SHORT FEMURS IN ULTRASOUND

[carpediemgirl077]

I am a mom to 4 wonderful girls ... (ages 10, 8, 21 months - and another is on the way  (due date 10-22-08))...   I'm 32... ...  I've had pre eclampsia with all 4 pregnancies... as well as horrible morning sickness... and gestational diabetes with them all too...    I'm currently (as of Aug 17th)  30 1/2 weeks along with this pregnancy..  my gestational diabetes is worse this time..  I'm on glyburide and watching my sugars very very closely...   I've gotten past the morning sickness stage THANK GOD... and I'm looking to find answers to a few questions I have.    At 26 weeks gestation, I had an ultrasound.  They noted that my baby had "short femurs".   They based this on the BiPariatel Diameter Ratio...  they said 70 was the low end of normal...  my baby measured at 67.   They did a repeat ultrasound at 28 weeks -  and found the same -  only this time, we measured 69.   They noted NOTHING else out of the ordinary - but scheduled me for a Level II ultrasound which I had done at 29 weeks.  At that ultrasound - the specialist and doctor spoke with me afterwards.  They said that other than having a bit shorter femurs, nothing else was out of the ordinary...  They told me that they don't use the BPD ratio when they look for things "wrong" with femurs -  and that unless a baby has femurs that measure in the 5th percentile they really don't worry.  We measured in the 9th to 10th percentile.    

Of course as a mom -  I'm still worried...  my doctor said not to worry -  this thing happens... yada yada yada...   I didn't have the triple screen done with this pregnancy  (odd... it was the ONLY pregnancy I didn't have one done with).  I have never carried a baby past 34 weeks as a result of having preeclampsia -  so I'm not going to risk anything and have an amnio done at this point.

Is it ever "normal" to have short femurs??

[Marcus's Mommy]

I have no answers for you either.  My son was born with a webbed pinky and his pinky will never grow to be normal pinky.  It will always be half size.  I was shocked when he was born but honestly after I got over that and was told there were no other issues I felt blessed that it is only a pinky. So many things can happen in the miracle of creating life that some little physical differences should be not be stressed about.  He is 4 now and sometimes cries because he can't understand why he has a small pinky but I just let him know he is special and loved.  If the doctors don't seem too worried, I wouldn't stress yet.  My son had surgery for his hand at 18 months and for his foot too. Both had a little extra didget that needed to be removed and he is a normal fun loving 4 year old.

Just wait to see when she is born. U/S can't be that accurate, mine never found anything different. Even the doctors and nurses and we never noticed.  My mother in law did an hour later.

Try and have faith that your baby will just catch up and everything will be okay.

[whitlack]

Sorry, unfortunately I don't have any info regarding this.  Have you tried searching the web.  There is also forums on medhelp which you can actually ask doctors questions about things.  You should try the pregnancy expert forum.  Let us know what you find out.  Hope all is well.  And welcome to the community!!