Birth problems: retained placentas

[Mickey]

Dear Vicky

I don't know if this is any help - but I had a retained placenta after the birth of my daughter 3 years ago. I'm now 3 days over due with my second - It is a concern of mine that the placenta will be retained again and I will face surgery immediately after giving birth. It does feel like one more thing to worry about. However, my mother said the same thing happened to her but because she had a low tech home birth in the 1960's she didn't need surgery. Hope this helps.

Dear Vicky and Mickey
I had retained placenta with first child, removed under general anaesthetic straight after giving birth. There were no further contractions to expel it but I am partly convinced it was caused by lying on my back to give birth. It was a long time ago and walking around was not allowed. However, for my second birth 4 years ago, I walked around practically non-stop for the whole labour and ended up giving birth standing upright. The placenta came out easily within a few short minutes after the baby. The delivery was easy too and I am sure that remaining mobile and using gravity had an effect.But it proves that it does not automatically happen a second time!

Thanks Cam - your right it is good to know that it didn't happen a second time. I was monitored through out my labour because Isobels heart beat kept slowing down during contractions, I could walk about a bit but couldn't get very far so was not as mobile as I would have liked. - thank you

I just had a retained placenta with my first labour, but sencond child. My first was a c-section because of breech, but there again, the placenta was sticky and came away in lots of pieces.

I just gave birth naturally and luckily I had an epidural in place so it could be removed manually without the need of a D/C.

My mother had the same with me and from reading some of the messages above, there does seem to be a genetic link. My mother did not have this when she gave birth to my sister, however. Anyone else have it in the family?

I had some retained membrane, not placenta, which resulted in a secondary haemorrage when my dd was 10 days old (hence why I REALLY don't like my nickname of PPH on this board!!!!). No problems with the second (ds) but I think retained membranes is just bad luck, whereas retained placenta may have a more physiological cause. So not much help I'm afraid. However with ds, they were meticulous about checking the placenta and membranes to make sure they had all of it and I'm sure they will be paying extra attention to you for the same reason, which is good.