Placenta previa

[Caz1990]

Hi all. Just wondering if anyone's had a placenta previa and when you got booked in for a C-section.
My placenta has always covered the cervix or been a max of 2mm away. Waiting on another scan in 2 weeks to see if it's moved (fingers crossed). But my consultant wants it at least 35mm away, so am just going to assume we're gunna have no choice on delivery.
We are already a high risk pregnancy, as we were misdiagnosed at the start and was wrongly given methotrexate, so from that they said we'd probably have baby before due date.

But back on subject, I'd really appreciate your stories on what you went through. Thanks you x

@Caz1990 I was initially due on the 23rd Jan and they booked me in at the beginning of December and I signed all the paperwork and booked me in for the pre tests, have tablets etc which was useful for me as they ended up bringing the c section forward due to bleeds.

@helloyou123 was it all quite straightforward then? I think I'm more nervous over the C-section itself, as I've had two normal births previously.
I've had no bleeding at all with this pregnancy, so I don't think mine is as severe as what yours was

I had abdominal scans at 34 & 36 weeks showing 20-23mm away from OS, hospital wanted a minimum of 30mm.

Told I had to be booked in for a c section between 38-39 weeks.

Call from hospital 2 days before 38 weeks to say they were fully booked for sections the following week so I had to go for an urgent internal scan at 37+6 to see how ‘urgent’ I was. Internal scan apparently showed 34mm away, hospital then refused c section even at 39 weeks & said I had to ‘attempt’ a vagina delivery...

If you want a vaginal birth, request an internal scan as it seems they’re more accurate.

@Caz1990 really straightforward. They explained everything to me and also gave me a letter explaining exactly what happened. You're high risk so you will have a AM slot, there will be a few others with you and the nurses will put you in a order they see fit. I was the first c section of the day and was told to get there for 7:30am and she was born at 10.01. There is a lot of waiting about. It was weirdly calm and extremely organised.

I actually didn't bleed until I was 35 weeks but I had a big bleed they will try and keep baby in for long as possible.

I am 32 weeks and complete placenta previa cover OS wrapping anterior and posterior and hasn't moved since first noticed at 15 weeks, I have a scan next week to assess and book section if still in place which I'm guessing it will be, had scan last week and it's never moved. I am also high risk because Baby is footling breech and I have Gestational Diabetes currently on metformin but have to go onto insulin; so they hoped delivery would be between 36-37 weeks as long as I have no bleeds, so keeping my fingers crossed.

This is DC3 for me and I had a previous c section so not too nervous for the operation I found an elective quite calm and I liked being organised.

Good luck xx

Following as I have my scan next week to check the placenta’s position! Mine has been low lying and abutting all the way through and baby hasn’t been able to get head down - last week she was breech but think she has now moved again. I am also high risk due to high blood pressure (prior to getting pregnant) and age, all mine were born at 39 weeks naturally and last 2 were FAST! I will only be 34 weeks when I have the scan but the final decision will then be made, they don’t want to leave the placenta any longer to move 🤷🏼‍♀️

I have also had 3 natural births so the thought of a csection terrifies me too (especially in the summer holidays having 3 kids!)

Yeh I'm having a regular and internal scan at the next appointment. My baby won't go head down either, she keeps switching positions, which I didn't think was possible so late on.
I'm kinda swaying more to a C-section either way, just so it reduces a lot of risks. Would of loved to push, but I'm getting scared that the placenta will move back over.
Next scan is at 36 weeks, I'm 34+1 now. So I'm assuming it won't be long after that scan that they'll book me in, if the placenta is still being awkward.
I just feel so unprepared 🙍

@Caz1990 baby switching positions (like ALL THE TIME) is making me feel quite unwell! I’ve never experienced anything like this with my others! They were all head down at 20 week scan and stayed that way lol!
I also keep thinking an ELCS would be safer, just don’t want to have one in summer holidays if I can help it! Will have to see what happens with my scan I suppose! My consultant appt isn’t actually until I’m 36 weeks so even though I will find out about placenta next week the consultant won’t physically do anything for another 2 weeks (or book csection or induction or whatever!) all the not knowing is driving me mad! Never felt so unprepared with the others, my mw even says no point in birth plans or anything until we know more 🤦🏼‍♀️ And I don’t really know what to pack in my bag either because I was in and out with my others so didn’t need much lol! Obvs if I’m staying longer (I hope not in this heat) I will need much more things but I just don’t know!
On the plus side I asked about placenta moving and apparently not much risk of it moving back once it’s moved up if that makes sense! It’s pretty much unheard of! I think the analogy was to stick a plaster on a new balloon near to where you blow into then blow it up and see where the plaster ends up (if that makes sense) it doesn’t have the ability to move back towards the opening once it’s blown up (the plaster is representing the placenta and the balloon is the womb with the part you blow into representing the baby’s exit route - hope ive explained that right 😂)

@Lexyness ahaha yeh I understand that explanation. I think that's why I'm having the internal scan next. As one technician said it was abutting, the one after said it was fully covered n now it's abutting again 🤷😂 so some must of been deflating my balloon 😂
But I know what you mean, my other two, even though I was induced (waters went with no contractions), it was still really straight forward. Where as this, it's completely having my life! I've kinda just packed general stuff, and I'm hoping my partner or someone will bring more of my stuff if needed...
My consultant is at 36 weeks too, wonder why they're making you have a scan earlier. I think every area is different though 🤷
I was trying to read up about it online and in some places they do the section as early as 34 weeks, but I'm assuming that's more for women who have had bad bleeding... Thankfully I've had none.
You'll have to keep me posted on how you get on n what's said at the next scan x

I’ve had no bleeding either. My scan is at 34 weeks because I was already booked in for a growth scan so they’ve tagged it onto that rather than book me another I suppose. But they did tell me the decision would be made by the outcome of this scan though! However it also depends on growth etc as well I suppose, my consultant seemed to think the growth would tail off as I’ve had 2 sfga! I think this is my biggest baby yet though lol!
If my placenta has moved but she remains breech/transverse I’ll be having another scan at 36weeks anyway to double check and then they will consider ECV! With so many variables I’m just wondering whether to ask for a csection lol! I literally don’t know if I’m coming or going, and with each appointment I have, a new ‘risk’ seems to develop and there’s more of the unknown 🙈 I’ll let you know what they say next week, and keep me updated too lol x

Wow your pregnancy sounds so much like mine 😂 same with growth scans, placenta and position of baby 😂
I was same yesterday, seems to be easier if we kinda just decide to have one. Then plus it's more our choice as well, less risk as well. I'm so scared that they'll say placenta has moved, but not enough and then I'll bleed out during labour... I freak at everything 😂😂😂
Thanks you, I will too, due to see mine on the 8th July so a little while for me x

@Lexyness how did you get on?
We had emergency csection on 1st July

@caz1990 I was given the all clear re placenta at 34 weeks and with the other complications was booked for induction at 38+4 but my little lady made a very fast appearance 2 days before that!
Had the growth scan 2 days before she was born and they estimated her weight to be 6lb13 but when she arrived she was only 5lb10 so that shows how wrong their predictions are! She is 4 weeks old today and now weighs her predicted birth weight 🤣
Hope all is going well with you and your little one x

@Lexyness oh brilliant, atleast she wasn't too early. Did the delivery go well? So nice to hear she's doing well :D
My little one is 9 weeks on Monday, she dropped centiles with her weight, but she's picked it back up now thankfully. She was 5 week early n weighed 6lb 2oz, so kinda glad I didn't go to term or she'd of been a mini beast haha x

It was all a bit of a shock tbh, I had no labour signs whatsoever and then at 8.14pm I said I thought I might have had a contraction, within half an hour I told my husband we had to get to the hospital NOW! Had to arrange my other 3 kids to be looked after etc then Kept getting cut off from delivery suite but managed to make it clear the baby was coming and quickly - except that we live an hour away from the hospital - husband went through every red light and in every bus lane at high speed so we are now awaiting a ticket of some description! Put it this way, with tourist traffic, if I’d have gone into labour 12 hours later I would’ve delivered on side of the road!
Literally no subsidence with the contractions and when we got there they had never seen the monitor show such strong contractions, my blood pressure was also dangerously high so they came rushing in with bp meds, cannula to put in and the clip on baby’s head plus were going to make my waters whilst there - except there was no time for that, they just told me to push, 3 pushes and she arrived, 2&1/2 hours after the first contraction!
She is just the most perfect little bundle though!
Wow can’t believe how much your little one weighed so early lol, glad she is doing well now, it’s crazy how fast the weeks have gone already 😱 x