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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Retained placenta

24 replies

CaipirinhasAllRound · 13/02/2017 18:29

I had to have a manual placenta removal (hands up inside scraping it away from my wombConfused for a full 90 minutes) with my 1st baby after a forceps delivery and I lost 3 litres of blood.

Number 2 is due in June and I'm hoping to hear from anyone who had a retained placenta the 1st time but a nice normal delivery the 2nd time! Please!
X

OP posts:
ExpectoPatronummmm · 13/02/2017 20:05

I recently asked this question on the pregnancy board and seemed to get a 50/50 response.
I didn't have it with my first, had it with my second and now I'm pregnant with my third.

I was shocked to find out from my midwife when I asked her a couple of weeks ago that they SHOULD NOT have done what they did to me (hand up and yanked out) she said that if it happens again and they try to do that I should refuse and demand to be taken for surgery.

abbsisspartacus · 13/02/2017 20:08

I had retained with my first fine with my second retained with my third as I mentioned on the last thread I had the synthetic hormone drip in first and third Labour's and that is notorious for causing the problem

DorothyGherkins · 13/02/2017 20:11

Retained for firstborn. Second - no probs at all!

Pinkkahori · 13/02/2017 20:13

I had retained placenta on first birth. Went under GA to have it removed in theatre.
Second time round it delivered without my even noticing.
They gave me a choice of removing in delivery room or going to theatre but strongly recommended theatre.

oldbirdy · 13/02/2017 20:17

Slow placenta in first (induced) labour, came out with cord traction. Normal in second (non induced). Fully retained and manual removal in 3rd (augmented) normal in 4th (non induced).

NewUserName01 · 13/02/2017 20:29

Retained placenta with 1st child - manual removal with G&A which was pretty unpleasant, followed by epidural so they could go back in as they thought they'd missed a bit (they hadn't). Was a shame as had been a very quick, straightforward labour (less than 2 hours).

Refused a managed 3rd stage with 2nd child because I'd read that it could cause a retained placenta if your labour's quick. DD was born in 45 mins (from first contraction to being born). Her placenta took another 45 mins to come out and only came when people stopped pacing the room checking their watches and left me alone in peace and quiet.

This was all a while ago now (oldest child is 16 and youngest is 13) so no idea what's the newest advice.

Original poster
CaipirinhasAllRound · 13/02/2017 20:29

Interesting, I had a drip to induce labour, didn't know they were linked

OP posts:
NewUserName01 · 13/02/2017 20:37

I spoke to some independent midwives and that was their view. I got a booklet from AIMS called "Delivering Your Placenta: The Third Stage" (I can be precise because it's in a pile right next to me waiting to be sorted out!).

The independent midwives said that midwives are very nervous about an unmanaged third stage as they're not really trained to deal with this.

Check out what the current thinking is. This was a long time ago now and might have been proved to be a load of cobblers.

Lovemylittlebear · 13/02/2017 21:50

Yep retained first and normal second. First was syntocinon drip too. No idea what third will hold x

Mum2jenny · 13/02/2017 21:52

Yes, retained first, normal second.

Mustbeinsane1984 · 13/02/2017 21:54

This happened to me with first child. I'm pregnant now and I think I posted on the pregnancy thread few weeks back. Have since spoke to my Gyn/Ob and he said 'Potentially it could happen again. We try that in order to avoid going to the operating room and giving patients general anesthesia. I think you should not worry about it as it is rare and if you need it again tell the doctor to try and make you more comfortable.' I'm not in the Uk so the guidelines etc might be a bit different. I had an induced labor and nothing was happening in third stage.

smellsofelderberries · 18/02/2017 12:38

Very interesting. I had this with my first (only 15 weeks ago!) and having a review of my labour with the hospital this week and have put the question to them if I will be allowed a physiological third stage for the next one as I've read that about having the shot. Am interested to hear what they come back with. I luckily knew the procedure from reading Mumsnet and refused to conscent to an epidural for the procedure as didn't want to be awake, a said they had to put me under and they obliged. I didn't have an epidural for labour, I definitely wasn't having one for that!

Wheresthecoff33 · 24/02/2017 23:02

I must be an oddball. I had retained products after my 2nd, physiological third stage... had syntometrine with first and third labour and no problems. Having said that, it wasn't picked up on til 17days post partum!

Sometimespostingalwayslurking · 24/02/2017 23:10

I had retained placenta for my second birth which was frustrating as the birth of the baby herself was easy and quick. The registrar then managed to remove it by hand under gas and air. They did offer to take me to theatre and give me a spinal to remove it but I wasn't keen. Why should they not do by hand as suggested by a previous poster?
Sorry, no help to OP here but I was interested in the answers on this thread..

Nospringflower · 24/02/2017 23:18

I had retained placenta with first child and had it manually removed with epidural in theatre. Fine with second and third children.

countingdown · 25/02/2017 09:21

I had a retained placenta with my first. It was horrendous and I would not wish a manual removal without pain relief on anyone. I had a natural and quick birth, so it is thought that my body went into a bit of shock and refused to do any more work!

I was really worried that I would have a similar experience in my second pregnancy, but had no problems at all.

I would say to anyone who does end up with a retained placenta, definitely take the epidural and have it removed in theatre. I was quite naïve and didn't know what a retained placenta was(!) or how dangerous it was to have it removed manually without pain relief.

Good luck OP, I think it most cases it's just 'one of those things'.

29redshoes · 25/02/2017 09:30

Yes I had this with my first. I wasn't given any reason for it by the hospital but personally I think it's because the midwife rushed everything (I had the injection and then she yanked on the cord). Ended up in theatre under GA and haemorrhaged badly.

Like several other PPs I also had a quick and straightforward birth up until that point.

I'd be interested in trying for a physiological third stage next time but I think I'll have a battle on my hands to get them to agree to it. Will have a look at the resources suggested by newusername, if anyone knows of any other recent research/guidelines I'd be interested to read it!

Original poster
CaipirinhasAllRound · 25/02/2017 19:21

What's a physiological third stage?

OP posts:
paddypants13 · 25/02/2017 19:49

I had a retained placenta with my first and had it manually removed. (Dh and I joke the doctor was in up to her shoulders!)

When I had my second the placenta came out with no issues.

Both my placentas were huge (apparently).

paddypants13 · 25/02/2017 19:50

I had the Syntocin drip with my first if that makes a difference.

bigearsthethird · 25/02/2017 19:52

Retained for second delivery (natural) but was put under a general to get placenta out. 2 subsequent deliveries both natural afterwards and both were fine Smile

fabulousfun · 25/02/2017 22:32

Prolonged induction, retained placenta and horrific manual extraction with first child.

All fine with second

Good luck. 💐

Wheresthecoff33 · 27/02/2017 12:23

Physiological third stage is without the injection that speeds up the process for delivering placenta

Aebj · 27/02/2017 12:28

Ds 1 was born naturally using just gas and air in 4.5 hours . So a quick birth. I had a retained placenta. Had epidural and doctor went fishing!!! All good she got it out.
Ds 2 natural birth . 2.5 hours so another quick birth. No retained placenta. Delivery was good all good all round

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