Abnormally attached placenta - Alan?

[traceyvon]

Hello,

Hoping someone on here may be able to offer me some advice.

With DS I had an emergency c-section due to bubs being in distress. When removing the placenta the OB told me that it has attached abnormally and it had to be scraped from the uterus wall.

Fast forward to this pregnancy. When I told my current OB about the placenta from last time she automatically jumped to repeat c-section. I had been OK with this up until last night and was wondering if it really was necessary. Does anyone know the chances of it happening again? Has anyone had this happen to them?

My c-section is booked in for 4 weeks time so need to get on top of this now.

Thanks

Tracey

[traceyvon]

anyone out there who can help?

starting to feel very alone

[sneakysparkle]

sorry darl I don't have any answers for you, but just didn't want to leave you without a reply!
I hope someone can help. All the best for the upcoming birth xo

[feeb]

Hun it may have been a Placenta Accreta which is where the placenta is attached deep through the layers of the uterus and removal can cause a PPH at times. Severe accreta can lead to hysterectomy or even death due to being unable to stem bleeding.

Good luck with cs soon you will have a gorgeous newborn

[traceyvon]

sneakysparkle -Thanks for the reply and the support.

feeb - I know it sounds like placenta accreta but I never been given an official diagnosis and to be honest it scares me. I think I am once again coming around to the idea of a c-section as all of the research I have done points to that being the best outcome for both me and bubs. I just get sad at the thought that I may never experience labour and contractions at all. Silly I know, people say I should be happy that I even have 2 children as there are people out there who can't have them at all and would be happy to have a c-section if it meant having a child. It is all just so confusing

[MummyTummy]

Oh Tracey, I understand . The experience of labour and contractions is I think a deep rooted need for most of us having a child. And the thing with c/s is it robs you. I know when I had my c/s (I did get to feel contractions - but syntocinon ones.... so still not a natural labour) I said to my DH afterwards that apart from the obvious reason, I may as well have not been there. Everything happened around me, but I didn't feel part of it. And I think I was treated with alot of respect too, not like alot of people.

So by the sounds of it you will need the C/S to provide the best outcome for you and bubs. So my advice is work on making it the best experience for you that it can be. An empowered c/s. Work out how you want to be treated, how you want your baby to be treated so that you can feel ok about the raw deal that nature has dealt you. Things like the baby is to be taken from you and put straight on your chest. Freedom for your arms so you can hold your baby. And any tests or checks for the baby are to be done while it is on you, rather than taken away and wrapped and cleaned before you get to see it. When you go in to recovery the baby comes with you, you aren't to be separated unless medically necessary. (Work out what you consider as medically necessary too, some hospitals say the baby needs to go to SCN for monitoring when in actual fact it isn't necessary, just a precaution). The hospitals try to take alot of power away from you because it is convenient for them, or that is just how it has always been done. But the truth is most of 'hospital policy' (what they call it to get you to comply) is not actually written down anywhere and so therefore is not policy at all. Remember they aren't allowed to do anything without your permission, so use that power for the benefit of your family!!

I'm sure there is a c/s support thread on here and I'm sure many BB girls would love to share their experiences of empowered c/s.

Good luck with it all - I wish you and bubs well.

[Alan]

Hi Tracey
Sorry I have only just seen this post. The only thing that I can think of going by your post is Placenta Accreta. But I would have thought that they would be able to detect this using a good Ultrasound. If you have never been given an official diagnosis then you could contact the hospital where you birthed and ask them. Also your current doctor/OB/Midwife should have no problem getting this information.

[traceyvon]

Thanks for the reply Alan. I asked my OB about doing an ultrasound to see and I was told there is not much point as it is not always detected. I have my medical records from my previous c-section and all it says is "abnormally adherent placenta". The OB who performed the procedure has moved away and I am unable to speak to him about it.

MummyTummy - Thanks for the word of support, have been doing up my birth plan and speaking to the OB about it tomorrow.

Thanks,