Minor Placenta Previa

[Sappholit]

I've just been told I have placenta previa, where some of the placenta is in the lower part of the uterus, and it finishes 2cms from the cervix.

I am 37 weeks pregnant and booked for a c section in at 39 weeks.

The trouble is, the doctor yesterday took one look at my notes and told me the condition was life threatening and I needed to be admitted to hospital in case I haemorraged, as I could lose all my blood and die in ten minutes.

She then checked with the obstetrician about when I ought to be admitted, and the ob said it wasn't necessary as I haven't had any bleeding in my pregnancy.

Then she sent me home, very confused.

I did my own research into this and found that mine is minor pp - grade 2. I think - though I am not sure - that the doctor was confusing it with major pp, which does carry high risks of haemorrage.

Does anyone know anythin more about this? I have telephoned the hospital and asked the ob to contact me, but have no idea when this will be.

[westlondongirl]

I am in exactly the same position although being rescanned in a week at 38 weeks before they will schedule a section. Must admit your post has scared the hell out of me as i'm sure being told that did to you. Will be watching this thread with interest. I was told that if I had any bleeding or had any sign of labour to come straight in as there was a risk of haemorrage but they never talked about admitting me. What kind of Doctor did you see ie Junior or experienced? The junior doctors have had a tendancy to be very dramatic with me leaving me to need reassurance from my consultant. It is very confusing when you get conflicting advice and they don't appreciate how much stress that puts you under. I really do sympathise as I have been so worried since they mentioned haemorage on Monday ,especially as my DP is away. Keep phoning the hospital and if that doesn't work maybe go back down and demand to see someone.

I must admit I was left very confused as to why I wasn't scheduled for a CS as she said it's very unlikley that the situation will change. Just hoping baby behaves and stays in till I can get a proper answer.

[MumNWLondon]

I don't know about this condition but I think you should insist on an appointment with the consultant to discuss. Call the consultant several times a day and insist on seeing them in person next week not via someone more junior.

As your placenta doesn't actually cover the cervix it may be that the risk is less but because of the way you were spoken to by the dr worth pursuing consultant appointment ASAP.

[kitcat1977]

Wow, what a thing to say to someone who's already got the anxiety of childbirth to deal with! Must say it's scared the crap out of me too - I'm due for a plac loc scan next week (36 weeks). More worryingly, my blood group is B+. Eek!

[Gargula]

Hi,
Another one here with placenta previa - being re-scanned at 36 weeks for location.
BUT that's not really why I'm posting.
Kitcat - why is it worrying that you're B+ I'm B+ and have not heard anything about any issues with this.

[MumNWLondon]

www.blood.co.uk/StockGraph/stocklevelstandard.aspx

[Sappholit]

Hi,

Thanks so much for your replies, and I'm really sorry I've scared people.

I had a phone call from the obstetrician today. She said that:-

• In 30 years of doing her job, she has never, ever seen anyone die from pp, even the most severe kind.

• As there has been no bleeding in my pregnancy, the chances of my bleeding now are remote.

• If you do haemorrage, they don't let you bleed to death! They do things about it.

• There is a chance that I will bleed heavily after the section, but this doesn't mean it's a haemorrage, and is unlikely to result in a blood transfusion.

• The chances are that everything will be ok.

• It was a junior doctor I spoke to.

I hope this helps put other people's minds at rest, too. Generally, if you haven't been bleeding since the second trimester, you are unlikely to run into major complications. And if you do run into major complications, while it won't be nice, they will be able to sort them out.

[kitcat1977]

It's just that B+ is fairly uncommon, though looking at MumNW's link, not the most uncommon. Really intersting info there btw - I'll definitely be giving blood once I'm able to. Never have before.

[kitstwins]

I had placenta praevia during my twin pregnancy. Diagnosed at 23 weeks after a bleed and I had several episodes of bleeding from then onwards, several of which triggered labour, which they thankfully blocked. All of this involved hospital stays and eventual bedrest in hospital from 30 weeks until my scheduled caesarean delivery at 36 weeks (I never made it that far and had an emergency section after a big bleed at 35 weeks).

I had 'minor' placenta praevia. It had been partially over my cervix but had moved to just beside it (still within the 2cm zone). It was also unstable as it had, they thought, partially peeled which can be common. Because I had bleeding and those bleeds increased in frequency, duration and volume/severity during the course of my pregnancy (hence why delivery was pencilled in early at 36 weeks - they were trying to strike the balance between keeping the babies in me for as long as possible and swerving a massive bleed) I was warned that I was a candidate for the 'catastrophic bleed' as I was following the profile of bleeding that can result in this. I was told by consultant that this was very, very rare but that it was a case of 'ten minutes you lose all your blood'. This was why I had to stay in hospital on bedrest as, technically, they would be able to get me to theatre within three minutes had I had the big bleed. As I say, it's very rare though and you seem to follow a bleeding 'profile' - lots of what they call 'herald' bleeds increasing in volume and frequency. Occasionally I suppose with this level of instability and bleeding you get a bleed that just doesn't stop.

If your consultant thought there was any risk of a big bleed then it's highly unlikely that they would have let you go home. The fact that you haven't bled to date means that you're very unlikely to, hence the fact that they're happy for you to go home and carry on as normal. The junior doctor who scared you witless was giving an extreme case that wasn't applicable to your situation, which was a bit irresponsible.

The majority of people with praevia get through their pregnancy without experiencing any bleeds and the fact that you've got this far without an episode of bleeding or frequent bleeding implies that you are one of the lucky ones.

Hope this helps.

[Sappholit]

Thank you, kitstwins. That's really helpful.