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Short Limbs


Has anyone been told that their baby has short limbs.

I am 43 and carrying this little guy for a family member who can't conceive.

At the sex scan was told that he had short limbs which could be downs. My risk factor was
1/20, based predominantly on my age. The Nucal was 2.6.

Family member concerned said they are happy regardless of what he may have and that was the end of it. Well for them maybe but I have been struggling with not knowing and what I may be burdening them with.

They werent interested in Amnio's or seeing a specialist but I have been seeing one for the last two months to try and get to the bottom of it. I have been having two weekly scans graphing the growth. I have been told that he is either really short, he is belown bottom 1 percentile for limbs.Has a Skeletal displasia or Downs.

I was told that I needed to have an Amnio to prepare for the birth or I could be putting myself and the baby at risk.

I have two of my own kids.

With much heartache and stress I did the Amnio last week and have been awaiting the results. So far the initial results say no to tri's 18 and 21. The remaining results seem to take forever to come.

Anyone had any goodnews stories on short limbs. 33 weeks now. Limbs are 6 weeks behind. Everything else a week ahead.

23 Responses
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Avatar universal
Was everything ok with your baby?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
As I wrote earlier to  feelinit007. I am 34 weeks pregnant and at 33 weeks, the U/S showed that my son's limbs are 6 weeks behind. I am crying now and devastated. I have never experienced this pain in my life but your story gave me hope. Doctors are 100% sure that my son has Achondroplasia. I am praying and hoping that my son is healthy. Does anyone have the same experience or heard about something simillar. I will be more than glad to hear form you. Thanks in advance.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,
Congratulations!!! What a relief. I am going through the same thing. I am 34 weeks pregnant and at 33 weeks, the U/S showed that my son's limbs are 6 weeks behind. I am crying now and devastated. I have never experienced this pain in my life but your story gave me hope. Doctors are 100% sure that my son has Achondroplasia. I am praying and hoping that my son is healthy. I would like just to ask you about where did you get the misdiagnosis. Me, I live in Montreal, Canada. Thank you for posting your story. Congratulations again.
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Avatar universal

Thanks ladies. Little man is progressing well and....hold your breath..was rolling over at 2 weeks. I was a bit optomistic so went for a visit and yes he can roll both ways back to front and front to back..strong little guy. I am recovering well and back to work on Monday. Sigh!!! Bak to reality.
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Avatar universal
Thank you so much for the update :) I am very glad to hear that the little one was fine :)
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the update. I was just wondering about your post yesterday. Wish you all the best with your recovery!
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296076 tn?1371334474
Great!!!  just like my niece!
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1580484 tn?1316602047
That's wonderful news!  And it's a wonderful thing you did for the other family!  I wish all of you the best and happiest of times!
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Avatar universal

Just a quick update to the lovely ladies who gave their support. Our wee man was born earlier this month. After being examined by the head paediatric specialist here it was found that he was perfectly okay. The whole short limbs drama was basically just that. He has no obvious abnormality and  is just a little guy, thank God.
I am sure that if they see anything in your scans, and you are over 40 then all they can see is doom and gloom.
A huge relief. Thanks again for your suport and kind words. xx

      
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296076 tn?1371334474
It doesn't sound bad, you are giving this child to another mother and have to do what you can to protect your emotions.  It must be very difficult, I cannot imagine.  I pray for you and the baby.  I hope you don't feel any guilt.  This wonderful baby will be born and will be a gift to it's parents.  Please know that the specialists many times are very wrong as in the case of my niece.  And in the realm of things that the baby could have dwarfism is really a manageable difference. I pray that you find peace..
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Avatar universal

I know I wasn't going to go back to the specialist but this appointment was booked at the time of the Amnio as a follow up.

I went thinking we would discuss the results which I was told by my midwife were good.

I won't swear but am very unhappy after being told that they were sure he has Achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. An opinion they are basing on it not being Chromosonal. Apparently they can't test for Dwarfism.

There are no other indicators at all just the short limbs.

So now I have to stay in hospital for 3 days after birth so they can under take a number of tests on baby to see what he does/doesn't have.

Back to that stressy place.

It may sound bad but I have tried my best to not form a bond with baby to protect myself from any potential issues I may have at handing him over.

I think I will be fine but with hormones raging and now this ???


Helpful - 0
503649 tn?1304357466
Well thank the Lord everything came back good - congrats!
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1386249 tn?1303092096
I was told that my son will have downs.  He is now 8 and does not have downs syndrome.  He is, however, autistic, but is pretty much a normal little boy.  I cried a lot during during my pregnancy with him, thinking I would have a downs baby, when actually he was fine.  My ultrasounds were high tech.  Guess they are not always 100% accurate.  I am happy to read the good news!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal

  I did get the FSH results as said in my first post but that only covered tri's 21 and 18.  They are testing for around 50 variants including the congenital dwarfism.

  I have finally got the remaining results today and everything is clear, no chromosonal and no congenital dwarfism, thank goodness.

  Three months of stressing for nothing...I felt like I could finally take a breath today.

  I think i will stay away from specialists now, they seem to like to burden you with possibilities which so far are wrong.

  
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503649 tn?1304357466
feelinit007,

Why didn't you get the FISH (fluorescence in-situ hybridization) results they are only a preliminary but very accurate and you get the results back in 2-3 days, followed with the 100% accurate results in 2 weeks.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal

  Thanks for your thoughts. Am still waiting on the results..seems to take ages. I know that there is nothing I can do but I like everyone stress about anything possibly being wrong with our off spring.

   I am not sure how some one can charge a fee it would be like selling your own children. They are a gift which I am blessed with being able to share with my family.

  Fingers crossed this is another wrong call and all will be well.  
  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I think what youre doing is soooo cool and with your own eggs. Most women would not do this unless they were being paid and were using someone else's eggs. Well I dont have any encouragement but you have done nothing wrong and there really isn't anything you can do if there happens to be some type of affliction. I think alot of time doctors are wrong about this type of stuff and like the other posters say, do not worry. Keep us up to date.
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Avatar universal
Hi just to say what a blessing it is that you are doing this.  First, I'm 51 yrs preg with second child preg the first time with my child at age 37.
I was giving the same diagnose and several other markers, short bones, behind in growth, spine was closing.  They told me I would have a severe difficult delivery and baby might not make it, also he would be a Downs if he lived with great learning difficulty. He wanted me to do an
amnio but I refused and he walked out the room upset.  I prayed and continued to confess and believe my child was healthy and fine.  On the day he was born I had a c section came out in 30min and he was perfectly fine til this day.  He is 14 yrs.  They are now saying the same thing about this baby I'm carrying.  But I confess she is also fine and blessed.  The Drs. receive a cut on those aminos. Report is good for you, I'm praying you and the precious one.  Keep updated.
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Avatar universal
Thanks everyone for your input and kind words...I am doing the stressing alone so it is good to vent a little.

  I am using my own eggs as the mum to be's eggs aren't viable. I just seem to be blessed with falling preggers easily even at this age... I just think that many people take that for granted when they could share that with someone who can't.    
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Avatar universal
I can recall a lady on here & think her name was courtcoop.  She was told that practically every test she had something was wrong.  She was at the point of giving up with the tests because she was having the baby no matter what.  It turned out the baby is very healthy.
Maybe you can look up her name & read her stories.

I wish you good luck.  You are a special woman to be giving someone such a great gift.
Can I ask you if they are the womans own eggs?  Just curious.

  
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Avatar universal
Pum
What a kind thing you are doing and what lovely people they sound. Great news on the results so far.
The only story I can tell you is my friend whose baby's leg length was small on the 30 week scan and she was told she was having a dwarf. She then had a more detailed scan with a specialist and he said on the very bottom end of normal. Her son is now 8 and normal height (if a bit short legged, compared to his body) and he is the smartest child I know. Like gifted. He read words at 2, was fluently reading at 3, and is doing work 5 years ahead of his age, poetry with the oldest children in his school.
Even if your child has some condition they sound like they will be well loved by you all. Life is beautiful.
Take care.
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296076 tn?1371334474
omg my sil had a zillion tests and u/s and everything with my niece.  They were sure she was going to be a dwarf.  It was so much stress for them after having 7 losses and finally getting pg.  The even preformed many many tests after birth.  She was 100% fine just started out kinda small.  She is one day younger than my dd they are 8 years old and they are almost the same height now.  Don't worry.  or at least try not to
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1346146 tn?1299360497
I dont have any experience with this just wanted to say sorry you are under so much stress and hopefully time will pass quick and you get answers.  Good luck to you.  
Helpful - 0
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