to a baby being small for date include the mother:
- failing to gain weight during pregnancy
- being very underweight
- carrying following an excessive exercise program
- smoking or being exposed to secondary smoke
- having a high alcohol consumption
- using illicit drugs
- suffering from an on-going or chronic illness
- being under great psychological stress or anxiety
Complications during the Pregnancy
Complications during the pregnancy such as repeated vaginal bleeding and placenta praevia also increase the likelihood of having a small baby. If the problem is linked to illness or pregnancy complication then adopting good nutrition and gaining as much rest as possible (as well as having the condition treated if appropriate and safe) is a good way of improving foetal growth.
Other Reasons for Low Foetal Growth
All mother’s and pregnancies are slightly different and there can be a number of factors that can influence the growth of a baby, some of which have already been discussed, but some others factors to consider are:
- It could be that you do not carry a lot of fluid around your baby, making you appear smaller even though your baby is the right size. The ultrasound scan would be able to determine this.
- Your body frame, height and abdominal muscles can all affect the measurement
- It’s important to remember that that babies grow at slightly different rates and are measured against averages. Some babies appear small for a while and then have a growth spurt.
- Some babies do not grow as well as they should due to problems with the placenta, such as pre-eclampsia. This is known as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).
So What Happens if my Baby is Small for Date?
If you are carrying a small for date baby you will be monitored more closely. You will probably be re-scanned in two or three weeks to accurately measure your baby's growth in that time. So don't be too alarmed if you have to go back more than once for scans.
If your baby remains very small, his or her growth slows dramatically or the baby begins to show signs of stress after twenty-eight weeks of pregnancy, (when it has a good chance of survival in a special care baby unit), it may be necessary to deliver your baby early.
It is virtually impossible not to worry if there is a possibility of something being wrong during your pregnancy, but it is important in the case of ‘small for date’ babies that you do not allow yourself to worry unnecessarily. Remember to bear in mind that many of these additional scans are precautionary. Make sure that you attend all scan and antenatal appointments and if you don’t understand something or want clarification on anything don’t be afraid to ask your doctor or midwife. Finally, remember that growth charts are formulated from averages and many mothers and babies are simply not average.
pregnant woman
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Health & Wellness
Latest Articles