retained placenta-any stories welcome

My first labor was over-shadowed by having a manual removal of my retained placenta with only being offered gas for pain relief. I was then pg with #2 and so scared it would happen again but all went well with a perfect(if I can say that) removal of my placenta. Now I am pg with #3 and my 20 weeks scan showed a merging of the margins of the placenta wall and the uterus indicating that I could have a stuck placenta or even worse the placenta growing into the uterus. This would mean I may lose everything if I heamerage or they can't get it out.

Just want to recieve some encouragement or read some stories however they have turned out, from those of you that have had problems delivering the placenta.

Thanks

Hi Rose, I really hope we don't worry you with our experiences, because it is not a pleasant thing to have happen.

After delivering my third baby by way of syntocinin induction, I was having the usual cuddles and first feed etc and then my Doc said the placenta wasn't budging. So both he and the midwife had a go at pulling the cord to get it out, I also had to push as well. After about 40 minutes of trying to pull it out (and me losing alot of blood) My doc decided to send me to theatre under a general to have it manually removed. By the time they got theatre set up I was nearly passing out and was very incoherrent. Luckily they got it all out and there was no scarring of the uterus, so next time I shouldn't have it happen again.

The whole experience left me very drained and anaemic. My blood test showed levels of 5. Paige was born on Sunday and by Friday I had a two unit blood transfusion as my body was struggling to produce milk for Paige and blood for me. For the next month I had to take iron tablets three times a day. Later on my Doctor told me how serious the situation was. I have since learned from the lovely ladies here at BB that syntocinin inductions can sometimes cause retained placentas. But I will have no way of knowing if this is what happened to me. So next time (yes, there will be a next time), I will not have an induction unless there is serious risk to the baby or myself.

HTH and Good luck

Hi Rose,
I've had trouble with my placentas too.
First pregnancy: Retained placenta obst came in whilst midwifes tried to massage my tummy. Not budging so rushed to theatre for D&C. 4 months later on internal ultrasound they found a large amount still lodged in me and another D&C was done.
2 Pregnancy: Delievered and midwife again massaged my tummy for ages and had a few tugs at the cord to remove. Obst came in and told me to put my foor on his chest and he snapped my cord. To make things worse he went about trying to remove it manually. After loosing too much blood I was rushed to theatre where it took 45 minutes to remove, usually only takes 10 - 20 minutes.
3 Pregnancy: After discussion with different obst I decided on a c-sect. A few other medical issues were present and the chances of having to go theatre again was enough to tip me over.
I'm sure they never gave me any drugs to deliever bit of a blur, I had canulas in already for both births as they were prom babies, maybe they did'nt want to heighten the hormone levels for me.
Bec

Thankyou ladies for your stories. Don't worry about scaring me as I feel there is no need to worry until baby is delivered. They will not know the full extent of what the placenta is doing until I try to deliver it.

Shannon, some great ideas there to being prepared.

Shall know more after u/s this arvo. I think also already having it with one pg I am alot more calm about it. So fire away with more stories, it is encouraging to know there are others out there with similar experiences.

Ok ladies,

So I am nearing the end and am getting a little nervous about what to put in my birthplan regarding this issue. Does anyone have any ideas? Is it better for me to go epidural if there are complications or should I ask to go straight to theater?

Thanks

Gee, it is really hard to know what to do, because you wont know until it happens if it will happen IYKWIM? You said previously you had to have another u/s to check on it, so what did it find?

If it looks a bit dodgy, I think what Shannon suggested might be the best option, but make sure the hospital is totally informed of your decision. Otherwise, I'd see how it goes and try to have a physiological third stage, because you don't want to have to go through that if you don't have to, but maybe ask if you can have a canula put in JIC you need it.

Good luck Rose.

I did see an obgyn @ 27weeks and he has noted I have to have bloods on stand by and iv access. The second U/S showed no worsening of the blured margins. She said it may have even looked a little better. She noted I need to have actively managed delivery of third stage. I am not worring myself because as you said I wont know until I am at that stage. I just need to be prepared.

Thats good news that it doesn't look any worse. I was told it would be rare to have it happen again, but Shannon is proof that it can happen more than once. At least they have mades notes on it and when the time comes, everything is already in place IYKWIM.

Good luck with you preparation Rose.

I was told that if it has happened once then it is more likely to happen again. Esp if the placenta places itself in the same place. It's to do with the scaring. All three of my placenta's have been at the front and they think this time it is on the old scaring. They also say operations done to the uterus, even lap. can be contributing factor. Any thanks ladies, still not sure what to put in my b/plan.

That's interesting about the lap scarring Rose. I had a Lap done about 8 years ago, but didn't get the retained placenta until my third pg. Luckily there is no scarring so next time I should be ok. Maybe my old lap scar could have had something to do with it :-k