Maz - in answer to your placenta question... It is difficult to predict the state of a placenta by u/s alone. The best predictor of placental health is growth. Dopplers can be done to show blood flow - another good predictor. PAPP-A being low is also a possible predictor of poor placental health. Movements that a strong, forceful and regular are one of the best and non tech methods too!
Whilst my situation is different - just for some awareness.... As you know I was hospitalised at 26+4 weeks with an autoimmune response. I was transpported to a tertiary hospital. I was u/s frequently. Imogen's movements during her last 3 days inutero were undetectable to the point that I really thought she was dead. I had convinced myself she was gone. No movements in more than 24 hours.
Anyway - dopplers had been fine and the placenta looked fine. When she was born she was significantly smaller than u/s predicted and the placenta literally fell into threads. The surgeon showed me - knowing I was a nurse... No u/s had detected the dreadful state of my placenta. Immy was on borrowed time.
Placentas can show up some calcification and still be fine - placnta s are a large organ and adept at sustaining life. U/s though is a poor predictor of placental health (though of course helpful) - from the words of the top dog in Fetal Med at RBWH
I wouldn't lie about my EDD. I have considered lying about my LMP though, but didn't in the end. I have had to chart to fall pg everytime because my cycles are so irregular and as this is my third baby, I know the drill and the stunned looks I get from medical professionals that my LMP could be that far out from my dating scan. In some ways, I think it would be easier to lie about my LMP and avoid the fuss, lecture and concern on behalf of the medical profession that should know that LMPs are not ALWAYS 28 days precisely, especially when the woman is breastfeeding. Argh! Anyway, vent over . . .
As for lying about EDD, if your baby is small for dates and you lie and say that your EDD is a week later, it will take them a lot longer to pick up that baby is not growing the way s/he should - not worth the risk in my opinion. Probably better to plough through having to explain yourself and your situation over and over again with the truth than having to fight your way out of a lie when the time comes.
I haven't lied to my doctor or the hospital about my dates but I have insisted that they use my own EDD instead of my LMP date. I have long cycles and I don't O until day 21, which makes my EDD and the date going by my LMP a week apart.
My doctor insisted on using my LMP date but my first dating scan showed an edd of 16 July (which is my date). However my 12wk scan gave me a edd of 10 July (my lmp date) and then the 20wk scan suggested that my edd was 16 July.
I took all these states to my midwife and she agreed that my EDD would be closer to the 16th of July. She has been monitoring my fundal height and I always seem to be right for dates going by my edd.
I really want to avoid induction so I felt it necessary to insist on using the later EDD
At my first appointment the MW put be a few days further back, (based on one cycle that went a couple fo days longer than normal. But when I had the dating scan, it went back to the date based on my LMP.
Having had a prem first time round and having a 50% chance it will happen again there would be no way I would consider lying about dates. Due to fast pregressing labour (7-8cm by the time I got to hosy), it was too late for steroids for bubs to develop her lungs prior to delivery. If it happens again and we can get there quick enough to stop labour progressing I would be much happier for bubs to have received the steroids than not IYKWIM.
It may also change the course of care for bubs when delivered.
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