Here at JustExhale, we understand that being told that your baby is measuring small can feel quite daunting but it is not always a real cause for concern so we’ve put together this little blog post to explain a few of the causes for you.
What does it mean if your baby is measuring small?
A small baby is a baby that is measuring small and is therefore expecting to be born with a birth weight less than the 10th percentile.
Your midwife will start measuring the size of your bump from around 24 weeks onwards during your routine antenatal appointments, these measurements will be plotted in your maternity notes for future reference. This is a simple check and doesn’t take very long. Using a tape measure the midwife will measure from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus. If your midwife has any concerns about the measurement of your bump you will be referred for an ultrasound scan but please note that this doesn’t necessarily mean that anything is wrong. You may also find yourself referred for another appointment in order to measure the blood flow to your placenta which is known as a uterine doppler flow.
There are a couple of terminologies that you might find mentioned if you’ve been told that you’re expecting a small baby. There is SGA (small for gestational age), SFD (small for dates) and IUGR (Intrauterine growth restriction).
The term SGA is used to describe a baby whose weight is below the 10th percentile and therefore, the baby’s growth will need close monitoring during pregnancy. Most babies that are smaller than expected will be healthy. However, some babies will need to born earlier than expected to avoid complications.
For some babies, they are SGA because there is something restricting their growth which is called IUGR. IUGR is when the placenta is not functioning effectively and there is reduced nutrients and oxygen being transferred to the baby. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment to improve the placental function and it is likely that it will be recommended that the baby is born early. Being born early and small can lead to complications and some babies will need to spend some time in special care.
We don’t always know why this happens or why a baby could be measuring small, it can happen when the placenta isn’t working well enough, sometimes it can be caused by an infection or other underlying medical conditions. It’s unlikely to be related to anything that you’ve done before or during pregnancy. There has been research linking low birth weight to high levels of caffeine consumption so it is important to try to limit yourself to 2 mugs of coffee a day which is the equivalent of about 200mg of caffeine.
Several factors that could result in a baby measuring small:
- Having had a previously small baby.
- Experiencing heavy bleeding in pregnancy.
- Health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
- Smoking, drink and/or using illegal drugs.
- Being over 35 years old.
What can you do to reduce the risk of having a small baby?
- Stop smoking.
- Don’t drink any alcohol.
- Eat a health and balanced diet.
- Take a Vitamin D supplement.
- Don’t take drugs.
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