Stress and placenta growth

[harrowgreen]

Does anyone know how/if the two are related?

DC#3 was born Christmas Day, after being induced at 38wks. She had stopped growing and I'd had repeated bouts of reduced movement, so we decided to get her out.

When she was born we saw that the placenta was small, funny looking (not smooth like normal, but kind of like diced meat), 'pale' (according to my notes) and that the cord had inserted itself incorrectly into the membranes (velamentous cord insertion). So getting her out was totally the right thing to do. The placentas for #1 and #2 were healthy.

Speaking with the midwife yesterday, she suggested that high stress could have caused the poor placenta (I don't smoke/drink/take drugs etc): I had a very stressful pregnancy with moving continents, leaving friends, living somewhere I don't like etc.

We're not planning more children, but right now I'd be too scared to anyway, in case this placental problem happened again and wasn't picked up.

Does anyone know if stress levels are likely to have affected the placental growth, or is it more likely just to have been one of those things?

Interesting. I have had a period of severe stress (although it's hard to compare stressful events so maybe not as severe as your's) but midwife said it shouldn't cause any problems. At the moment baby is a bit big and very active -nothing's been mentioned about the placenta.

I'm not sure if she said it just to give me something to blame/a reason for the poor growth, since none of the normal explanations (smoking etc) applied, or whether it was an actual contributing factor.

It's not going to change what happened, but should I ever have another, I'd like to have some idea of the reason for it, otherwise I think I'd go mad with worry about it happening again.

Hhhhmm not sure about this theory tbh. I went through a very stressful time when I was carrying DD- had the London riots which hit very close to home, long stressful commutes daily and my grandad who raised me died when I was heavily pregnant. DD was overdue weighing in at 9lbs, placenta was normal and healthy. Maybe it does affect it and I was lucky, but I'm pretty sure a lot of woman go through majorly stressful situations when pregnant and go through to have healthy babies and no problems with their placenta. Might just be something the midwife said to try and find a reason.

Hi Op the only way I can think they are related are by stress affecting BP , but this would have shown up ?
My placenta was infarcted in my 1st pregnancy I didnt find out until I delivered my son.
I had abdo pain so had a dopler which didnt show anything plus I was polyhydramnious also a red flag .
Thankfully I went into labour natrually early otherwise I was told the outcome would have been different.
I am on my 3rd pregnancy at 34 + wks it is in the back of my mind but I would know what to look out for so chilling now.
Take care and dont worry about would could have caused it just enjoy your baby . x

Thanks - not sure if I'm wanting the two to be linked or not. Am struggling not to blame myself for it: keep thinking that I should maybe have done less / forced myself to rest more etc etc. But am also trying hard to enjoy my (probably last) baby :)