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Hi, Im 25 weeks pregnant with my third baby, during my 19 week ultrasound they discovered "lakes" in my placenta. I had problems with with my other 2 having had PPH with both, the second one I ended up in surgery with 4 blood transfusions. (Retained Placenta). I was wondering if anyone else has had this condition and what was the outcome?
Anita
Mum of 2
I haven't had it, but a friend of mine was thought to have it.
Basically it means the placenta grows right into the wall of the uterus and so it can be very difficult for it to come out, or be removed safely. For my friend it meant having lots of scans through her pregnancy and the plan was to have a c section, and they try and remove the placenta, in the worst case scenario if it is impossible to remove and the mother is losing lots of blood they would have to have a hysterectomy to save their life. My friend was very worried about this possibility.
I think at times it can be hard to get a good idea exactly what is going on with the scans, and it can change over time. Anyway, she had lots and lots of scans and I think an MRI. Near the end of the pregnancy it was found that it wasn't grown through the wall of the uterus afterall and she was able to have a normal birth! It doesn't affect the baby usually.
Have they talked to you about any of the possibilities? Are you having more scans?
There was a concern about this with my 3rd baby also. I actually posted the same sort of thread. I'll have to go find it and send the link to you.
My thread started last year
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...wledge-148826/
Another thread
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...accreta-30272/
Back again. I didn't have much time to reply before. There was a concern I had a placental accreta with my 3rd baby. This was because of the appearance of the placenta at my 19week scan (multiple large lakes and very vessely) combined with my higher risk due to previous retained placenta with haemorrage and uterine surgery from this and removing adhesions in 2009 which were thought to be one of my causes of infertility. There was also concern with my 1st that the retained placenta was a mild accreta as it was very hard to remove under general and I bled further after it was eventually out.
Anyway what I did learn was it is extremely rare to be diagnosed before the birth. Almost all placenta accretas are not picked up until after birth when the placenta fails to be expelled. Of all the midwives I worked with a few had experience working with women who had one all in major hospitals in Sydney (the royal womens were one). The 2 midwives who had experience both said they commonly leave the placenta in the uterine wall (after removing the bulk of it) and usually the roots are eventually passed or reabsorbed so the uterus can be saved for future pregnancy if desired.
My ob said my greatest risk factor was 2 previous uterine surgeries. I ended up delivering vaginally just shy of 38weeks and my placenta came out within 10mins (active 3rd stage) They said it was a massive placenta but it was my most normal looking placenta so far (my 1st came out shreaded as it was a manual removal and my 2nd had 3 extra parts to it) I bled heavily for 2days but did not require any special treatment for that.
I had a friend in hospital with me last year that had very bad placenta accreta and as that was her last bub she had a c-section at 37 weeks (only made it that far on bed rest) and requested they take her uterus out at the same time as the placenta had grown right through her uterus and onto her bladder.
I hope its an easier run for u than what she had as it was no fun for the poor lady with 6 kids at home and being stuck in hospital an hour away from home
Thanks to you both for the info you have given me. I had a retained placenta for my first, I was induced at 39 weeks due to at the time thru ultrasound they said I had a large hemetoma on the placenta. I lost about 800ml that time and took 3 mths to recover due to low iron. For my 2nd, they looked at placenta accreta due to lakes etc at ultrasound and monitered me for babies growth, unfortunately the MRI that was meant to have been booked was not due to my doctor going on holidays and the replacement one (public) got mad at me because I refused to be induced at 37weeks. So he did not book it, my midwife stood by me though and knew the details. I went into labour naturally at 39wks3days, birth went great, 6 hrs only shower for relief, just what I wanted. Unfortunately I started hemorraging straight away, when they tried to get the placenta out the cord broke off and well rushed to theatre, lost 2 litres of blood. 4 transfusions later all was ok though.
Now with this one, lakes discovered at 19 week scan, MRI booked for 34weeks. I have been given some info (mainly my midwife) the doctor is good but admits she has not seen many cases as it is rare. Suppose I will just have to wait and see. If I need a hysterectomy, Im ok with that, just wish there was more info available
I do not know alot about accretas however I do work in the theatre of a maternity hospital and I have been a part of planned c/s for women who have the accretas. I believe there are different levels of them and I have only seen the more extreme come through our theatre. How it all goes will depend on where the placenta is attached and how deeply it is attached etc. I have seen women who have managed to get through it with a definate bleed during the c/s or birth and who have been fine after blood transfusion etc. BUT I have also seen women who have had no option other than hysterectomy due to the depth of the placental attachment.
I would be asking many questions of your OBGYN and getting as much information as possible so you can be as informed as possible when it comes crunch time. If it has been confirmed that you do indeed have an accreta I would also probably be making sure that my OBGYN has experience with it and if not, then i would try my best to find onw that has! just my opinion though....