Elective C-Section & Placenta Previa

[mumbot]

Hi everyone, anyone had an elective c-section due to placenta previa? What was it like? Did you bleed a lot? Did it take extra time to get the baby out? Did the placenta get in the way of the surgical opening?

I have mine in a few weeks time.

Thanks

I was supposed to have an elective at 36 weeks due to placenta praevia and recurrant bleeding. My praevia had been partial (i.e. slightly, not fully, over the cervix) but it had moved to just next to it. Still in the so-called danger zone so I was always going to have a caesarean. HOwever, it was very unstable, had partially peeled away, and I had increasingly heavy bleeds and was in hospital from 30+5 until I delivered (mind-numbingly horrible experience). However, I had a big bleed at 35 weeks and I had an emergency section. Due to complications I wasn't awake for the experience but I'm told that my placentas (it was twins) didn't cause any problems and the removal of the babies was super-quick; within one minute of another. I did bleed but that was apparently due to the twin pregnancy rather than the praevia and they had lots of blood on standby as they almost expect this. If you do bleed more than 'normal' during the op they'll be prepared for this.

The placenta didn't get in the way of my incision but both placentas were posterior in my case so against the back wall of my uterus. It obviously made no difference to the top incision (i.e. the one on my stomach/skin) as this was separated from the uterus by the muscle layers, etc. and mine is very low and small: Around 10cm in length and just above my pubic bone. I couldn't ask for a smaller scar in fact.

Almost the good thing about having praevia diagnosed (if there is such a thing) is that the consultant will be prepared for everything (extra blood/plasma to hand, etc.) so there will be no surprises. You'll also in all likelihood have a more senior consultant due to the fact that your caesarean is technically more complicated, which is not a bad thing.

Hope this helps and have a wonderful delivery.

Hi mumbot,

I had a placenta praevia with my first child nearly 2 yrs ago, which was missed at the 20 week scan, and only picked up by a bleed at 39 weeks.

Once the hospital had established that it was pp which caused the bleed, there was no option but to have an elective section, as the placenta was covering the neck of the womb completely (it was the most serious placenta praevia there is).

The section took about 45 mins in total, the team were very relaxed, and bubs arrived safely. I have no idea if this was longer than a section where the placenta's in a normal position, but no-one appeared worried, and I don't recall them telling me they had concerns.

As for bleeding, I had post natal bleeding for 4-6 weeks, which I think is totally normal!

If you have worries, then I'd say speak to your consultant, but in my experience, I had a lovely delivery, even if it wasn't the homebirth with flowers and candles I had hoped for, and the most important thing was that me and bubs were both safe and well.

Good luck!

Just out of interest, how long did it take for you ladies to recover from the op?

Not sure I'm a typical example as I had a GA caesarean and healing complications (haematoma and a resultant opening of the scar plus chronic anaemia due to a f*ck up over a missed blood transfusion). So honestly my c section hit me for six and I felt horrific. But that wasn't due to the placenta praevia. I have another friend with twins who had total praevia and had a very straightforward caesarean delivery and recovery. Realistically I think you're 'limited' for about three weeks whilst the superficial healing takes place and pretty shocking for the first few days. I was told by my midwives (when struggling horribly with movement on day 3) that day 4 was a key day in caesarean recovery. All to do with the stages of healing I think. By 4 weeks I suddenly felt normal again - it was literally an overnight shift at around 3 1/2 weeks. One day I was still struggling to get to the end of the road, and the next morning I suddenly felt pretty much my old self. 90% I would say.

I was told my bad anaemia made the recovery so much worse so, as I say, I'm not a typical indication of caesarean recovery. I think I'm just an example of how sometimes they aren't a walk in the park (accordingly I get very wearied by the breezy "Oh I was up the next day laying tarmac" stories that can prevail on here.

Hope this helps.

In my experience, the first few days were the hardest - not being able to lift anything, painful to cough, manouvre out of bed, and walk up and down stairs.

I can't actually remember how long it was 'til I felt a bit more normal, but think that kitstwins 3 1/2 weeks-month sounds about right, and by 2 months post-op, I was still experiencing a bit of numbness in the area of the scar, but could get on pretty much as normal.

My first trip out of the house was 4 days after coming home from hospital (where I had been in for 3 nights).

The main thing I remember was not being able to wear normal knickers or jeans for quite a while as they cut across the scar, so I bought some (highly attractive) tummy hugging knickers, and jersey trousers with the high waists so I could get out and about. And for the hospital, a nightie (no pj's!).

I guess everyone experiences it differently, but remembering that it's major abdominal surgery and getting lots of help with the physical stuff (and of course driving) was a help to me and definitely aided recovery.

Thanks everyone, great advice x