What a anterior placenta ?

[Wedding2018]

just been to my 20 weeks scan,all normal but the scanner said i have a anterior placenta, what is it ? Thanks

It just means the placenta is at the front of your uterus rather than the back. Usually not a big deal, it can move to the back and even if it doesn't, it shouldn't cause any problems. I had an anterior placenta which did move by the time ds was born. It may stop you feeling movement early on.

Thanks it my first baby,so just worried

It’s ok OP, nothing to worry about. I have an anterior placenta - it just means it’s at the front of your womb, rather than the back. It’s less common but not rare - about 25% of women have anterior placentas.

The main consequence is you might not feel your baby kick until later than women with posterior placentas. I started feeling kicks at around 20 weeks but it might be even later than that. It’s only a cause for concern if you haven’t felt movements by 24 weeks, in which case you will be offered a reassurance scan.

It doesn’t affect your pregnancy or birth in any way - you can still have a vaginal birth, water bath, epidural etc.

If you have any concerns then chat to your midwife, but it’s nothing to worry about

Hi @Wedding2018 I had an anterior placenta in my first pregnancy, as far as safety/complications/labour are concerned, it’s absolutely nothing to worry about. It’s literally just the point at which your placenta has attached to your uterus.

As others have said, the only difference is that you May feel less movement as baby is essentially kicking a cushion, rather than your body. I found that as my pregnancy progressed and baby got bigger I felt more kicks but I still went into triage a couple of times to check reduced movements (all OK, baby was wriggling away but I just couldn’t feel it except in certain positions)

Basically anterior means front, posterior means back, so an anterior placenta is just one attached to the front of your womb, rather than the back. It might muffle your baby's movements a bit so that you don't feel them as much, but otherwise it doesn't affect anything.