Low Laying Placenta

[hj1981]

So i had my 20wk scan today and the 1st lady doing the scan said i had a low laying placenta and will most likely need that checked again at 32wks, but it is possible it could move.
The doctor than came in to check it and a few other things and she said it wasnt to be of any concern, and on my report it says NAD (placenta wise).

I actually have been dreaming this lately, so i kinda expected to hear this believe it or not, and im so worried that i may turn into placenta previa or prevent me from having a vaginal birth. I really need to have a vaginal birth with Spud as this is my last pregnancy and i feel like i failed last time round by having drugs!

So in your experience should i be worried? what are ur stories on having a low laying placenta?

[Laranna]

I had one with DS. I ended up having to have a c/s as it was too close to my cervix. But that wasn't decided until after my 32 week scan when it hadn't budged.

So, try not to worry just yet as it's really too early to say and about 95% of the time they move far enough away for a vaginal birth.

[Patooties]

I had a low laying placenta with my first, and my sister had one with her pregnancy. For both of us the placenta moved and we had vaginal births.
Hopefully it will move into place and you will have the birth you desire.

[Kitt3n]

I have one too HJ. Not worrying about it for now, still planning a HB.

[AndiE]

I had a low lying placenta until approx 38 weeks with DS2 - somewhere between 36 and 38 weeks it moved from being 2.5cm from the centre of my cervix (the "os") to minimum 4cm from my cervix. The sonographer was surprised but said it was entirely possible for it to happen. Generally as your bub grows "upward", it helps move the placenta up from the cervix.

My advice FWIW - don't worry about it until at least 32 weeks, and even then, if your placenta is still low lying, insist on having a further u/s (or two) closer to your EDD to be absolutely certain of its position.

A low lying placenta doesn't automatically mean a C-section. My great Ob was happy to let me have a natural birth even when the placenta was 2.5cm. However, her colleague would've greeted me at the birthing suite door with a scalpal. They're all different. I did several weeks of acupuncture (inc moxa) which probably helped me get the result I was hoping for.

[westy]

Sorry i cant offer you any advice HJ but i just wanted to wish you all the very best and i really hope your able to birth the way you want.

Goodluck, stay strong

[hj1981]

Thanks heaps everyone!
Its good to hear some positive stories and outcomes! certainly has put my mind at rest a little!

AndiE - ur right i should stop worrying about it until im further along - and that was some good advice about having it checked more often closer to EDD - so thankyou for that!

Westy - thankyou - hope u and ur new little man are doing well

Kitt3n - good on ya my dear - you go for that HB!!!!!!!!!

[belfie]

hj1981 - i'm in exactly the same boat, was also told that mine is low and am scheduled for a scan at 32 weeks (not too long to go!). I've also read that about 95% of low placentas move up as well. My sister had the same thing and hers moved up and she birthed just fine. I was told mine was 1.5cm from the cervix. My obs looked at it at 26 weeks and said it was still low. I've also heard of others having theirs move between 32 and 37 weeks, so even if it's still low at 32 weeks it can still move

GL, I hope it moves for you too.

[mummy of 3 boys]

i had a low lying placenta at 21wk scan with my DS, it had also moved up by the time my 32wk scan to check on my placenta, i did also have a vaginal birth, u havent mentioned if u where warned that when ur placenta moves up u could experience some bleeding, well i was informed of this with mine but i didnt experience any bleeding at all!

I too wouldnt worry to much about it, i stressed about it alot because i desperately wanted a vaginal birth, but eventually i got over it as i had read majority of women who have low lying placentas most of them moved before 32wks!

[*LittleMissSummer*]

I too was told at my 20 week scan that i had a low laying placenta. The midwife actually made me feel really terrible about it. I had an u/s at 34 weeks and it has moved all the way up.

And its actually really common for it to be low at 20 weeks (i remember being told this when i posted this exact post after my 20 week scan)

[sassy123]

i had it with both my preg. With DD i was told it was low at 18weeks and had a scan at 30 weeks and it had moved and i had a VB with her. This preg i was told it was low at 19 weeks it was 1.4cm away from the cervix and i was told it had to be atleast 3cm for them to give the ok. they r not givin me another scan till 34 weeks this time and i was told there may be slight bleeding as it stretched up and that it is more likly that it will move. i read heaps about it as well and read that it can be completly covering the cervix and still move so that gave me alot of hope. dont stres until u have ur last ultrasound. With DD they didnt tell me that it was likly to move just that they would check it again later but that low means csect so i was freakin out the whole tiem then when i had my last ultrasound the ultrasound lady said oh this is a common thing you should of been told it would move.

[Jennifer13]

I had a low lying placenta with DD. I had a repeat u/s at 32 wks - still no movement. I had another u/s at 37 wks and it had only moved about a mm. So I did have a c/s. Mine was within 2 cm, can't remember the exact figure. However, my ob did say I was the first patient he'd had with it not over the cervix where it hadn't moved in his eight years of private practice. I had a very small baby and a little belly, so it may just have been me - not enough 'growth' for movement.

GL! I'm sure you won't have my problem. And you can ask for u/s right up until the end if you want more opportunity to confirm.

[hj1981]

wow more inspiring news! thank you heaps everyone - you have no idea how much this has helped me to relax a little!
However i wasn't told anything about possible bleeding! hopefully i don't experience any of that!
Also i wasn't told how far mine was either??????

[Jennifer13]

It might be written on your report? I would think it should be if it's been recommended you have a follow up u/s at 32 weeks.

[hj1981]

Jennifer - thats just the problem - the report says NAD - so why would they even mention it and recommend another check if it says NAD?
i just watched the video and on the video it says 2.1cm! so maybe 2.1 to them isn't something to really worry about but they thought they should mention it to play it safe???

[Taurean]

I was told the same thing at our 20wk scan and by the 32 week scan, it had lifted by more than enough. I can't for the life of me remember how much it had lifted but I think it was about 5cm. It's common for this to happen so I wouldn't be too worried. Good luck!

[Jennifer13]

Jennifer - thats just the problem - the report says NAD - so why would they even mention it and recommend another check if it says NAD?
i just watched the video and on the video it says 2.1cm! so maybe 2.1 to them isn't something to really worry about but they thought they should mention it to play it safe???

2.1 cm is almost at the level they probably wouldn't worry about at this stage, from my incomplete memory! Mine was closer than that and I was advised I might experience some bleeding (same at the 12 week u/s) - which I never did.

I'd be fairly confident that at 32 weeks you wouldn't have anything to worry about. They probably only mentioned it because they recommended you just double check with an u/s at 32 weeks.