Low lying placenta, advice, experiences please....

[Jaykillandhide]

I had to have a rescan today and it showed up that i have a low lying placenta. I am currently just over 20 weeks. The consultant says it can move up as the baby grows, but sometimes can be pushed further across the cervix, which would mean me having a section. I have another scan booked at 36 weeks. Anyone else had this or experiencing it at the moment, i am feeling a bit down about it, even though i know theres nothing i can do about it.

Hi
I had this with dd and by 36 weeks it had indeed moved up. Currently pg with second which showed that some was still low lying at 36 weeks but had another scan at 38 weeks and the head had engaged and moved past the bit they were worried about - am due on wednesday!!
I was miffed about possibility of a c/s after 36 week scan then warmed to the idea of having no labour before i had the 38 week scan and then suddenly had to get used to the idea of contractions again.

Don't panic yet - plenty of time and only 5% of cases don't move - but baby has to get out somehow.
Good luck

thanks taffy, must be hard to be told one thing then another. I guess its just the waiting game i have to play now, that and hoping!
Good luck for wednesday!

Try not to worry, as you've said, there's really nothing you can do anyway.

I had undiagnosed placenta previa, despite me querying the site of the placenta at every scan. After a mad dash to the hospital (nearly two hours away), despite me pleading with the anaesthatist I had to have an emergency c section under general anaesthetic , but at the end of the day the birth is just one day in the rest of your lives, and as long as you are both okay does it really matter how you got there?

Good luck for your 36 week scan, but do try not to let this spoil the enjoyment of your pregnancy

The same happened to me. Even at 32 weeks ultrasound woman told me was too low and was ready to determine I needed a c-section....
However, I refused to accept it as a done deal and asked to be rescanned yet again at 36 weeks. Was lucky that the consultant decided he wanted to do himself. It was abit awful as he did transvaginally, but decided it was low but OK.

There was a lot of bleeding during labour (which was normal), but everything was fine!

Well keep my fimgers crossed for you!

Jay, I'm in exactly your position and I think it's very common, and in most cases the placenta does move up. They've booked another scan for me at 35 weeks. I will probably have a c-section anyway, for other reasons, but it will be nice to know what my options are.

Yeh I had this too. I secretly wanted a c section because i didnt want to go through the pain of giving birth. But my placenta moved up too. Its very common. The placenta doesnt actually move. What happens is the placentas stuck firmly to the womb and as the womb grows it moves with it. Bit like drawing a dot on a balloon then blowing up the balloon the dot moves up. So its very likely it will move. I wouldn't worry about it, im sure it will all be fine. Were you told that if you havn't bled at all by the 36 week scan then its very unlikely that its low lying? Think of the bright side, you get to have another scan , although you wont see much on this one as the baby will be so big. Hope all goes well jkah.

had
it moved

had
it moved

I had this both times and fine both times, it's very common.

take care jay, I'm sure you'll be ok hun

I had this too and had a scan every couple of weeks.It moved slightly but was still partially covering at 40 weeks. I was given the option of c/s or trying for a natural birth and I went for the natural as it was my second baby. They had me ready for theatre just in case I had excessive bleeding but in the end all was fine and I had a natural delivery. So hope that helps you to worry less.

This is what I hate about scans. They put women through unecessary worry. There's no point whatsoever telling a w9oman who's 20 weeks pg that her placenta is lying low as it bears no relation whatever to the positioning of the placenta at full term.

Sorry they've put you through this unecessarily jaykillandhide. I would let them know how worried you have been. They need to think twice.

All the best with the rest of the pregnancy. [wmile]

Ahhhhh thanks ladies, its really good (if thats the right term) to hear similar stories. Its nice to know that things have worked out ok in the end for everyone. It is worrying when something is told to you then you have to wait a massive 16 weeks to find out the results.
Thanks for the reasurrance though, i will try not to dwell on it.

I had a low lying anterior placenta at 20 weeks scan....extra worrying as I was told it could 'attach to the old section scar' from last pregnancy. Which would have been bad news, even iwth a repeat section.

I was re-scanned at 28 weeks by which time it had moved up nicely - the majority of them do, apparently.

I worried and felt down, just as you do...but honestly, the odds are totally on your side. Fingers crossed for you!

Same experience here too. A low lying palcenta at 20 week scan, absolutley fine by 36 weeks completely normal delivery. I think we've managed to put yuor mind at rest a bit now

you all have, thankyou !

I'm another one who had this at 20 wk scan but it had moved by 36 wks -went on to have normal labour.