Short femur - I'm worried!

I am 23 to 24 weeks pregnant and I just got the results of my
anatomical sonogram from two weeks ago. My doctor told me that they
want me to have it done again in 7 to 10 days because the femur length
was showing relatively shorter then all the other measurements (minus
1 1/2 to 2 weeks shorter). Has something like this happen to anyone
else? I'm very concerned and worried as to what this might mean!

: I am 23 to 24 weeks pregnant and I just got the results of my
: anatomical sonogram from two weeks ago. My doctor told me that they
: want me to have it done again in 7 to 10 days because the femur length
: was showing relatively shorter then all the other measurements (minus
: 1 1/2 to 2 weeks shorter). Has something like this happen to anyone
: else? I'm very concerned and worried as to what this might mean!

I've never heard of an anatomical sonogram. What was the purpose of having
it? Is there a history of problems?

I do hope all is well.

~Carol Ann
www.bestinatlanta.com/mybaby.html

"Kimberly" wrote in message
m...
I am 23 to 24 weeks pregnant and I just got the results of my
anatomical sonogram from two weeks ago. My doctor told me that they
want me to have it done again in 7 to 10 days because the femur length
was showing relatively shorter then all the other measurements (minus
1 1/2 to 2 weeks shorter). Has something like this happen to anyone
else? I'm very concerned and worried as to what this might mean!

Of course you're worried, I'd be very worried. This is one of the reasons I
didn't have such an ultrasound. But now that you're worried, what would be
the point of the second scan? You're not going to terminate at this
gestational age, right? Unless the doctor thinks there's something there
that he can treat before birth -- and almost nothing can be --

Just another way to think about it.

-- Dagny

On 7 Feb 2004 13:15:47 -0800, (Kimberly) wrote:

I am 23 to 24 weeks pregnant and I just got the results of my
anatomical sonogram from two weeks ago. My doctor told me that they
want me to have it done again in 7 to 10 days because the femur length
was showing relatively shorter then all the other measurements (minus
1 1/2 to 2 weeks shorter). Has something like this happen to anyone
else? I'm very concerned and worried as to what this might mean!

This has happened to me twice. The first time it turned out that the
baby just had short legs (and he still does!), the second time
whatever had caused her legs to look short compared to the other
measurements had caught up by the time she was born. I don't think
that having a short femoral length in ultrasounds is usually something
to worry about.

FWIW when I had an ultrasound with my son at around 35 weeks the
measurements came back with his head being due around Oct 12, his
abdomen around Oct 20 and his legs due in early November. That would
make his legs about 3 weeks behind the other measurements but no-one
ever thought it was an issue.


--
Cheryl
Mum to DS#1 (11 Mar 99), DS#2 (4 Oct 00)
and DD (30 Jul 02)

"Carol Ann" wrote in message
hlink.net...
: I am 23 to 24 weeks pregnant and I just got the results of my
: anatomical sonogram from two weeks ago. My doctor told me that they
: want me to have it done again in 7 to 10 days because the femur length
: was showing relatively shorter then all the other measurements (minus
: 1 1/2 to 2 weeks shorter). Has something like this happen to anyone
: else? I'm very concerned and worried as to what this might mean!

I've never heard of an anatomical sonogram. What was the purpose of
having
it? Is there a history of problems?

I do hope all is well.

~Carol Ann
www.bestinatlanta.com/mybaby.html


That's what the ultrasounds at 20 weeks really are for...to check everything
is measuring up right, heart, bones, lungs, etc. (that's just the technical
name for it, or one of them). As well as checking gestational age, etc.
Kat
Mama to Maggie 11/03/01
and #2 EDD 02/01/04

How long are your family's legs???

Also, the angle of the legs during the scan can cause for-shortening.sp?

P

Dagny wrote:

Of course you're worried, I'd be very worried. This is one of the reasons I
didn't have such an ultrasound. But now that you're worried, what would be
the point of the second scan? You're not going to terminate at this
gestational age, right? Unless the doctor thinks there's something there
that he can treat before birth -- and almost nothing can be --

One of the saddest stories I've read on mkp:
http://tinyurl.com/3gz87



Mary S.

"Mary S." wrote in message
...
Dagny wrote:

Of course you're worried, I'd be very worried. This is one of the
reasons I
didn't have such an ultrasound. But now that you're worried, what would
be
the point of the second scan? You're not going to terminate at this
gestational age, right? Unless the doctor thinks there's something
there
that he can treat before birth -- and almost nothing can be --

One of the saddest stories I've read on mkp:
http://tinyurl.com/3gz87


That post you link too is very sad and something we all have to consider
when we're testing or not.

It's not relevant to having a second follow up scan for a baby who's only
troubling sign is "short femur" though is it? Scan, scan, scan. You get on
that road, you're having scans every 4 weeks with virtually no chance of
improving outcome.

-- Dagny

Dagny wrote:

"Kimberly" wrote in message
m...

I am 23 to 24 weeks pregnant and I just got the results of my
anatomical sonogram from two weeks ago. My doctor told me that they
want me to have it done again in 7 to 10 days because the femur length
was showing relatively shorter then all the other measurements (minus
1 1/2 to 2 weeks shorter). Has something like this happen to anyone
else? I'm very concerned and worried as to what this might mean!


Of course you're worried, I'd be very worried. This is one of the reasons I
didn't have such an ultrasound. But now that you're worried, what would be
the point of the second scan? You're not going to terminate at this
gestational age, right? Unless the doctor thinks there's something there
that he can treat before birth -- and almost nothing can be --

Just another way to think about it.

Actually, a bit unrelated, but still on topic... The point of second
scans is to be certain. The point of doing the scans at all is because
sometimes something can be done to treat problems, but it has to be done
right after birth. Sometimes you need to know in order to make sure
you're in the correct hospital, with the correct equipment and
specialists on hand.

Kimberly wrote in message
m...
I am 23 to 24 weeks pregnant and I just got the results of my
anatomical sonogram from two weeks ago. My doctor told me that they
want me to have it done again in 7 to 10 days because the femur length
was showing relatively shorter then all the other measurements (minus
1 1/2 to 2 weeks shorter). Has something like this happen to anyone
else? I'm very concerned and worried as to what this might mean!

Is it both femurs or just one? If it's both, then it's probably just they
have shorter femurs than average! 1.5-2 weeks isn't much on the basis that
the measurements are not totally accurate anyway. I don't know why you've
had to wait 2 weeks for the results, for scans I've always had the results
straight away.
For dd#2 we were told at the same stage that she was minus the left hand.
They scanned again (with a consultant) the next day to check. They also
schedualled an extra scan to check at 34 weeks (when she was lying on it so
they couldn't see it anyway). I think that was more to say they were doing
all they could (which isn't much) than they needed to. It was very traumatic
at first, but I was very thankful that it had been picked up then. Firstly
because I could tell people then so it wasn't an issue after the birth,
secondly because we could see specialists and know what we were going to
have to cope with, and also so it wasn't a shock as she was born.
People were very kind to us-they even let us know the sex (though we didn't
tell anyone) which is against hospital policy (unless you bribe them
according to the rumours) and we were offered a private room at the hospital
after the birth (for free) which I didn't accept as I'd rather have the
company!
I was really worried I'd reject her, but when she came out, it didn't seem
to matter, and everyone says she's really georgeous. I just say every baby
has their imperfections and her's is just more obvious than some. She's a
lovely personality to make up!

Personally I don't think that you've got a problem there. Make sure they
tell you everything straight away at the second scan-then you don't have to
wait and worry. But if there is a problem they'll still be your baby and
you'll love her/him.
Debbie