Low lying placenta at 36 weeks

[Hopeful83]

Hi, I have been told at a scan yesterday that I have a low-lying placenta still. It is 15mm away from the cervix. I am already booked for a C section at 39+0 for other reasons, and am due to see the consultant next Thursday, when I will be 37+1. I had a big PPH (2.3L) with my last labour and this is why I am under consultant care. I am now panicking as I have done some research online and scared myself as I read lots about having a big risk of having a huge haemorrhage and possible hysterectomy, and I was already worried about bleeding anyway after my last labour. I know I need to see what the consultant says but can anyone offer any reassurance? Thanks

[macd77]

Agh, in the same boat as you but also with suspected accreta as well. Having c section on Feb 7th at 36 weeks and completely terrified!! Hoping to get some reassurance from someone on here...

[Hopeful83]

Good luck with your section. What has your consultant said? Why do they suspect accreta as well? I read online about taking iron beforehand but I'm not yet as I haven't seen a Dr about it

[DesignedForLife]

I don't have any reassurance, I had undiagnosed placenta praevia and it wasn't a good experience as they tried to induce me for normal birth. However with a scheduled section you should be fine, it will be a routine procedure done calmly with everything in place should it be needed. A hysterectomy is very unlikely and not something that would be performed without serious need.

[LuchiMangsho]

It will be fine. I had a Grade 4 Placenta Previa and premature labour and I didn't bleed all that much compared to my CS for Grade 1 PP. A lot of those who haemorrhage often do so because of undiagnosed PP. Yours sounds like a Grade 1 PP and you should really be fine.

[LuchiMangsho]

Oh I had suspected accreta as well. And I had a chat with the surgeon and he said 'look we have to talk to you about hysterectomy risks etc but in 20 years of operating on women with complex placentas I have had to do 5 hysterectomies and 3 of those were cases were the accreta was undiagnosed.'

[123bananas]

It is highly unlikely that with grade 1 praevia that you will have a pph that requires a hysterectomy. It is good that you have read about possible scenarios, but try to stay positive, it is really rare (around 0.5% of all caesarian cases according to one study, 38% of those had accreta with most of those having had prior uterine surgery of some kind, 34% of those for uterine atony (uterus not contracting back, more common in women who have had multiple children)).

I had grade 4 placenta praevia with percreta (worst case accreta) into my bladder. This was because I had two previous c sections and the placenta grew through the thinner scar tissue. I had dc3 at 34 weeks, he was fine and didn't need scbu and breastfed fine. I did have a hysterectomy and a 7 litre blood loss, but I am still here with my children which is the important thing. No lasting bladder damage. I was in hdu but not itu and home after 6 days.

A lady in hospital with me had accreta and 2 previous c sections and did not have a hysterectomy. She had balloon occlusion and pelvic arterial embolization.

Another lady with grade 4 praevia and no accreta had a pph, but no hysterectomy/arterial embolization. She breastfed her 34 week old and was home 3 days later.

If you are at risk of a major pph then making sure your iron levels are up is crucial before delivery. Your consultant should make arrangements for a delivery at a level 3 facility with a whole team of people there to look after you.

[123bananas]

Study I quoted from.

[Yeasmin786]

I have a low laying placenta absolutely dreading my 36week scan don’t know what to expect or what they will suggest if my placenta is still laying low. Has anyone els had a low placenta at 36 weeks and what was the outcome of this ?

[teaandtoastwithmarmite]

I had this. Dd was delivered at 38 weeks via c section. They said I had quite a bit of blood loss but didn't need transfusion. Good luck, I'm sure you will be fine.

[Yeasmin786]

Thank you for your respond and sharing your experience, quite reassuring everything will be okay just can’t stop thinking what will happen, i did want a normal labour hoping placenta will go up, hoping for a miracle to happen so scared to have a c section 😓

[Yeasmin786]

did they give you a date for your c section to go ahead? Like was you prepared mentally and physically?

[LibrariesGiveUsPower]

I had a low laying placenta that “moved up” only it hadn’t and I ended up with a crash section, it wasn’t nice.

a scheduled section is nothing to be worried about, it’s a safe controlled way to deliver the baby. If I had the same situation again I’d insist on one.

[Cherryblossoms85]

I had a low placenta that had moved just enough at 36 weeks for a natural birth, and it was all fine at 41 weeks. The cord was extremely short and my baby had other issues but he's a very happy 6 year old. All the best, don't worry yourself, consultant will look after you.

[Yeasmin786]

Thank you for sharing I will definitely keep that in mind, feeling quite positive about it now, i have my internal scan tomorrow the doctors will let me know what to do, whatever is safe for baby will defiantly go ahead, currently 36 weeks now.

[handbagsandholidays]

I am on 27+2 and have Vasa Previa with possible accreta. I've already had one set of steroids as I had a big bleed a few weeks ago and now we are working towards a delivery at 34 weeks xx