Possible change of dates

[JillMcCoy]

I went to see the midwife this week and she tells me I am consistently measuring 3 weeks ahead. She then looked at my original date based on my last period and thinks that my scans could be wrong and that I could be further along than we thought. I asked how often scans can be wrong and she said not very often but it does happen and with me she thinks it could be a possibility. When I had gone for my 12 week scan they kept saying they couldn't get a good measurement so estimated her size. So now I don't have a due date I have a due period from 30/12 to 16/12 give or take a couple of weeks. It's so frustrating as no one I know has had this uncertainty and I'm not too bothered, I will just be prepared as much as possible for end of Nov. I just wanted to know if anyone else has had wrong scan dates and due dates?

 

[MrsS143]

Either way i suppose.... You have a 5 week window for them to appear (37 to 42 weeks)
How are you being measured? Is it just your bump or is it an ultrasound?

 

[JillMcCoy]

At the 12 week scan they 'guessed' my date because they said they couldn't get an accurate measurement. At the 20 week one he said that the baby looked like she was having a growth spurt but could be nothing. They are measuring my stomach and I have been consistently 3 weeks ahead each time. I also felt movement at 13 weeks which I hear is very rare for first baby but might not be so rare if I am the 3 weeks ahead. I am genuinely just going to be organised but it's a pain that I have been given about 5 dates in my whole pregnancy.

 

[BunnyN]

That sounds a bit stressfull! I measured really big in my pregnancies (4 weeks ahead with DS). But I think it had more to do with having big babies. My 1st was 10 days late my second 5 days early. Second time I was very sure of my dates because I'd been doing OPKs etc. In my case it kind of bugged me that it seemed like they wanted to keep creeping my dates forward just because I was big. They were keen on inducing me early which I didn't want but instead of saying they wanted to induce me early they made it sound like my due date was acctually earlier. In your case I can see how a mistake could have been made. If they didn't get a good mesurement it wouldn't be so much that the scan was wrong as that you didn't have one (not a propper one at least). I guess it wasn't long ago that women didn't even get scans. My mum never had one with the three of us. Even now some women don't have a propper dating scan because they don't realise they are pregnant etc. The vast majority of the time it doesn't really matter and baby will come when ready. Its still fustrating for you though!

 

[JillMcCoy]

Ha that's very true I should be lucky I have a rough date. It's been so stressful and worse trying to arrange maternity because I don't want to be sat for weeks and weeks doing nothing. X

 

[MrsS143]

Ask if you can be scanned
At 28 weeks i measured anout 90th centile on the chart
At 31 weeks itd dropped to 50th
This indicated hed either stopped growing, she measured dodgy or i was losing weight. Turned out it was me shrinking not the baby
But to be sure i was sent for an ultrasound to have him measured
They measured circumfrence of his head and abdomen and femur length. He measured what he shouldve more or less. Theyre happy so long as its within 3 weeks of your expectated gestational age
Chances are youre about what they measured at your 12 week scan
Bottom line is baby will come when ready
Lots can affect your measurements like if you have a bit extra padding, if you have lots of fluid in there, inaccuracies in them guestimating top and bottom but also it depends how baby is lying aswell
Id say probably just stick to original dates if you continue to get even further than 3 weeks ahead theyll have to see why x

 

[JillMcCoy]

I will just be prepared. I just wanted to know if any one else had had this because like I said I have been given 5 dates from mid November to mid December which is not normal x

 

[MrsS143]

No its not ideal either

Ask to be scanned though as could show what youre trully measuring at
That way you will know you cant go too far over hopefully
The risk of them thinking mid december over mid november is after 42 weeks the placenta starts degrading and can begin to fail
So if you are to hit 42 weeks ie start of Dec then I'd be insisting on induction asap . and if its more the case youre due mid Dec then youll still be fully cooked if brought on a bit earlier x

 

[BunnyN]

Funnily enough I'd be more worried about them wanting to induce too early, but that's just me. I'd be inclined to think unless an actual problem is spotted when there is a doupt about dates chances are the baby knows better than the doctor. The chances of baby going over 42 weeks are pretty small and even if it did with regular monitoring until 43 weeks the risks are not big.

 

[MrsS143]

2 weeks early is still fully cooked though bunny
They can do more to help them on the outside than in x

 

[JillMcCoy]

If I'm honest if I go past the earlier date I have been given then I will hold off. If I get to the second more permanent date I was given then ok! I won't be allowing induction after the earlier date unless there are medical reasons to do so. X

 

[BunnyN]

Sorry MrsS143-When I said early I meant in the sense of before baby was ready, or before it is actually due, not in the sense of premature.When there is a problem it can be totally true that induction is the way to go. When there is no problem sometimes it just creates one.

Its a totally personal thing though. As long as you are informed and know the risks of induction or of waiting. There are benifits and risks of either choice. It sounds like you have a sensible plan and hopefully it won't be an issue anyway.

 

[MrsS143]

Its more if nobody really knows the gestational age thats all
ie 38 weeks or 42 x

 

[BunnyN]

Its more if nobody really knows the gestational age thats all
ie 38 weeks or 42 x

Yeh, I can see where you are coming from. I still think in this case I'd rather trust baby knew the right time to come than doctors who had already given 5 different dates but like I say different people would probably make different choices. I've known several people who ended up with complications because of induction so that probably colours my oppinion, inductions are often straightforward.

 

[littlemonkey]

If you've constantly measured ahead by more than 2cm has your MW arranged any further scans or tests for you?!

I consistently measured ahead with my second baby. I was sent for extra scans to check for excess fluid and had to have three GTTs to rule out gestational diabetes. Oh and I was put back a week from my LMP due date at my dating scan. No one ever suggested this as a reason for my measurements being out?!

As it turns out I just had a big baby! But I would still ask your MW to refer you on for further tests to rule anything more sinister out.

 

[JillMcCoy]

I am going for my GTT again next week because the last ones were fine. She said she wanted to wait for a few weeks before sending me for scans but I don't agree. I might try and see her ASAP x