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Childbirth

IUGR & placental insufficiency, any experiences??

20 replies

Sunshine2013Hopefully · 27/08/2013 15:08

Well just as the title says really- baby started measuring small at 20 Wk scan, 11 days behind. Was scanned everyday for next 3 weeks & it slipped further and further back measuring in abdomin 3wks behind at 24 Wk scan. Was warned baby will b premature, possibly even being born at early 30 ish weeks, +I've already been given steroid injections to develop its lungs. As u can imagine I'm worrying and was just wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation and what the outcome was? Thanks in advance for any help xx

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coco2303 · 27/08/2013 15:20

I have had experience with my first pregnancy severely and my second they said it was insufficient but not majorley.

Them giving you steroid injections is promising as it means there is a chance your baby could survive if born early as they are over 500g (the minimum they say has a chance of survival). How far gone are you now?

What have doctors said to you?

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rainbowfeet · 27/08/2013 15:29

I had this with dd2... She was born by elc at 34 weeks weighing 3lb 3oz.

She had contracted a viral infection via me at approx 8-10 gestation (unbeknown to me at the time) called congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) this was diagnosed after birth but can be detected during pregnancy & treated with anti-viral drugs.

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CelticPromise · 27/08/2013 15:45

Hi Sunshine. I experienced this and my DS was born very prematurely because of it. There is a long thread in Premature Birth section about this with many experiences on it. How many weeks are you now? Are you confident with your hospital? It's so tough and I really feel for you. Positive growing thoughts to your little one.

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Sunshine2013Hopefully · 27/08/2013 22:26

Thanks for the replies everyone. Sorry you''ve all been thru this, I wouldn't wish this worry on anyone!

I'm currently 25 weeks, baby weighed 437g last week. even tho they say it doesnt help, I've been eating like a horse in the last week and resting as much as possible in the hope that the baby takes at least some of the calories and fattens up! (For a girl that's spent all of her life on a diet, this cake munching period is a might like cruel irony - iykwim Wink)

I've found that thread Celtic thanks for the suggestion. How is ur little boy now?

rainbowfeet how awful it was just a stupid virus that could hav been treated in pregnancy -does ur little girl hav any long term effects from this? Poor you! I wonder if they test for that routinely - I may mention that to my consultant, thanks for sharing ur experience!

coco2303 u hav all my sympathy for having to go thru this twice- how are your dc now, all happy and healthy i hope?
The docs hav said the dopDoppler and placenta look fine now but even with that baby still 'significantly below 10th percentile' so as soon as Doppler shows bloodflow deteriorating then it will b a case of getting baby out asap. Just a frustrating waiting game now! They hav told me to start maternity at 29 weeks so they must b pretty confident I'll get to that point?!

Thanks again for your replies, this website is a godsend some times xx

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CelticPromise · 27/08/2013 22:37

Hi again. My boy is fine thanks, he has just turned four. He was born at 27 weeks and he had a bit of a rough ride but no lasting effects.

How often are they scanning you now? It all happened quite suddenly with me but I imagine the waiting is very hard. In the end my boy was delivered because of deteriorating flow through the ductus venosa (I think?) after a few days of poor dopplers.

Wishing you a long and boring pregnancy!

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rainbowfeet · 27/08/2013 22:47

Hi, CMV is not routinely tested for in the uk. The anti viral drugs can only prevent the virus spreading unfortunately for my ds it caused catastrophic calcification to her brain & she passed away aged 23 months.

My obstetrician did not suspect it at all & just thought she was in her words hungry small as their were no abnormalities in her scans. On one hand I think the fact that she was so small & in particular her head measurement should have raised a concern but on the other hand I was glad that I was never faced with the choice of terminating because they had discovered how sick she was while I was pregnant.

The virus itself is very common but only dangerous as a primary infection if you are pregnant as you don't have the anti bodies to fight it, mainly it is like having a cold or sometimes flu like symptoms, so most people don't know if they have ever had it. Worth a mention to your cons if you have had any flu like illness during pregnancy.

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rainbowfeet · 27/08/2013 22:48

Sorry dd not ds

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Sunshine2013Hopefully · 27/08/2013 22:55

rainbowfeet I am so so sorry to hear about your dear daughter. I can't imagine that heartache, but thanks for sharing ur experience! I'm sure u cherish those 23 months with your angel! Xxx

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NoForkNKnife · 27/08/2013 23:02

Oh my gosh, rainbow I am so sorry.

sunshine my dd was born at 29 weeks in March. All the feelings your experiencing are still raw. I also agree with very regular scans. I had daily scans the last week. Her weight was small on the 20 week scan and then scanned every 2 weeks showed slowing. All very scary at the time.

She was 985g born and is currently just shy of 8lbs. Thankfully she appears fine but teeny tiny.

Have your hospital got a neonatal unit? Id ask for one of the paeds to come and talk to you and show you around. Mine was all too quick (despite all the scans it wasn't until I hit 29 weeks that they talked about delivery) and I think it'd help.

Good luck. Enjoy your cake and have some Flowers.

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coco2303 · 28/08/2013 11:20

SUNSHINE it is a lot easier said than done but try not to worry too much. Although 437g is small they are still on there way. Is your little one gaining weight but just slowly? And what have they said about your bloodflow? My first little girl was born at 28 weeks and went with the angels last august. I now have a 7 week old earth baby who was born at 37 weeks. I didn't want to mention at first as I don't wasn't you to worry. Everyonre is different and I have a friend who has a happy and healthy baby boy who was well below lines during pregnancy! Keep talking to your midwife/consultant etc. It all happened very quik for me that's why I say you should just ask them for straight answers.

RAINBOW so sorry to hear of your loss its hard but little angels they will always be.

NOFORK it is great that your DD is doing well :). And this is why I say every situation is different and sunshine just needs to get as much information as possible! It is such a hard time because it is constantly on your mind

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Sunshine2013Hopefully · 30/08/2013 22:26

Sorry for not replying sooner I returned to work this week after taking a week off to calm down after the news and deal with the side effects of the steroids! Turns out trying to make work less stressful, weirdly creates more stress - but hopefully just in the short term!

Thank you all for sharing ur experiences, I really really appreciate it. I hate the not knowing &the consultants approach to wait and see so hearing all ur experiences hav calmed me down a bit, to sort of know what to expect!

coco2303 I'm so sorry to hear about ur daughter, that must hav been terrible and made ur second pregnancy more stressful! Thanks for sharing xxx
I will go in to my next consultant appointment better prepared and ask them for straight answers and prognosis, thanks for the advice.

NoForkNKnife I'm so glad ur daughter is doing so well, I'm sure it was a scary time to welcome her into the world at 29 weeks, but I'm sure she will soon catch up to her peers in weight given time-as long as you's are all happy and healthy that's all that matters I'm sure. All the best of luck to ur little family xx

Luckily I live really close to the best hospital and neo-natal unit in our area so we r quite lucky really.
Just hav to get thru next week before my next hospital appointment -must find some things to distract myself it's gona drag in! Sad

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Sunshine2013Hopefully · 30/08/2013 22:37

Actually can I draw on ur experiences and ask if you's hav any good questions etc I should ask or speak to my consultant about at my appointment next week??

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coco2303 · 31/08/2013 00:49

SUNSHINE my next pregnancy was very stressful but we got there so it doesn't always go bad and you need to remember that. And questions to ask is what u feel, ur concerns. I didn't in my first pregnancy but in my 2nd I kinda prepared for the worst but hoped for the best. I did have a very good midwife who I could go to everyday if I wanted to to chek a heartbeat. Also try and relax yourself and pay attention to babies movements etc. Aslong as they have 'their pattern' (this is what I was told) some babies move more than others but usually they have a pattern ie; more active of a night etc. And just ask question that u want to ask no matter how trivial u may think they are. Ask them percentages and if this happens or that happens etc.

Sorry I can't be more help but if u do want to talk etc u are more than welcome to personal message me xx

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FlatsInDagenham · 31/08/2013 01:19

New to this thread. My DD2 was born at 35 weeks because of an insufficient placenta. We knew about the IUGR from about 24 weeks but had no idea what caused it until we saw the afterbirth on the day she was born. The pregnancy was extremely stressful, with weekly scans and pessimistic prognosis from the consultant. My waters broke at 34 weeks. She was born 3 days later weighing 3lb 4oz. She came home at 3 weeks old just shy of 4lb.

Today she is a lively (but still tiny) 18 month old.

Ask your consultant if they will be inducing you early if your labour doesn't begin before 37 weeks. They told me the risk of stillbirth for a full term IUGR baby is higher than in an uncomplicated pregnancy.

Good luck!

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coco2303 · 31/08/2013 04:51

Yeh FLATS that is a good question to ask actually. With my second pregnancy I was told I would be induced early and with IUGR they usually do if your waters don't break. I was induced at 37 weeks and my DD weighed 5pound 9ounces. They have given you the steroid incase baby needs to come out before 34 weeks so they are prepared for that

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NoForkNKnife · 31/08/2013 08:01

Coco I am so so sorry. No words really but my heart goes out to you. I am so glad your next pregnancy went well.

I never got the chance to ask many questions.

You could ask at what point they would deliver? How often are scans necessary you'd need doppler scans on the cord. I think id want to know how much the growth had slow'd down and if they could predict a delivery time (I dont think they could do this).

I had the top drs in the hospital scanning me together! Very scary at first but also very reassuring. Also, in that last week the daily scans showed worsening and then improvements. They also checked the fluid levels which kept changing.

The one thing that still bothers me is that they never sent the placenta off for analysis. I was told they would do, but I was transferred out as an emergency as the nicu had no beds. I have no idea what caused this (I'm a type 1 diabetic and they are 'blaming' this despite fantastic control) and for me it's left a black cloud over the chance of more children. If I had more time to discuss things properly with a consultant I think id be asking more explanations.


Good luck! I think i'd be resting up too. Are you taking aspirin? I was told this was beneficial as was controlling blood pressure.
keep us updated.

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coco2303 · 31/08/2013 10:16

NOFORK thankyou. And I was the same as you felt I never got to ask everything I wanted to. I also think its terrible that they never di what they said they would do, and also feeling as if you were rushed out also is horrible when you are already going thru so much!

I must admit during my first pregnancy I wasn't prepared for the outcome that happened. But I'm not sure whether that's my fault for not asking enough questions or the hospitals for not explaining to me so I really understood how bad things were. They were extremely good after though and the people from the bereavement team even came to visit me when I gave birth to my daughter whixh I thought was really nice that they know who I am as they must see so many people in that time. And also ino its easier said than done because I was so petrified when I concieved again. But y DD was and is my saving grace I really think I would have completely drove myself crazy if I didn't have her.

SUNSHINE my first daughter was only 480g born so ur little one is dooing better. So I would prefer you to focus on the lovely stories on this thread. I just wanted you to be prepared also.

And definately keep us all updated and rest up

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clabsyqueen · 31/08/2013 12:46

Hi sunshine, Celtic mentioned a thread in premature birth - it is one that helped me a great deal when I went through what you are experiencing now. It's not active any more really except with updates about successful subsequent pregnancies (I have my 41 weeker on my knee as I type).

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clabsyqueen · 31/08/2013 12:49

I think that its hard to know what you should ask because I'm sure they are taking great care of you but I liked to know about dopplers and what indicators would signal the need for immediate delivery. Reverse blood flow in the ductus venosus did it for us. Also prepare yourself for a c section because tiny babies often don't cope with vaginal birth. My Dd at 680g couldn't have.

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CelticPromise · 31/08/2013 13:13

Congratulations clabsy how wonderful Smile

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