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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Echogenic bowel??

16 replies

Mama1980 · 23/11/2012 14:11

Hi I'm in hospital currently 21+ 5 with a very high risk pregnancy. I've been bleeding continuously and blood tests have shown that I am bleeding from the placenta, and scans have shown that the placenta is very bruised and not really formed properly. My baby is looking ok for now but I'm on various drips and total bed rest. Today I was seen by a foetal medicine consultant who said the latest scans are showing a echogenic bowel, I wasn't to panic but it can be a sign of foetal distress, placental failure and/or a underlying
condition. It could also be that babe is swallowing or has swallowed blood. Thankfully cystic fibrosis is ruled out by earlier blood tests as are other serious chromosomal
defects. But does anyone have any advice or experince at all? Please. Should I be really scared?

OP posts:
RightUpMyRue · 23/11/2012 14:32

Hi Mama,

I'm currently waiting for blood test results after my 20 weeks scan two weeks ago found an echogenic bowel.

I've started a couple of threads about it, here and here. Unfortunately not much traffic on either thread but from what I've read on other websites it does appear to be a relatively common finding.

I think that with the amount of bleeding you've been having that that is the most likely culprit, particularly as you've already ruled out chromosomal abnormalities. So basically the baby has swalloed blood and it's sitting in the bowel which shows up on an ultrasound. This passes before the baby is born(he just needs a poo!!)

I take it you're in hospital at the moment? Next time you see the consultant ask him to expalin it fully to you. You shouldn't have to ask the internet when you're in hospital!

Original poster
Mama1980 · 23/11/2012 14:58

hi thanks for replying. my consultant was great i just have no one to discuss it with or whose had a simular experience iyswim? he was pretty sure the problem is the bleeding but he cant be certain. theyll just continue to moniter us.
im so sorry you are going through this too. do you know when you will get your results? i will have my fingers crossed for you.

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RightUpMyRue · 23/11/2012 16:28

We saw the consultant and had bloods done on Tuesday so hopefully within the next 10 days or so.

Waiting is tough isn't it?

Original poster
Mama1980 · 23/11/2012 17:31

Yep it's awful Sad I find the hardest thing is the relentlessness if the uncertainty, there's never any break. I really hope you get good news. X

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Original poster
Mama1980 · 30/11/2012 16:47

Hi I was just thinking of you and wondering how you are doing?
I had a repeat meeting with my consultant today who thinks in my case it is both that babe has swallowed blood and a early sign of distress. I'm 22+5 so being monitored all the time. Fingers crossed.
I hope you get good news soon.

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SoupDragon · 30/11/2012 16:57

It could also be that babe is swallowing or has swallowed blood

With DD it was this. Very scarey at the time but she was fine.

RightUpMyRue · 30/11/2012 17:09

Hi Mama, I'm OK, not great.

We've had out results back. The infection screen was clear but I was found to be a carrier for one of the common mutant CF genes. Thankfully DP isn't a carrier of any of the more common genes which cause CF but we've only been tested for the 50 most common and there are over 1500. Our baby has been given a 1/20 chance of having cystic fibrosis. We've seen a geneticist and are having further testing to find out if DP has any of the rarer mutant CF genes. Results take 2-4 weeks to come back though so more waiting. I go through stages of feeling quite positive because the chances of DP having one of these genes is low, very low but then I also have stages where I convince myself it'll be just my rotten luck that he has and our baby has CF.

I'm pretty sure we end the pregnancy if we discovered he had cystic fibrosis. The thought of this is too horrible to actually consider for long so I'm trying not to think of it.

Are you in still in hospital? You must be out of mind with boredom!

Original poster
Mama1980 · 30/11/2012 17:26

Hi right oh I'm so sorry your in for another nightmare wait! How are you holding up? Forgive my ignorance but if (highly unlikely) your dp tests positive will that mean babe has cf?
Try to hold on to the positives, the odds are in your favour- almost impossible though I know. Is you dp supportive? How many weeks are you now?
I fear I left my sanity behind some weeks ago. I'm being monitored every few hours because of risks to me as well as baby -im bleeding very heavily, so I just try to go from one monitoring to another and am reading a lot and answering a lot of mumsnet threads Smile

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Original poster
Mama1980 · 30/11/2012 17:27

Thanks soupdragon that's what I'm desperately hoping it is. I'm glad everything went well for you Smile and thanks for replying.

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RightUpMyRue · 30/11/2012 17:36

Thank goodness for MN!! Smile Are you likely to be allowed home at any point before the baby comes? 18 weeks is a looooong time to wait! I would assume you'll be induced once you closer to 36/37 weeks?

I was in hospital with pre-eclampsia with my 1st and it was awful, so noisy I got no rest and so boring I think I lost some of my sanity!

I'm also 22 weeks Smile

If DP is found to have a mutant CF gene it will mean the baby has a 1 in 4 chance of having CF. He'll have a 1 in 4 chance of being completely CF gene free and a 1 in 2 chance of being a carrier for CF (like me so perfectly healthy but with the risk of having a child with CF should he have children with another carrier).

I know the odds are in our favour but I can't help imagining the worst. It's all been a bit of a shock too, I had no idea I was carrier for CF until I got the results this week. I must have inherited it from one of my parents but no one else in my family had any inkling we could be carriers.

Original poster
Mama1980 · 30/11/2012 17:52

I can't imagine the shock :( I completely understand you can't help but imagine the worst. I will have everything crossed for good news for you. Do you know if you are having a boy/girl? Have you posted on the antenatal threads? I'm on the April/late march one and their all awesome and very supportive.
Unfortunately I don't have a hope of making 36 weeks, my situations complicated -I had my ds at 26 weeks following a car crash and a combination of factors means that I was advised to terminate this pregnancy due to risks to my health, obviously I didn't Grin I'm bleeding very heavily and I cant walk so i wont be going anywhere unfortunately. They are aiming to get me to 28/30 weeks best case scenario. Fingers crossed......

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RightUpMyRue · 01/12/2012 17:37

Wow mama, what a very difficult situation, to go through all this and then to have to go through prematurity too. You're very brave.

I'm not on an antenatal thread. I don't post a huge amount, I tend to post when I need a specific question answered or when I can answer one. You can always count on MN to answer the most random of questions Smile

We're having a boy Smile

Original poster
Mama1980 · 03/12/2012 15:47

Hi right how are you doing? I Hope your managing to stay distracted.
You kind to say I'm brave but truth is I'm scared. I don't judge anyone else ever for their decisions. But for me I couldn't have lived with myself if I didn't at least try to carry this baby. I'm 23 weeks today so just keeping everything crossed.

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RightUpMyRue · 05/12/2012 21:36

Hi Mama, I'm OK. Still trying to keep positive, wishing the time away until those results come back.

I've also hit the 23 weeks today. I can't imagine the baby coming as soon as 6-7 weeks, you've had no time to prepare! At the same time though not having to wait and getting to meet your new baby sooner rather than later is very exciting. Smile I'll bet you'll be glad to get out of hospital too!

Original poster
Mama1980 · 12/12/2012 08:42

Hello I have been asked by mama1980 to update I hope I'm doing this right. I am replying to the first threads on her list.
My nephew alexander was born by emergency c section at 2.41 this morning. He is doing well but Bec is in intensive care as she lost a lot of blood.
I'm sure she will update as soon as she s able
Sam

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RightUpMyRue · 12/12/2012 18:04

Thanks for the update Sam and congratulations on the birth on your nephew Smile

Fingers crossed all goes well and everyone is home healthy and happy very soon. xxx

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