Low lying placenta at 20 wks. A bit scared!!

[cinderellabelle]

Just had my 20 week scan which was great little baby is fine but i do have a low lying placenta. The scan lady says she doesn't think it will move and it is completely covering my cervix! I have a rescan booked at 32 wks but stupidly just looked on the net and have seen words like blood transfusion, Grave danger serious bleeding and even hysterectomy!!!!

When i had DD1 my consultant said should i need a c-section i will have to have a general as i have back problems. As long as baby and me are ok i don't mind how it comes out but i can't help feeling a little scared.
Lady also said it's ok to have sex but on the net it says not to?

Anyone experienced this???

[imustbepatient]

Don't have much info I'm sorry but didn't want to read your post and not try to give you some comfort!

First, the general web is a very scary place with lots of horror stories! Best avoided as much as you can manage, as you will be able to find something worrying about any condition you have, esp during pregnancy. Much better to come somewhere like mums net where you get more sensible advise and perspectives. Plus always worth remembering people mostly describe their bad experiences on the net. Those who have a normal no problem births don't tend to post on the general web so you can get a really skewed view of things.

I am also having a 32 week scan for a low lying placenta. Mine isn't completely covering the cervix as yours is, but the way my sonographer explained it is that you imagine a semi inflated ballon (your uterus at 22 weeks) put a X on it then blow it up fully. There is a good chance the X will move! As I say though, mine isn't completely covering my cervix so don't know if that makes a difference.

But whatever your scan reveals I'm sure everything will be fine and you will get the exact medical care you need. I imagine the people who have the terrible experiences are those who don't know they have a low lying placenta before they go into labour.

Best of luck with everything.

[Chunkychicken]

I too have a low-lying placenta but not covering the 'exit' so to speak. I am led to believe 20% of placentas are deemed to be low-lying and 95% move up.

It can be a problem if undiagnosed, as you've Googled. However, that's why they give you the second scan. If the the cervix/OS is still covered, then you will need a C-section. However, if it has moved sufficiently, then it is likely that you can deliver vaginally - although you may elect to have a CS anyway as you've said.

If you experience any type of bleeding, you should contact the hospital/MW immediately and tell them you have a low placenta.

There is a good leaflet that deals with the facts of placenta praevia on the NCT website (can't link easily, as I'm on my phone) which you might find useful.

HTH.:)

[stressheaderic]

Just to give you a positive story, mine was low-lying at 20 weeks, covering the exit, and it did move up enough by the 32 week scan. I worried a lot about it during my pregnancy, but all was fine.

[MB34]

I also had a low lying placenta at my 20 week scan - totally covering the cervix. I'm only 26 weeks now so don't know if it's moved but have had my next scan for 36 weeks so, as my midwife said, it's probably nothing to worry about unless, of course, I bleed before then. I have also had sex (not that often I must admit) and have been fine.

My friend wasn't told she had a low lying placenta until her 36 week scan, when they'd told her it had moved

I also googled it and it scared me but have taken solace in the fact that 9/10 placentas move on their own to enable a vaginal birth! So the odds are in our favour!

Good luck and try not to stress too much

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

I had low lying placenta (almost totally covering the exit) at 20 week scan.

Did the google thing and got myself worked up much like you. I had a few mornings of finding spotting. The blood was always dark brown so never went to hospital. Because of the bleeding I was sure it wouldnt move.

But I had my scan last wed (28 weeks) and it has moved!!

If you are having a section anyway then thats really the main thing taken care of. Just take things a little easier and if you have any bleeding contact the hospital, or just go if its really bad.

[kaymondo]

Hi - I was also told low lying placenta at 20 weeks, completely covering the cervix. Was given the impression by the hospital and my midwife that, because it was completely covering, it was unlikely to move. I was rescanned at 34 weeks and it had moved but not enough, so was rescanned again last weds as 36 weeks. They did an internal scan this time to be absolutely sure and it had moved! I'm still in shock really as I had resigned myself to a section!

Stay away from google - it's always a bad idea. As others have said, just go straight in if you have any bleeding.

I was told to refrain from sex but I know other people who've had placenta preavia and not been told that so I'm guessing its one of those things where different medical professionals have diff opinions - if in doubt, ask your midwife!

Good luck - hope it moves for you!