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Yeah. I don't know. DS1 always measured a few days behind schedule and is now in 75th percentile for height. DS2 always measured right on and he's only in 25th percentile. This one (I did HT for girl but we'll see!) is also measuring right on schedule.
Bumping if anyone else has more responses.This baby started measuring 2 days behind after being on track. DD did always measure ahead, so is gender that much of an impact? And did people still have healthy babies even when measuring behind when previously measuring ok?
DS2 always measured small during my pregnancy and is still small even now at 4 years old. He's a healthy kid, but was just over 6 pounds at birth (full term) when my babies are normally around 7-7.5 lbs. I think gender can be an influencing factor in gestational size but really I think it's just a combination of things like genetics, diet, accuracy of measurements (they can be off sometimes), and environmental factors. Also depending on gestational age, measurements from one baby to another can vary a lot even though the baby is healthy.
This study on how mom can influence gestational size is interesting https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3437780/
There's also this one about baby's sex influencing size:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5135770/
People come to me worried about this all the time (baby was ahead but then next scan is a little behind) and they go on to have normal healthy babies at the end of it. Happens at least 2-3 times a week!
We often underestimate how much the skill/caring of the tech comes into play, we're deailing with milimeters of growth and they can absolutely get it wrong sometimes. They may have measured just a wee bit wrong both times (in opposites directions) and that ended up looking like a 2 day margin when in reality there has been no change at all and the baby is growing at the same pace it always was!
I just read something that prednisone can affect growth early on, including of the genitals, so now I'm all stressed about that since I'm on it. But stressed about weaning too. Sigh.
Steroids can slow growth (one of my sons has to take them for severe allergies, and I worry about it too!) But just keep in mind that no matter what, there was a downside here. The prednisone is very possibly helping this pregnancy to stay and so while yes, this can be a thing, at the same time if you need it, you need it, you know? I know it's still worrying but you are doing the best you can and there are always downsides to any course of action you take.