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Should I Be Concerned About Possible Birth Defect When An Amnio Revealed No Downs?

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Posted on Sun, 28 Oct 2012
Question: Should we be concerned about possible birth defect when an amnio revealed no Downs. The baby is due on DEc. 13. Baby's mother is 39, all ultrasounds revealed normal development. Yesterday the ultrasound tech showed concern because the baby's femur is in the 5th percentile.
Would very much appreciate your response.
Thank you
XXXXXXX
YYYY@YYYY
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (1 hour later)
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
At 30-31 weeks of pregnancy all the limbs of the foetus are enough developed to comment about shortening of a particular long bone like femur. The shortening of femur is commonly associated with Down's syndrome. You have already tested negative for Down's syndrome.
Slight shortening of femur without any other anomaly in the fetus most commonly manifests as a short stature child but it is not necessary that the effect will be long lasting. Height of the child mostly goes after the family.
With good diet and proper protein and calcium supplements given after birth the child will catch up with the growth and might develop normally with a good height after one year of birth.
It is not necessary that this will show any long term effects on the baby.
Hope this answers your query. I will be glad to answer the follow up queries that you have.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Rakhi Tayal.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal

OBGYN

Practicing since :2001

Answered : 14043 Questions

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Should I Be Concerned About Possible Birth Defect When An Amnio Revealed No Downs?

Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
At 30-31 weeks of pregnancy all the limbs of the foetus are enough developed to comment about shortening of a particular long bone like femur. The shortening of femur is commonly associated with Down's syndrome. You have already tested negative for Down's syndrome.
Slight shortening of femur without any other anomaly in the fetus most commonly manifests as a short stature child but it is not necessary that the effect will be long lasting. Height of the child mostly goes after the family.
With good diet and proper protein and calcium supplements given after birth the child will catch up with the growth and might develop normally with a good height after one year of birth.
It is not necessary that this will show any long term effects on the baby.
Hope this answers your query. I will be glad to answer the follow up queries that you have.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Rakhi Tayal.