The fetal growth & wellbeing scan will look at how well a baby is growing. We do this by measuring the head, abdomen and leg length of a baby and comparing these either to its own previous measurements or the average for that stage of pregnancy. There is quite a range of normal in pregnancy and often the best way of knowing that a baby is growing OK is to do the scan a few times over a number of weeks.
A baby’s wellbeing implies that a baby is getting enough oxygen and nutrients through the placenta to grow and be active. As part of a scan, the liquor fluid around the baby and the flow through the umbilical cord is checked. These two elements provide insight into the function of the placenta.
Babies in the later part of pregnancy usually move at least every 20-30 minutes and as part of this scan, we check that these normal movements are happening.
If we are concerned that the baby has stopped growing or may not be OK, we will ring your doctor and arrange for you to have further assessment.
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