Low lying placenta @ 20wk scan...

[icravecheese]

Hi All,
Sorry, this subject has probably been discussed LOADS but can't find any fairly recent threads...

Had 20wk scan yesterday, all fine with babe, but sonographer booked me for another scan at 34wks due to a low lying (anterior) placenta.

She didnt say how low lying it was, or anything else really, just said "worse case scenario, you might have to have a c-sect if it doesn't move up, but over 80% do by 34 wks".

Have texted various friends & have had varying responses... "oh hopefully nothing to worry about"... "oh you won't be able to have sex now"...."no picking up your 2 children or anything heavy for rest of pregnancy"....

The sonographer didnt give me any additional advice, just that I would be re-scanned at 34 wks.

Am not seeing midwife until 28 wks now (3rd baby, no-one wants to see me much this time round!).

NOT going to google(!) just wondered if anyone else has had similar experiences & were told to ease up / no sex etc....

Exactly same situation as you! Same response at 20w scan, but my extra scan is at 32w (2 weeks time). All the healthprofessionals seem to play it down :) I have had no bleeding or anything since 12w and I look after 2 DCs (4 and 2yrs) on my own.

I'll let you know how it goes on the 15th June!

My extra scan isn't until 36 weeks and have been told it really isn't anything to worry about. I think the problems, mentioned by your friends, arise if the placenta is actually covering the cervix as opposed to just being too low. It might be worth giving your midwife a quick call to put your mind at rest anyway. I didn't know that statistic, which is very positive.

My mum was quite dramatic about it, 'oh noooo, you poor thing...the last thing u will want is a section'. I just want a healthy baby and don't really mind how it arrives :)

I was told exactly the same thing at the 20 week scan, low lying and likely to move before delivery, also my 3rd and not had this before. Am booked in at 32 weeks to have it checked, am currently 24 weeks. No mention of restrictions to sex, lifting etc. Although I am suffering with PGP so not lifting anything anyway. My DDs are 4 and 3 so dont carry them any more.

I would suggest ringing your midwife too, just to ask her professional advice. Ive never had a C-section before but am not stressing out about it, better off knowing before hand if I need one than going into labour and discovering the problem once complications arise.

Sonographer wasn't overly worried about it but just warned me C-section was a possible outcome and that he would see me again at 32 weeks.

oh thanks ladies, has made me feel better knowing others having same experience.

My mum was also "oh thats placenta praevia, ooh quite nasty isnt it"....to which I pointed out its only praevia if its covering the cervix & they didnt mention (or couldnt see) if it is.

I havent had any bleeding at all so far... so fingers crossed nothing starts now.

I too am not overly worried about having a section, if it comes to it.... have had 2 natural births already & tore badly both times so there has been some mutterings about potential c-sect this time anyhow... like you say, just want safest arrival for baby & if its got to be a section, then so be it! Will wait & see. Keep us posted ladies! x

I was told that my placenta was touching my cervix at 20 weeks but was given the all clear on Tuesday after a scan (34 weeks).

I wasn't given any advice about sex or anything, although I was told I didn't need to particularly take it easy - I could still work etc. I did read online that sex wasn't always advised but I did continue to have sex, just very shallow penetration.

I'm in the middle of dealing with this at 39 weeks... I wasn't given any specific do's or dont's at 20 weeks, just another appt at 32 weeks (also told that in most cases the uterus expands such that the placenta naturally "moves" and away from the cervix). Never had any bleeds either, and maintained my very active lifestyle (still riding my bike!)

In my case though, the anterior placenta was deemed to be still low-lying at 32 weeks, so just in case this happens to you, here's my experience.

If at the 32 week appt it's still not far enough away, get another scan appt booked for 36 weeks. And another at 38 weeks if you aren't comfortable with an ELCS and want to delay as long as possible (ELCS isn't usually til at least 38 weeks anyway).

Ask for a second and more experienced opinion, i.e., not just the technician's. My final scan was done by an obs which showed both that the baby's head was engaged and at the same depth as the edge of the placenta (so any worries of the baby's head "trapping" the placenta went away). The obs was also able to measure more accurately for whatever reason and showed the placenta 5mm further away from where the technician said it was, which makes a big difference if you're trying to go for a vaginal birth and the hospital's policy is Xmm.

So my consultant went from insisting I had an ELCS to 2 days later discharging me back to midwife care and now I'm planning my homebirth. So my advice would be go with what you feel -- if you're not happy with the risks of ELCS then push them for other options, more opinions, more scans, etc. Of course if you want an ELCS or would feel more comfortable with that, then by all means go for it.

I had this picked up on my 20 week scan this is my 3rd too, mine is 2cms away from the cervix and the cut off is 3cms here, so I have scan booked for 34 weeks. I have continued to have sex and carry my son (who is only 8 months), wasn't told otherwise so persumed if there was don'ts they would have given me advice or a leaflet.
I had an EMCS with my son, so I also have the added risk of accreta. At the moment I am not overally concerned will just wait and see. Was told by sonographer that more often than not they move naturally.

If you have concerns, I would suggest as others have, that you contact midwife and see what she says.

I had this on my first pregnancy. I wasn't told to take it easy or anything about sex, just that it would probably move, and it did.
I was sent to see a consultant anaesthetist in case I needed a CS, however I suspect this was due more to the fact I have a latex allergy so operations are a bit more complicated.
I did have a bleed at about 11 weeks, which was possibly down to the placenta, but nothing after that and I had quite a heavy job at the time, 12 hours shifts, sleep-ins, on my feet all day etc.

So my advice is don't fret, and look forward to getting another scan. I had mine at 36 weeks. I couldn't get a picture as DD was too big by then to fit anything on, but the sonographer moved the scan in such a way that we got a really good idea of what DD looked like (difficult when it's 2D). We didn't know it was a DD at the time and I was really surprised that when she was born what I'd pictured was what she looked like. :)

I have grade 4 placenta previa and I've had all the warnings, I saw the consultant two weeks after my 20 weeks scan, I think because it was complete coverage. No sex, no orgasm, no lifting, no sudden movements, be dead like, etc etc etc!! Thankfully I have spd, so there's no naughty goings on anyway!! Couldn't get my leg over if I tried!! I'm 30 weeks now and have a scan in two weeks, but is unlikely to of moved far enough! I did gears of reading of this and asked sooooooooo many questions and grade 3 and 4 they treat the same with all the precautions, but grade 1 and 2 are no way near as dangerous as the other two. So don't panic, just take it easy! I'm jelous!! You get to still have sex!!!! :)

A quick update, had another scan today (24 weeks due to probs in a previous pregnancy) and my placenta has moved up already! Right up where it needs to be, and baby happily headbutting it and snuggling into it

Gosh that was quick natzcnl!!

icravecheese exactly same thing happened to me with dd3 (now 15 weeks), low lying placenta at 20 weeks scan, booked in for scan at 36 weeks. Was given no further advice re taking it easy, bleeding, sex etc, I just carried on as normal and I have a quite physical job and a 5 and 3 year old, went for scan at 36 weeks and all was fine, placenta had moved.

I had this with first pregnancy and like the others by time of second scan (35 weeks ish I seem to remember) it had moved. I don't remember being told anything about lifting, sex etc.

Many thanks for all your advice / experiences ladies. I'm feeling much less worried about the situation now. xx

So pleased for most of you that it's moved, very envious! I banked on this at 32 week scan but still covering. Has taken mr ages to accept. Mainly because at 20 they said just covering the os and I believed it would move. Had bleed at 34+5 and been in hosp since! Another two bleeds since, over the past week, section booked at 39 weeks if I don't have too many more bleeds. Good luck coppernoodle! I too have spd so the restrictions they've put on with the previa haven't impacted as much on me either!!!!

Thanks cmm, I can't believe there c sectioning you ay 39 weeks and not earlier!! I'm in sooo much pain I'm hoping they do it earlier than that! You get to 30 weeks (where I am) and think, I haven't bled yet, it must have moved, think everything ok, carry on as normal (as normal as spd on crutches let you) and then you have a bleed at 34 weeks! I don't think I'm out of it yet then! Hope hospital is treating you well then, the foods not that great is it!! If you were close tome, I'd bring you a lovely dinner!! :)

I was told cervix was reaching but not covering OS at 20wk scan, had a 4d scan at 28 wk which showed had already moved 1.5cm am hoping it has moved even more at 34w scan tomorrow.

After reading all your posts...I now have another question!! Are you generally told at a 20wk scan how low your placenta is lying then? Or only if it is very low (i.e. covering the cervix)? Only my sonographer didnt say how low the placenta was at all...just that it was lying low.... I am assuming that means its not 'seriously' low at the mo....but I guess it could end up that way, or move up.

I only ask because some people seem to have been diagnosed with different 'grades'....

Thanks for all your advice so far ladies, wishing you all safe, uncomplicated deliveries in the coming months! xx

I wasn't told a grade - but the sonographer did say it wasn't totally over, just touching. The important thing was it 'quallified me' to have another scan which I wasn't going to argue with!

it said on my scan report that mine was 'reaching cervix'

ah ok, mine just says low lying...very vague!!

Hi, I posted earlier, and I've just had my 20 week scan, and found out I have a low lying placenta again. It says "Lying Low" on one part of the form, then the sonographer has put in the more detailed section "is approx 2cm for internal os" whatever that means. She said it wasn't very low and was borderline for being rescanned.

I'm not worrying, it moved last time. We're just going to look forward to getting another scan :) The MW did say that if I have any bleeding at all I must get back in touch with them. I've already had 2 small bleeds this pregnancy at 17 weeks which were checked out and I was fine. Last time I didn't have any bleeds at all.