20wks - baby has CCAM / I have complete placenta previa - HELP - any advice!

[mrsbigz]

gosh i don't know where to start. this is a tough pregnancy anyway since losing a baby 17wks into my pregancy back in March this year. strangely enough i've had no spotting in thsi pregnancy at all (comparing to my other pregnancies). I was diagnosed with mild prolapse just before conceiving and at 17wks had a pessary ring inserted (thankfully that just lasted for 1 week). i'm also under consultant care as my ds2 was born at 31wks, so getting cervix regularly measured.
20wk scan on friday picked up an echogenic area on babys right lung so we were referred to John Radcliffe in oxford today. scan there has confirmed that baby has CCAM (congenital cystic adenomoidal malformation) / pulmonary sequestration. thankfully it seems to be of the milder form (microcystic?) and there is no sign of hydrops, nor is it putting pressure on the heart (We also had a cardio scan while we were there!). told that i would be monitored, that it may disappear, but it may also grow, and possibly would have to deliver in Oxford (rather than Northampton). then i was diagnosed with complete placenta previa - i knew placenta was anterior but this was a bit of a shock i must admit. again - close monitoring apparently, it may resolve itself, if not then it's a c-section birth for me :(
I just wondered if anyone anywhere had any experience with any of these; prolapse, CCAM, PS, Placenta Previa - and wanted to share their experiences with me?
"a little worried now" xxx

oh heck mrsb I can't help you in some of these areas, but firstly I wanted to say I'm sorry to hear that you lost your baby earlier this year. I lost my daughter at 25 weeks almost 6 years ago, so I can imagine you're pretty nervous now, especially hearing all this news. I can help you on the placenta previa front. My placenta was always low, but not covering the cervix. It was monitored all pregnancy, I was desperate to VBAC. At 36 weeks I had a final scan to decide our course of action. A major vein was 3cm away from my cervix. They couldn't tell whether it was mine or the baby's vein, but if it ruptured it could contain all the blood the baby needed. Answer for dh and I then was a c-section. Not perfect, but after losing a baby I guess that you know what is most important. I do hope that helps, I hope others have more to tell you in other areas.

thank you imip for your response, and i'm so sorry to hear you also lost a baby late into your pregnancy :(
i guess i'm reassured in that i know i'm going to be monitored closely (even more so now!) throughout the rest of the pregnancy, but it's very scary. the ccam is manageable and may not even need treatment although if it does then i will have a planned delivery at a particular hospital that specialise in that. and the previa......well that's just a little scary too, but i am aware that it can right itself, and of course like you, if there was any danger to the baby then i would have no qualms about have a c-section.

thanks for taking the time to respond, i really appreciate it xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hello, I'm 20 weeks too and I recently had a scan at 19 weeks. They do it a week earlier in Australia don't know why?? First of all he said I had placenta Previa, then he re-scanned after I'd emptied my bladder and said it had moved up a lot. He also said that I'm very early in pregnancy still and the placenta can move a fair bit between now and the end. He said not to worry at all yet and my obs will monitor. So I guess we have to try not to worry to much yet and hope the baby budges it out of the way! Because the placenta is at the front though it's really blocking me feeling movements compared to last time which is worrying me much more. :-(

Apparently, if the placenta is at the front (anterior) there is a greater chance of it moving as the uterus expands. If you aren't sure where it is attached, it should say in your notes. I understand that the biggest risk associated with placenta previa is early bleeding - in either the later part of the second trimester or early in the third. If this happens you should go to the nearest hospital asap. Just to set your mind at rest a little (at least regarding the placenta previa), I'm 36 weeks, with a complete previa (posterior) and, so far, haven't had any problems at all. We are now planning for our DS to be born in 2 weeks time by c-section. Just be a little more cautious about putting pressure on your uterus (avoid heavy lifting etc) and apparently sex can also trigger some bleeding. Just check with your consultant if there is anything you should be avoiding doing. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

thank you both of your for your responses.

HPsource - up until yesterday i'd been told that my placenta was anterior, so it was quite a shock when he suddenly diagnosed complete PP!!? wasn't expecting that one at all! he has said to avoid sex / strenuous activity - i did have a small-ish (light) bleed at 18weeks, but that was after having a pessary ring removed (that was in for my prolapse) - so i'd assumed it has just irritated and caused the bleed - he's now associating that with the PP.

Hootie - yes i was also reassured that it was still early and it could move. i've just spoken to my regular consultant (who's getting me in next monday now!) and she said they can't 'really' diagnose complete PP until about 32/34 weeks - as by then it would be less likely to move. so just hoping. i don't mind a c-section as obviously the aim is to have a healthy baby by whatever means necessary, but after a textbook birth with ds1, ds2 came 9wks early and although a natural birth he was whisked straight away to SCBU. dd1 was born sleeping at 17wks so that birth experience wasn't the best :( and now i was just hoping for the final baby to be more 'as planned' - hahaha - silly words to use in pregnancy i know!!

As for the CCAM - am driving myself insane looking at google so must stop NOW and just wait to see what the next scan shows..........

My (non-medical) understanding is that the "anterior" means that when the placenta first attached, it attached at the front. The placenta then grows and stretches during pregnancy. If it grows towards the cervix, it can end up covering the cervix resulting in complete placenta previa. It's not very common but like I said, I've had a perfectly normal pregnancy so far with no bleeding by just being careful. The only difference I am experiencing is that I know the day on which my baby will be born and a new exit route needs to be created to help get him out.

Good luck with everything and STEP AWAY FROM GOOGLE - it is not your friend!

hi HP - yes i'm most certainly taking your advice and stepping away. i have a love/hate relationship with google but it's definitely NOT my friend at the moment x

Hey Mrsbigz - almost a PG twin!,
I haven't posted a lot on my pregnancy (EDD 14/03/12 so 21+2)- and I am also from Northampton. I had a 1/15 for DS due to 3.5 NT measurement and my age (38), amnio results were fine when we finally got them (grrr - another story). Have total placenta previa at the moment - due a cardiac scan in Oxford on 17/11. Likely to have a C-section anyway due to DD1 being low birthweight and failure to progress (ended in foreceps), DD2 failure to progress and emergency section. Not too concerned about it though TBH.

Nowhere near as scared as we were at the beginning, but not out of the woods.
I agree that Google sucks mostly. I can't help it though!
Have googled CCAM too - I would stress too but sounds like the probable outcome will be very good. I have my fingers crossed for you anyway.

Anyhow- I will check in later. I believe that I am supposed to be working.

hey Beckamaw - how nice to speak to someone else from Northampton :) we've only been here a few years (not my birth town) so still getting to grips with it as i actually work in Banbury!

Sorry to hear you've been having a tough time too. FWIW the staff at Oxford are fantastic - though I would definitely arrive a little early for parking, but also be prepared for a bit of a wait for your appointment. we saw a lovely Dr called Dr Chamberlain for the scan which diagnosed CCAM, then saw a lady Dr (I forget her name but older!!) for our cardioscan.

I can understand the stress you've been under now re: the DS concerns and amnio. we lost our baby girl back in March - and she also had DS (together with massive heart problems, and a cystic hygroma all the way down her back :( ) our NT measurement with her had been 7.4mm. The staff at the AAU at Northampton are pretty good though - i'm under consultant care there now with Sue Lloyd.

I'm not massively happy about the thought of having a c-section (particularly as I may have to deliver in Oxford) but right now, as long as he arrives safely I really don't care how he gets here!!!!

So you have two girls? Do you know what this one is? We're expecting boy #3 - aaaaarrrrgghh!!! There's going to be so much testosterone in my house!!

Would be great to keep in touch, and let me know how you get on in Oxford....I'm due an appointment back there this month sometime at the Fetal Medicine Unit, so may bump into you there xxxxx

We also share a consultant, what a small world!! :)
So, you are on your third blue and I'm on my third pink! DP has one of each from previous marriage, so this one makes 5. Gulp!
Thanks for the info on Oxford.
Banbury is a bit of a trek! Presume you live near 15A? We live right by J15 at the moment but moving to Wellingborough area soon. Purely because we can't sell the house (his). Mine (where we wanted to stay) sold in a week! The law of sod I guess!!!

So, where do you go from here? Just regular scans to document progress?
Fingers crossed. It must be so scary at the moment. We are really going to spoil these little people when they are born!!! :) x

LOL - not close enough to J15A!! Live near to Weston favel Shopping centre / Riverside if you know that area. Thankfully only work 3 days a week in Banbury (and one at home).

Wow - 5 altogether - what are the age gaps? Feel slightly sorry for the one boy LOL :) and three pink for you. Do you have a name sorted out already? we think we do then will suddenly change our minds again!

Yes, know it well. Just off the A45.
My house to DPs house is A45 all the way. My favourite road!

We have DSS-14, DD -9, DSD -7, DD -4. We think we have a name, but we could still change our minds. Names are a nightmare!
We had a boy's name sorted from the start!
Poor DSS, when he heard we were having a girl he rolled his eyes and said 'Another one to jump on me!'
:)