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Childbirth

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

placenta praevia just diagnosed

14 replies

zeinab · 03/02/2003 11:57

My friend has just been diagnosed with pp -
1st baby, grade 2, she's about 22 weeks - she's understandably terrified - has anyone got any advice? Any good websites, that don't go on and on about perinatal mortality etc!

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aloha · 03/02/2003 13:28

Zeinab, I had complete placenta praevia - with the placenta right over the cervix - with my ds (first child). I was lucky, in that I didn't get any bleeding at all until I was about 71/2months pg. Then I had two short lived but dramatic bleeds (blood literally bouncing off the floor) and I had to spend a month in hospital just in case before my baby was born by c-section. Your friend's case sounds less serious, and as the womb expands, the placenta may go up with it, moving it away from the cervix. Mine was so completely over the os that was never going to happen. There are simple things you can do to reduce your risk of a bleed, such as no penetrative sex & no vigorous exercise (I still walked about quite normally, visiting National Trust places etc etc). Drs usually recommend you take it easy, particularly as the p/g progresses, lots of sitting about. I still went to work until I had my first bleed, because I felt totally fine, but always took my notes with me everywhere just in case I had a bleed and had to be rushed in. The good news? After a month or so of appalling tedium in Kings, I had a great c-section with a wonderful consultant, a fabulous 8lb 8oz boy of rare beauty, and I was absolutely fine with no complications whatsoever. It really is a matter of luck, but not everyone with PP bleeds at all, and others are like me, with shortlived bleeds which resolve themselves. In short my advice is, take it easy, try not to worry too much, particularly as she doesn't even have the 'worst' kind of PP, no intercourse, and take a multivitamin with iron such as PRegnacare and eat iron-rich food, as you can end up losing quite a bit of blood either beforehand or during the section and it really pays to be phsysically prepared for that. PP is a painless condition but obviously needs to be taken seriously. However, with modern care I am sure your friend will be fine. If she wants to ask me any questions she can come on here if she likes! Oh, and she should be prepared for people being really ignorant about the condition, and if, like me, she explains she will probably be having a c-section, be prepared for comments like 'oh, taking the easy way out, then?' !!!! To which I replied, quite calmly, 'Well, really, it's more that I have a life-threatening condition that could strike at any moment', just because I secretely liked freaking people out. Funnnily enough, I never felt terrified, but do remember counting the days until I got to the stage of p/g where 99.9% of babies survive even if they are born a bit early.

PamT · 03/02/2003 14:26

DS2 was placenta praevia too though nobody thought to tell me until I was admitted with bleeding at 33 weeks (my dates, 31 by theirs). At my hospital scans are only routinely performed at 20 weeks and then if the placenta is low at 32 weeks which in my case was too late. Perhaps your friend might be able to get an earlier scan at something like 28 weeks which will then set her mind at rest if the placenta has cleared or would enable her to plan for an early delivery. I think it is rare to lose either the baby or the mother in these cases but your friend should be aware that a bleed can be an emergency and should be prepared to go straight to the hospital if it occurs. With luck though she will be fine by her next scan.

pupuce · 03/02/2003 19:31

I think Mears can say more but her status will be monitored as it could well move... it is early days yet.
If it stays that way she will have a ceasarean and will probably have it earloer rather than later with a few days in hospital (maybe) at the end to make sure she doesn't go into labour.

SueW · 03/02/2003 20:35

I'm sure I've read some research that says there is little advantage to diagnosing a partial pp at this stage. It causes anxiety for the mother, tends to lead to even more ultrasounds and a large number of them correct by term.

zebra · 03/02/2003 20:43

I was under the impression that something like 95% of placenta previa diagnosed at ~20 weeks will "move" out of the way by 32-36 weeks, or so.

Anyway, a friend really did have PP. And it wasn't totally confirmed until she went into labour. They gave her an epi (in case of emergency section) and checked thru the vagina that she really did have placenta previa. Friend feels satisfied that they did everything possible to prevent a C-section.

So the apparent 22-week PP may not really be PP at all... and a good hospital will try hard to avoid C-section if possible. Perhaps those things will reassure your friend?

MABS · 03/02/2003 21:19

my story is not reassuring I'm afraid, I've had grade 3/4 pp twice one with dd now 8 and with ds age 2. With dd I had a big bleed (placenta abruptia)at 32 weeks after being in hospital for 6 wks and with ds it was at 29 weeks. (both csections)

However I too think 22 wks is a bit early for panic. I was scanned every week after 26 weeks as my placenta was so low - but , in both cases I'd had bleeding from around 14 wks on. Hopefully your friend hasn't had any of that.

In both cases I thought the hospital was over reacting but ,fortunately for me they were just being cautious. Sorry - read this back and it makes miserable reading , but you did ask

mears · 03/02/2003 23:13

I have posted on the other thread but basically said that it is too early to grade placenta praevia at this stage. As others have said, the placenta may 'appear to move' as the lower segment forms later so it is way too early to get worried. HTH

aloha · 04/02/2003 10:23

Yes, I do recommend your friend is with a good big teaching hospital with an excellent scanning dept - I was at Kings & my PP was picked up early. What has her consultant told her about her particular case? Remember, no sex, no vigorous exercise, carry your notes everywhere with you and head for hospital (any hospital - the nearest one) the minute you see any blood.

Janus · 04/02/2003 17:18

I was diagnosed with PP around 20 weeks with my first. However it did gradually move up as I grew and by the time of the last scan (around 32 weeks I think) it had completely corrected itself. As said, I don't think this is uncommon and I am willing to bet it will correct itself in the coming weeks but I would just say to attend scans so she can be monitored.

Giovanna1 · 04/02/2003 19:56

I diagnosed at 20 weeks - and the placenta completely moved away from the cervix as the pregnancy progressed. I still had a c-section, but that is a story for another day!

I wish your friend luck. I found a wonderful website that I posted on all of the time - very supportive, great info. I will find it, and post it for you.

Moomin · 04/02/2003 19:59

Was told it was a low-lying placenta at 20 weeks (this is fairly common) but it only became placenta praevia when, at 32 weeks, it hadn't shifted. No bleeding at all, but still hospitalised for much of last 6 weeks of pregnancy. Elective c-section at 37.5 weeks. All ok now!

zeinab · 04/02/2003 20:10

thanks all of you for being so informative. It's interesting that you say it can't be called pp proper at 20 weeks and that a lot of them move. That's great! I would really like the website, Giovanna, if you can find it.

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Giovanna1 · 04/02/2003 22:30

I can't find it - so sorry! It looks as though it is no longer maintained - I will continue to look, though...

cocococo · 04/02/2003 23:10

I was told I had a low-lying placenta at the 20 week scan and I self-diagnosed PP after doing loads of research online! I would not recommend this as it really freaked me out, mine was a first baby too. Additionally they saw that I had an 'extra' piece of placenta too joined by blood vessels! Mine didn't shift until very late on but like most of them it did shift in the end.

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