I will tell you my story too, not to scare you but it may just be handy to know. I was told at my 20 scan that mine was low but not covering the cervix. Ob said he would check at 32 weeks and I should still be able to vaginal birth. All was going ok until I had a haemorrhage at 30 weeks. I went into hospital that night and stayed in for observation, bleeding stopped and I was told to finish work and stay home on bed rest. A week later I had another bleed, not as much as the first and it was mainoy old brown looking blood. Another week went by and I can remember clear as day going to the loo late on the Sunday night and seeing the brightest rest blood I have ever seen. I immediately went to the bed to lay down flat which my Ob had instructed me to do. I put a pad on and called the hospital. The blood wasn't gushing so I was ok to get in the car and DH drove me 40mins to the hospital. I arrived and they immediately inserted a canula into my hand and gave me a steroid injection for baby's lungs. Ob arrived about 30 mins later and at first thought it was a caesar then and there but after an internal examination and thhe blood flow stopping he decided birth was not neccessary but I had to stay in hospital. During all 3 bleeds bub was monitored and was doing fine and his movements were as usual too. I managed to bake him for a further 2 weeks in hospital before I had a c/s at 34 weeks and 4 days. He arrived safely, was in a humidicrib for 2 days, BF well from day 1, went home with me on day 6 and is a healthy happy little man. So even when things get really scary it can still work out ok. Don't worry but just be aware and look Fter yourself. Take it easy, trust your body and how you feel. You will probably be fine, the sonographer who did my 20 week scan said in most cases the placenta will rise, I seem to just have alot of bad luck with pregnancy and my situation was not so common. Good luck, such a good feeling whe you get to that half way point.
So true, AJC, in most cases the placenta moves up and everything is fine. You and me were definitely in the minority/rare basket. I'm not that good at pregnancies myself. So glad that your bub and mine turned out fine.
Don't worry Lisa, you will be in the best of hands whatever the outcome as long as you keep having regular checkups and put yourself first, and definitely speak up and make your concerns heard. Hugs to you and anyone else reading this in the same situation. You're halfway there now and that is awesome, hun!
Mine was covering the cervix at the 20wk scan, so low grade placenta praevia, and anterior placenta. Scan at 33 weeks showed that it had moved up, and it's now 6cm clear, which is awesome. There's not a lot you can do about it, but one midwife did recommend that I visualise it moving up, so I did.
I read a stat somewhere that 19 in 20 move. Good luck
My sisters was very close, maybe 1.8 cm or something at about 37 weeks so she was booked in for C section at 38 weeks, but they did a last minute scan just to be sure and it had moved just that little bit! So she birthed her girl naturally a couple of weeks later. She was actually a bit disappointed as she had quite a long and distressing labour with her DS#1 and was hoping for an easier time of it with her next one
Mine was touching the cervix at 20 week scan - had my 32 week scan last week and it's not 4.5cm away from the cervix They do move, my midwife told me that if it was >2cm and less than 3 then there could be more bleeding during birth and the bub would need monitoring - so I'm really happy it's moved from touching the cervix to 4.5cm
Good luck - I'm sure you'll be fine, and it's good that you're prepared in case it doesn't move as far as "they" would like
I'm glad to hear that for many of you the placenta moved up. I really hope mine moves as well.
Allan - thanks for popping in and offering your professional opinion.
AJC - I'm glad it turned out alright for you and bubs in the end.
Littlescottishboy - I'm glad it turned out alright for you as well. I agree, a c-section is still giving birth. I wouldn't have thought it as anything other. Do all anterior c-sections have to be under a general?
Not sure if all anterior placenta praevia cases have to be under general. Mine was just completely covering the cervix, like a cup, but also completely in the front where the incision was going to be. Right at 'x-marks-the-spot' - just my luck! I remember the obstetrician/dr advising me that it was going to be more difficult and that they didn't want to place me under any more emotional strain should something go wrong, so they advised that it be a general ... so of course i agreed. I'd had enough trauma already with all the haemmorhaging, and just wanted my baby out and in the world with me, so i could put it all behind me. I remember getting foggy and falling into a deep sleep, then next thing i knew, i woke up with a nurse holding my hand, congratulating me on having a little boy. My hubby was off with the baby as he got all it's apgars and everything done. I won't lie, part of me was sad that i missed the entire birth, but afterwards, being told i now had a little boy was the best feeling in the whole universe! (Bub no. 2 was a local anaesthetic, so that was fabulous being awake for that one, with the docs murmuring quietly to each other, then yelling out happily "and what do we have here? A little ... girl!" I bawled and bawled like a baby myself!!!
Don't worry hun, however your bub enters the world, no one can tell further down the track looking at him/her how they arrived, nor should anyone judge you for what may be medically the only safe way to give birth. (if anyone does ever judge you, I'd love to see them put in the same position and have no choice as well). Before you know it, the birth will be a memory, and what remains is your gorgeous, beautiful bundle of joy.
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