Placenta Previa - Help/Advice Needed

[KenningtonKitty]

My bf has placenta previa and needs a c-section end of next week (at 38 weeks). She is understandably worried about the baby and herself (consultant has said may need a hysterectomy worst case scenario) - Any MN's can help with advice/experiences please ?

Thanks for helping

\link{http://www.rcog.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=527\RCOG info here}

I had this with ds, who is 12 months now. Is she in hospital till the cs? Do you know if the placenta is completely covering the cervix, or just too close?

What happens is that the cervix starts to move/change/get ready/whatever and you bleed cos that is where the placenta attaches. Can be a bad haemorrage. Ambulance time. The doctor told me to call 999 at any bleeding. He said if the blood was "bouncing off the floor" then just to pile my toddler in the ambulance with me rather than waiting for someone to come to look after her. In the event, I didn't bleed that heavily (couple of pads!). I spent about 12 hours attached to monitors while they hoped that the bleeding would stop (I was 34 wks). But then I went into labour.

If she is already 37 weeks and they're waiting another week then they're not too worried.

Worst case scenario is that the placenta has embedded too deeply as well as in the wrong place - hence hysterectomy. They don't know if that is the case till they start the cs. They will have their senior consultants etc in to do the op.

The baby will be fine as long as she gets to hospital if she bleeds. Worse for her is probably a blood transfusion (or hysterectomy ).

My cs was really calm and recovery was actually better than from my previous cs.

Thanks Fruitful - really useful link

just to say that I was scanned weekly from 34 weeks cos had a low-lying placenta

39 weeks & 2 days had scan
39 weeks & 3 days booked for C-section

had scan - had moved by 7 cm !!!!

went on to have natural birth

so tell bf not to give up !!