While pregnant, most expecting parents say, “as long as the baby is healthy, that’s all that matters.” The term healthy can denote so many characteristics, including birth weight. Birth weight can be too low, but can it also be too high?
Fetal macrosomia is a term given to babies with birthweights greater than 9 pounds 15 ounces, and it’s actually dangerous for both mom and baby. If projected birthweight is measurable, is fetal macrosomia preventable? It turns out it can be.
Predictors of birthweight
Throughout your pregnancy, doctors make a series of predictions, run tests, and follow your medical health history to ensure that you and your baby are safe. Among these practices are measurements to predict birth weight.
While predictions might not be guarantees, a combination of certain factors may help a medical professional make the best guess. These factors include:
- Family history of large babies
- Diabetes
- Abnormal weight gain during pregnancy
- Amount of amniotic fluid
- Large fundal height
You trust your doctor to listen to your concerns and measure their expertise against the symptoms present. Presenting multiple risk factors should be something considered.
Complications of fetal macrosomia
Fetal macrosomia can be dangerous due to the risks of injury it poses during delivery. Not only is a baby at risk, but the mom is too. Being too large for the birth canal can:
- Result in bone fractures
- Nerve damage and brain injury
- Excessive bleeding
- Uterine rupture
- Hemorrhage and death
Large babies can present a risk during delivery. If you’ve communicated your concerns to your doctor, he or she should create a plan to monitor your delivery. Failure to act promptly or with appropriate care might result in a birth injury.
Learning more about medical malpractice can help you know your legal rights when delivery doesn’t go as expected.