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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

retained placenta first time round, now pregnant again...

21 replies

lummox · 23/07/2006 17:13

does anyone know whether it is more likely to happen again with a second pregnancy?

i'm trying to weigh up home birth/birth centre options and would be grateful if anyone has any experience.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Miaou · 23/07/2006 17:30

Ooooh I asked this question fairly recently lummox - I'll see if I can find the thread because there was some good advice on it, including from Mears. Hold on...

Miaou · 23/07/2006 17:34

Here you go

Miaou · 23/07/2006 17:35

Not sure how relevant it is though, lol

Marne · 23/07/2006 18:08

I had it with dd1 but not dd2.

Original poster

lummox · 23/07/2006 18:36

thanks miaou. very interesting.

i did have a syntocin jab but still had to have the full monty epidural and theatre bit to get the placenta out. was a bit peed off as had managed the actual labour and birth with gas and air and was feeling all earth motherish until that point (in a haven't slept for 3 days kind of way).

marne - that's good to know.

any other experiences?

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KTeePee · 23/07/2006 18:51

lummox, like you I had a relatively "easy' birth with ds1 (my second baby) and then had retained placenta, which kind of spoiled things a bit. With ds2 I was not allowed to book into the stand-alone birthing centre near me because of the history but could book into one which was part of a regular maternity hospital. I didn't have any problems with retained placenta with ds2

Original poster

lummox · 24/07/2006 07:48

thanks for that KPT. did they give you any details (stats about the risk or similar) when they refused to let you use the birth centre, or did they just refuse?

also (hope you don't mind me asking) did you have the syntocin jab with either/both of the deliveries?

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KTeePee · 24/07/2006 12:47

Just refused - it would have been an ambulance transfer from the birthing unit to a hospital if there had been any complications so I could see their point. Wouldn't have wanted to risk it myself tbh. I had the jab with all my deliveries.

Without going into all the ins and outs of it, I think when I had the retained placenta the hospital I was at was struggling a bit with staffing (and the maternity unit closed shortly afterwards) and I feel that was a contributing factor

Original poster

lummox · 24/07/2006 19:48

Thanks for that. The birth centre I'm planning is only a few yards from a big teaching hospital, so I don't think a transfer would be the end of the world. But if it is highly likely, then maybe I should just do the whole thing in the hospital?

OP posts:

Greensleeves · 24/07/2006 19:53

I had a retained placenta with my first (so I understand why you don't want to go through it again ) but not with my second. The placenta came out easily and painlessly with my second.

Good luck with yours xx

KTeePee · 25/07/2006 07:01

Lummox, if the birthing centre is that close to the hospital, they may be more agreeable to you going there, than mine was. Have you talked to any midwifes at the birthing centre? If it was me, and there were no other factors to consider, I would probably try for the birthing centre rather than a home birth or hospital birth.

Divvy · 25/07/2006 10:21

hi...sorry to gate crash, but my 2nd child had retained placenta, and had to have manual removal.

on my 3rd labour..the midwife held off the syntocin jab for as long as she felt safe to.....and it wasnt retained I am pregnant with my 4th now...and will ask for this to be done again.

Original poster

lummox · 26/07/2006 21:01

not gatecrashing at all divvy. thanks for your reply (and for all the others).

thus far nobody has had retained placenta twice, which is heartening.

OP posts:

Olihan · 26/07/2006 21:08

Oh god, sorry to say this, have just read your final post.....my friend had a retained placenta with both her dt's and her subsequent dd. They were her 3rd and 4th pregnancies after an 8 year gap so I don't know whether she had the same problem with her 2 ds's.

Have you talked to your midwife about the likelihood of it happening again and any ways of avoiding it/ minimising the risk?

Original poster

lummox · 30/07/2006 19:35

doh - knew i shouldn't have come back to check this thread. olihan, maybe it's more common with twins (am horribly ignorant and don't know whether twins have a placenta each or share one .

i asked my GP who said that he is pretty sure he did once know something about this, but he has forgotten. which was really helpful.

the midwife i spoke to said that she has never come across it, but she is very newly qualified.

the only thing i have read that is relevant is that vets(!) apparently give extra selinium and magnesium to cows and sheep in order to reduce the risk of RP. but i have no idea whether it would be safe for me to take supplements of those things, or even deliberately try to up them in my diet?

OP posts:

DrFerguson · 14/04/2009 09:37

I had a retained placenta with my first child and am also now expecting my second.
It is more likely that if it happens the first time it will happen the second time unfortunately. However this does depend on why the placenta was retained the first time round. If it was due to the cervix clamping down too quick and trapping the placenta, yo may be advised to have a physiological 3rd stage (so allow it to come out naturally rather than have an injection) if the placenta was broken into pieces or was too far embedded in the uterus lining then it is likely you will be referred to a consultant during pregnancy to discuss your options for labour. 9times out of 10 you will be encouraged to hav the injection immediately after giving birth and may still need surgery to remove it completely. its oneof those things that you cant prevent unfortunately!

DrFerguson · 14/04/2009 09:39

Also, just to say, if you have had a retained placenta a home birth is not advisable. You can have one, but if your placenta is retained again you will be rushed to hospital and will lose more blood.
It is advisable to be in a hospital where people are on hand to deal with the situation should it arise

1istrulyscrumptious · 14/04/2009 17:03

You could try a natural 3rd stage. let your body remove the placenta itself in its own time. A few minutes after a midwife injects you with synto, cord contraction needs to start and the placenta gently pulled from you as the uterus contracts. I believe this can result in retained placenta.. In natural 3rd stage yu can request if they notice severe bleeding they can always jab you then. syntometrin works very quickly and efficintly when needed but is used to often used for placenta removal, not blood loss control as its designed for. Hope this helps good luck..

Pinkbump3 · 14/04/2009 19:52

Just to say i had a retained placenta with my first dd ended up with a horrendus infection after the birth as well, but with my dd2 it came away ok and everything was great. I'm getting induced 2mrw with #3 so hoping everything will be fine again!

MuffinBaker · 14/04/2009 19:53

I had one with my second baby but not my third. In my case probably caused by my section. Retained placentas happen more after sections.

Springflower · 14/04/2009 20:32

I'm another one who had a retained placenta with my first but not with second or third. I have a bicorneate uterus so I think that makes it slightly more common.

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