Retained placenta

9 replies

Littleguggi · 14/12/2018 21:17

Has anyone else experienced this after giving birth? I had a retained placenta with my first and then spent 2.5 hours in theatre having it removed which wasn't very nice! Thinking of going for an elective c-section this time as I've been told I'm at risk of having it again. Would love to hear others' experiences..

OP posts:

Dhalandchips · 14/12/2018 21:20

I had this with baby 3 of four. Fourth was very straightforward.
Person removing placenta seemed like she was rummaging around in her handbag! It wasn't too horrible, just bit unpleasant. I'd risk it again rather than a C-section though.

Thishatisnotmine · 14/12/2018 21:23

I did! Manual removal was not what I wanted but quite fascinating!

The consultant I saw said they could not say how likely it was to happen a second time, just that the risk is higher. They agreed for me to give birth in the mw suite connected to the hospital, I would have the injection for a managed third stage and they would try and bring a drip over if that didn't work. In the end the placenta came out very quickly after, in one piece and absolutely no problems.

One factor that does make a retained placenta more likely is an induction so that is something to consider if you are being offered a caesarean.

Tronkmanton · 14/12/2018 21:24

I had retained placenta with my first. It didn’t cause any direct problems at the time other than I lost quite a lot of blood waiting to go to theatre to have it removed. I had to have stitches after an episiotomy so they did them in theatre which was good as it was completely pain free!

It did not happen with my second and I delivered the placenta normally.

FraterculaArctica · 14/12/2018 21:26

I had a retained placenta with DC2 (a VBAC). Was a bit gutted to have to be drugged up and spend 90 min in theatre after a 45 min labour! This was my last birth so no experience of making choices for a subsequent delivery.

Quiet13 · 14/12/2018 21:27

I had retained placenta with my first. My second was fine and I just had a better managed third stage

Original poster

Littleguggi · 14/12/2018 21:29

I wonder if mine was related to the fact I was severely dehydrated during labour and my contractions just stopped after giving birth, despite having the injection. I also had a third degree tear and episiotomy therefore I agree, being stitched up was pain free after having a spinal!

OP posts:

ImAChaiseLongueGetMeOutOfHere · 14/12/2018 21:33

Retained with my first, removed in surgery, then induced with second and had no issues at all. Did drink more and wee more before and after delivery which I had heard helped.

ollhe · 14/12/2018 21:47

It was my understanding that the injection to encourage a faster birth of the placenta did carry a higher risk of retained placenta. After a quick google I can’t see if this is true. But a midwife definitely told me this, as I chose not to have it for that reason.
Maybe worth some consideration or a chat with your midwife about this?

FuzzyShadowChatter · 14/12/2018 22:04

I had a retained/torn placenta that was removed under general. In the birth that followed, the placenta took a while - more than 30 minutes - but other than that, the placenta wasn't an issue. The midwife did comment that it was quite large - I think she was saying it as a possible explanation as to why I'd had issues with placentas before, I'd had another slow placenta with another birth (well over an hour) as well as the retained/torn one.

I waited until after the placenta was passed to have the injection which I think helped - it was faster than either of the other troublesome placentas and a lot less painful.

No one ever suggested a c-section as a way to prevent placental issues to me, I'd heard having a c-section increases the risk of placental trouble in later pregnancies but my understanding on that isn't very strong.

Flip