Velamentous cord insertion and placenta praevia
Does anyone have any information or stories they can share about velamentous cord insertion and/or vasa praevia (low lying placenta)?
I had my 20 week scan two weeks ago and was told by the sonographer that the umbilical cord was attached to the membrane of the placenta rather than squarely in the placenta - in med jargon, a velamentous cord insertion. The OB on duty and the sonographer both assured me that there was no risk to the baby, but that there may be an impact on the labour in terms of bleeding, yada yada yada...essentially told me not to worry too much. So I didn't.
Two weeks later had a follow-up appointment with the doc at the Mercy Family Birth Centre and asked about the cord insertion and what that meant.
Doc told me - very cavalierly I might add - that I had a low lying placenta ('placenta praevia or 'vasa praevia) that was blocking the entrance to my cervix. He told me they would know more by a 32 week scan, but that if the placenta didn't move I would have to be transferred out of the family birth centre and into the main maternity ward for a c-sec.
** note subject for another post - I thought it was obvious that I was in the birth centre because I have strong beliefs about natural birthing etc, so I was a little irritated that the doc was so casual in his mention of the c-sec **
Anyway, did a bit of online research regarding velamentous cord insertion and vasa praevia and was very disheartened and somewhat alarmed to learn that the combination of these two factors puts the baby at a high risk around the time of the due date.
Does anyone know the likelihood of the placenta moving up higher?
Is it worth having a scan earlier than 32 weeks to see if the placenta has moved?
Does anyone have reliable info/stats on these two conditions?
I plan to contact the birth centre for more information, but am also hoping that someone within this trusted network can point me in the right direction (or at least alleviate my fears).
Thanks in advance!
Velamentous cord inserton
Dear Serendipity
My little miracle, Savannah, was born four weeks and two days early on 11 December 2007. I call her my little miracle because she was IVF - not because of the velamentous cord insertion.
I was totally oblivious to the condition until after she was born.
My membranes broke at home, I rang the hospital and they asked if the fluid was clear - I didn't actually check the colour intially - I just knew there was a lot of it! Off we went to hospital and she was induced. After she was born and sent off to NICU as a precaution, because she was early, the midwife told me I had a quite unusual placenta and she was keeping it to show her students. I wasn't going to look at the placenta because I had seen one before but when she told me it was unusual I asked her to show me.
She told me that it was a velamentous placenta and that they don't see them very often. She told me that if my membranes had broken across the vessels that are between the placenta and the cord, especially if it happened at home, it could have been a disaster for the baby, because of massive bleeding.
Obviously all turned out okay for us but there is one thing I would do differently if I knew about it before her birth - I would have checked the colour of the fluid as soon as my membranes broke.
I was also told that it is unlikely to happen with subsequent pregnancies.
Good luck with the forthcoming birth of your bub.
Take it easy with vasa preavia!
Hi Juniper,
it sounds like a very solid and sensible plan!
I know the OBs mean well when they advise not to look things up online...but when we're given only a small amount if information, IRS natural to want to know more! Unfortunately, as the previous poster said, so much info online is horror stories from other countries.
I had my daughter safely delivered at 36 weeks by c-sec. I went through the puclic system and the OB I was assigned was completely unhelpful. I insisted on seeing a different doctor, and she advised an internal ultrasound so that we knew exactly what we were dealing with. I was 35.5 weeks - after the ultrasound that confirmed vasa preavia, she sent me home to get my hospital bag and I was back that afternoon to be admitted for 2 days before the c-sec. They used the two data to give me 2 steroid injections that would help strengthen my baby's lungs, because she was coming out a month early.
They also wanted to make sure I took it completely easy JUST IN CASE! They took absolutely no chance that I would start labour just any where.
So two boring nights in hospital and a c-sec later, gorgeous healthy little girl and safe healthy mum :-)
obviously, in a perfect world, you'd be able to labour your way and give birth your way. But the whole experience really made me realise the importance if a trusting relationship with your Ob and not being afraid to ask for more info.
All the best with the last weeks of your pregnancy and your baby's birth!