Many babies normally weigh more than 5 pounds, 13 ounces by the 37th week of pregnancy. Babies born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces are considered low birth weight. Some babies are small because their parents are small.
But most babies who are small for gestational age have growth problems that happen during pregnancy. Many of these babies have a condition called intrauterine growth restriction IUGR. This can begin at any time in pregnancy. Growth restriction early in pregnancy early onset happens because of chromosome problems in the baby.
It also happens because of disease in the mother, or severe problems with the placenta. Growth restriction is called late onset if it happens after week 32 of the pregnancy. It is often linked to other problems. Some of the problems that cause babies to be small for gestational age limit how much blood flows through the placenta.
This can cause the baby to get less oxygen than normal. Things that can cause babies to be small for gestational age are listed below. Small for gestational age babies may look mature, but they are smaller than other babies of the same gestational age.
They may be small all over. Or they may be of normal length and size but have lower weight and body mass. These babies may be born:. Between 37 and 38 weeks early term through 41 weeks. Many small for gestational age babies have low birth weight. But not all are premature. They may not have the same problems as premature babies.
Other babies, especially those with intrauterine growth restriction, may look thin and pale, and have loose, dry skin. The umbilical cord is often thin and dull-looking rather than shiny and fat.
There are few well known reasons for measuring small. Placental problems can cause a baby not to grow at the usual rate, especially if the fetus is not getting enough food and oxygen while in the womb. In rare cases, the placenta simply wears out and tends to stop working even before the fetus is able to grow in the womb.
It might also be caused by fetal problems due to some genetic abnormalities or an infection, the fetus may have poor growth and so the problem could be with the fetus itself.
Even having less amniotic fluid causes slow growth. Statistics show that women who previously had a small baby have a higher chance of conceiving another small baby. For that, an ultrasound can be conducted to find out the accurate due date and to identify any possible causes for the small measurements. This can also rule out problems like low amniotic fluid or intrauterine growth restriction. Smaller than average babies get special treatment in utero. A Doppler Ultrasound may also be suggested to measure the heartbeats of the baby and to see if the blood flow through the placenta and the umbilical cord is working fine.
Frequent monitoring is usually required to assess the well-being of your baby. Should the measurements read large, it simply means that your fundal height is 2 centimeters or more than expected for your stage of pregnancy compared to the average pregnancy. An ultrasound scan can give better measurements of the baby. Gaining a lot of weight between pregnancies or having not lost weight from a previous pregnancy or gaining a lot of weight during this present pregnancy can cause larger babies.
If the abdominal and uterine muscles are more relaxed, then the bump can be mistaken for a larger baby. If the bump shows earlier on in the pregnancy, then there are strong chances of carrying twins.
No matter what stage of pregnancy, further investigations and scans can confirm due dates and check for twins or the presence of uterine fibroids. As long as your baby is measuring consistently a week or two ahead or behind, it's neither a matter of concern, nor does it imply that your due date is going to be affected. In all probability, the baby seems to be growing and developing just as any other baby would be and the disparity can sometimes be pinned down only when compared to average pregnancies.
If the obstetrician or midwife decides to further investigate or scan, they are generally doing so in a precautionary way, not because something is wrong. The best thing to do is to stay calm, look after yourself, eat well, and get plenty of rest. Trying to conceive? We use your health information to make our site even more helpful. By clicking the button, you agree to our policies and to get emails from us. Join BabyCentre.
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