Those who have had low lying placentas

[BellyBelly]

I'm wondering if you could share some information for an article:

* When low lying placenta was picked up (weeks preg) and if you know the measurement from your cervix
* Results from your next/final scan (had it moved, measurement?)
* What advice you were given
* The outcome of your birth/what happened

I want to update an article: Low Lying Placentas

Thanks heaps

[KittyK]

20 weeks placenta was adjacent to cervix. Told not to worry as 99% of cases sort themselves out.

28 weeks had bleeding. Scan at hospital, placenta partially covering cervix. Not sure how much though. Given two steroid shots. Sent home after a week in hospital on bed rest. Was told no sex, no being more than 30 mins from hospital in case of hemmoraging, no picking up anything heavier than what I could pick up in one hand, no walking long distances and no going anywhere by myself just in case.

32 weeks bleeding again. Scan at hospital but wasn't told whether it was worse than 28 week scan. Given another steroid shot. Was supposed to have another scan 36 weeks to check where placenta was and make decision on birth plan. Send home after about 4-5 days in hospital again on bed rest.

Was still bleeding slightly over the weekend so went back to hospital on the Monday at 33+6 weeks. Had a vaginal examination and was kept in hospital for monitoring.

34 weeks on the Tuesday had a large bleed with a clot about the size of a peach. Hospital decided on emergency c-section. Ds was born 34 weeks via emergency c-sect, 08 feb 2011.

Sorry I can't remember more exact details although they will prob be in the march 2011 belly buddies old thread as I would have updated what was happening to me in there with a lot more detail.

I'm preg now with number 2 and was given...ah hard to remember, I think my ob said 50/50 chance of getting placenta previa again, and the more pregnancies I have the higher the ratio would be towards having Pp again. Luckily though, I don't have pp this time. I also had gestational diabetes with ds but not this time either.

[Pholi]

20 week scan it was picked up. 2cm from cervix, so I was told it was borderline, that there was a 95% chance it would have 'moved away' by the time of my baby's birth (except they explained that the placenta doesn't move, but as the uterus grows the edge of the placenta becomes less close to the cervix) and that I should still be hoping for a vaginal delivery from that point of view. Was booked for a re-scan at 34 weeks.

At 34 weeks it was confirmed to be well out of the way of the cervix, but I was not given a measurement, just assured that it was completely fine. The obs reiterated that the position was no obstacle to my goal of a vaginal birth.

I birthed my baby vaginally, with vacuum assistance, at 40+5. No complications to do with placental position.

[Taurean]

20 week scan it was picked up. Another scan was booked for 32 weeks.

At 32 weeks the placenta had moved a lot - around 7cm for memory. It continued to move.

I went into spontaneous labour at 38+5, waters broke around 7.30am at home. DD1 was born at 3.10pm. It was a tough painful posterior labour and the vacuum was needed to help her out after over an hour of pushing. She was 6lb 8oz. The placenta was tiny and appeared to be deteriorating when I delivered. Unsure if that was related though.

I had no issues at all with DD2.

[TaRhLi.]

With DD it was never picked up. I had already convinced my ob that I wanted an elective c/s due to another medical issue. Good thing I did as DD was born at 38 + 2 with undiagnosed placenta previa (it's even noted on my hospital discharge papers). Would hate to imagine what would have happened if I went into labour.

[LionsandBears]

I found out at the 20 week scan that the placenta is low lying. At 24 weeks, it measured 8mm from the internal os.

my understanding is it need to be at least 3cm from the os with a posterior placenta. I have another scan at 34 weeks to check position, and other things.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Low-lying placenta partially covering cervix picked up at 18w scan. I was told it would probably move and not to worry.

No-one said anything at the 20w scan, so I figured it had moved by then. No-one said anything at the 30w scan either.

Outcome was that the position of the placenta did not affect birthing.

[Jennifer13]

* When low lying placenta was picked up (weeks preg) and if you know the measurement from your cervix

Picked up at both 12 and 18 wk scans. Was never over cervix, just close. Had no bleeding and didn't need to take any precautions. Scan at 37 wks showed still low, but not over. About 1.7cm from cervix. DD1 engaged about 3/5 too.


* Results from your next/final scan (had it moved, measurement?)

See above. Hadn't moved enough to satisfy ob, who wanted it 2cm away. Not sure how he came up with that figure.

* What advice you were given

Advised to have an elective c/s at 39 wks. Tried to research outcomes for labour with that proximity to cervix, with not much luck and my ob was a bit dismissive of my efforts to look into it further.

* The outcome of your birth/what happened

Had c/s at 39 wks.

BUT in hindsight and after much research, I think I should have sought a second opinion. With no bleeding and a baby that had engaged, I believe I would have been fine for a vaginal delivery. At the very least, even my ob acknowledged I would have been okay to go into labour and go from there. There would have only been the need to keep a close eye on how things progressed. And allowing labour to start naturally would have been beneficial for my tiny 2.5 kg baby too. She could have done with the extra week or so on the inside, plus the hormones that kickstart birth.

With no complications at all I think I was given overly cautious advice and a probable unnecessary caesarean. I have since found very similar cases online that did manage to have vaginal deliveries without undue complications (some extra blood loss seemed to be the extent). Mine was not a praevia and should not have been treated as such. Plus, that extra 3mm was not that unlikely if I'd stayed pg until 40 wks. I had a very small baby and uterus and I think this impacted the growth/movement.

[BellyBelly]

Wow this is awesome, thanks lovelies! Xx

[megs]

Low lying placenta in my 4th pregnancy.

Was picked up at 13 weeks due to bleeding, given bleeding I was told to reduce heavy lifting. Confirmed at 20 week scan, was 2cm from cervix. Was told should most likely move out of the way.

Had scan at 28 weeks, placenta was well out of way, I think 8cm delivered vaginally at 40 weeks, no complications.

[luna moth]

With my DD1, it was picked up at 20 weeks. Anterior placenta. Wholly covering internal os.

Scan at 34 weeks showed it had moved to 3.4cm. Win!

Birth: induced with Prostin due to hospital's (post-dates) anxiety. Normal vaginal. Large blood loss at birth, not PPH but pretty close. Physiological third stage was abandoned, syntometrine successful in stopping the bleeding. Bleeding post birth was much longer than with my DD2, and now that I think about it, this is possibly why.

[BellyBelly]

Hey luna, just a side comment - inductions can result in more bleeding after the birth. I've actually been with a client who lost her uterus because they couldn't stop the bleeding, all because the Ob frightened her into the idea that she was having a big baby - which only ended up being 7 or 8 pounds. If you have an induction you usually need more drugs to stop it too, because the induction keeps on pumping that uterus, and when the placenta detaches, thats where you run into trouble in some cases - even with more medication to stop it (like in my clients case).

Also another thing that my acupuncturist, Chris Tang, told me is that ironically it is those who have iron issues that bleed the most. Because you had such a big loss perhaps this is why. Did you have your iron levels checked afterwards?

[RhiChiChi]

* When low lying placenta was picked up (weeks preg) and if you know the measurement from your cervix

20 weeks pregnant from the NT scan. Was told that it would most probably move as most do and no special precautions to take.

* Results from your next/final scan (had it moved, measurement?)

34 weeks scan revealed it had moved away as OBS had originally thought

* What advice you were given

That most low lying placentas move. A scan at 34 weeks would determine next course of action. Depending on if placenta had moved and how much may determine whether or not I could still have a VBAC but no point in discussing this until the scan

* The outcome of your birth/what happened

Placenta moved, SRM at 39w + 5 days, failed VBAC attempt, emergency c-sect due to cord being curled around bubs head in birth canal & being compressed, causing lack of oxygen to bubs. Trace (monitoring) showed bubs 'not happy' for entire time I was in labour with OBS & midwife suggesting best course of action c-sect.

*I can't remember off the top of my head measurements but may be able to find them and update my response.

[BellyBelly]

Thanks everyone, have updated the article Really appreciate it. I will link this page to the article too so people can read more stories for themselves too. Loving all the detail, thank you! xx

Low Lying Placenta - What It Means To Have Low Lying Placenta

[luna moth]

Hey luna, just a side comment - inductions can result in more bleeding after the birth. I've actually been with a client who lost her uterus because they couldn't stop the bleeding, all because the Ob frightened her into the idea that she was having a big baby - which only ended up being 7 or 8 pounds. If you have an induction you usually need more drugs to stop it too, because the induction keeps on pumping that uterus, and when the placenta detaches, thats where you run into trouble in some cases - even with more medication to stop it (like in my clients case).

Also another thing that my acupuncturist, Chris Tang, told me is that ironically it is those who have iron issues that bleed the most. Because you had such a big loss perhaps this is why. Did you have your iron levels checked afterwards?

I didn't have any Synto. It was just the Prostin, which kicked things off, and after a brief battle, got to do it all on my own, no further interventions. Baby was born 23 hours after the Prostin, so in this instance, I don't think this is the case. My iron wasn't brilliant, would have been 121 at best at birth. With my second it wasn't much higher, at 127, though. So could be that. We'll never know!

[Jennifer13]

I think that low iron levels and more possible bleeding after birth is well known amongst midwives (or at least, those I know). My m/w wanted to know my levels at about 30-ish weeks for that exact reason. A PPH in a homebirth is probably one of the most likely complications, no matter how well the birth goes.

However, I have traditionally low-ish normal levels and it's never impacted bleeding. I suspect my levels are fine for me, since I am certainly not symptomatic for low iron.

I know someone who had an induction for post-dates starting with the gel alone - that overstimulated her uterus to such an extent both she and the baby were in immediate distress, baby was quickly taken out by emergency c/s and spent two days in NICU. I wonder at the readiness to push for inductions with little warning of the possible complications, when so many other things (like low lying placenta) have such a risk-adverse approach.