Will an anterior placenta cause any problems?

[bippitybopityboo]

At my 20 weeks scan the sonographer said placenta was right in front of baby it was anterior. She said it's clear of my cervix but it means I won't feel as much movement.

Just wondering if it could cause any more issues or does it really not matter other than the movement thing?

Thankyou!

[Katenka]

I had an anterior placenta with both pregnancies.

I had problems with my pregnancy with dd. Kept bleeding but that wasn't due to the placenta.

It didn't cause issues with dd but I didn't have lots of movements with her.

With DS, my pregnancy was fine, he moved a lot. Painfully sometimes. I dread to think what it would be like if it wasn't anterior. I was doubled over in pain some nights.


I can only speak from my experience but it didn't cause me any further issues.

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

It won't cause you any problems. It just means it's on the front of your uterus instead of the back (posterior). You only need to worry if it's over the cervix which it isn't.

You can Google to see the definitions with diagrams.

[Wozatron]

Not at all! Mine didn't. Good luck with your pregnancy x

[Annarose2014]

One issue that nobody told me is that an anterior placenta gives a much higher chance of the baby being back to back during labour.

Back to back labours are painful and you really need to ask for an epidural. Well you don't need to obvs, but without it you'll struggle to last the distance.

Because back to back babies can get a bit stuck, there's a higher chance of instrumental birth (I had a ventouse).

That said (before you freak out) the epidural was terrific for me and I had zero pain afterwards so it wasn't traumatic or anything. But I wish I'd known before it could happen as I went in wanting to rely on gas and air and the bath. I presumed it was normal presentation & nobody told me different for several hours and even then it meant nothing to me.

I'd have gone in and asked straight away if it were back to back and if yes, I'd have known an epidural was more of a reality in that case.

[Jenijena]

And just to say that there's always two sides of a story, I had an anterior placenta, (and another one in this pregnancy), ad a back to back labour, and whilst he struggled to get into position to get out (I was on a drip) managed it without epidural or any physical intervention (forceps etc).

[5madthings]

I have an anterior placenta, am 35wks, had one in my last pregnancy as well. No issues at all though in last pregnancy it did make Dd's movements harder to fell. This baby is mega wriggly so.no issues there.

My dd was bsck to bsck, labour was fine, well painful but fine. Three hours and just a few pushes, lots of gas and air. So bsck to bsck doesn't have to mean a nightmare labour and delivery. My ds2 was bsck to back as well but turned during labour, dd didn't turn she came out sunny side up as they call it but it was fine.

This baby has been breech, transverse and is now head down and the right way round but does swivel round. There is a lot you can do to influence babies position both before labour and during, Google spinning babies and optimal fetal positioning even with a posterior placenta I would still be encouraging baby into s good position.

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

I strongly disagree with the nonsense about back to back labours. Purely anecdotal (because you can Google facts by going to reputable organisations like NCT and NHS) but I have had two babies. In one I had anterior placenta and in the other posterior. I had a back to back labour with the posterior one. My labour was a bit longer because of that - my baby had to make almost a full rotation and that is done by contractions which get gradually more painful - but it was manageable.

Whether your placenta is anterior or posterior makes bog all difference beyond not being able to feel quite as much or as early because it acts a bit like a cushion.

Having a back to back labour is not the end of the world either. I was lucky and managed mine without any pain relief but that's just the way it worked out. If I'd wanted some I would have asked soon enough!

If you want an epidural have one because you want one. You don't need a list of reasons to justify it.

[almmummy]

Mine is anterior this time and the only thing I've noticed is I don't feel baby as much if I am on my feet (which is a lot of the time with a toddler). If I am sat down I get a full on rib-poking experience, hiccups and now limbs sticking out. So the only difference it has made is I feel slightly guilty if I have been running around all day and can only remember a few slight pokes - he is more active at night though so I always make sure I sit down at teatime to check things are gearing up.