A growth scan is a non-invasive diagnostic test that uses images to measure the size of various organs and tissues in the body.
Growth scans can help monitor the baby’s development and growth in the 3rd trimester.
Growth Scan Accuracy: How accurate is a growth scan?
The growth scan accuracy is greater these days than it has ever been, especially with the growth in innovation in technology. The chances of inaccuracy in a growth scan are 1 out of 10.
How accurate are third-trimester ultrasounds?
The third-trimester ultrasound, or ultrasound after 28 weeks of pregnancy, is inaccurate by +/- 150 grams of the baby’s weight.
What does the growth scan reveal?
- Any abnormalities in the baby
- Baby’s growth according to the ideal range with regards to gestational age. If the baby is too big for its gestational age, it could be a sign of gestational diabetes in the mother. Whereas when the baby is too small, it could be because of a lack of oxygen and other required nutrients.
- Normal blood flow to the placenta and the umbilical cord to ensure there is an optimal supply of oxygen and other vital nutrients to the baby.
- The position of the placenta (high, low, or right position)
- Baby’s position to check if the baby is in normal (head down) or breech position (head up). The position of the baby is crucial during the third trimester to determine the type of delivery.
- Amount of amniotic fluid present in the sac.
Can ultrasound growth scans be wrong?
The ultrasound growth scan accuracy can go wrong sometimes. It is said that ultrasound scans show a 15% inaccuracy; that is, the shown results are either 15% higher or 15% lower than the actual birth weight of the fetus.
How accurate is the baby’s weight from the scan?
With regards to the fetal growth scan accuracy, the last trimester is the time when the baby starts to grow, develop, and gain weight faster than in the other two trimesters.
The urge to know the accurate weight of the baby is real. However, the estimated birth weight from the growth scan can differ by a few grams of the actual birth weight .
It is normal for babies to lose fluid and a few grams after birth, and you need not worry about it as long as your doctor approves of it.
