Low-lying placenta over section scar i

[Letmegetthisrightasawoman]

I had DS by planned section two years ago and am currently my 20 weeks pregnant. My placenta is anterior and low lying, covering my section scar. Has anyone experienced this?

My main concern is placenta accreta (read somewhere that women over 35 in my situation have a 40% chance of this???), for which I will have a scan at 24 weeks with a consultant radiologist. I'm also a bit concerned about the placenta still being low-lying, as this is still a risky situation, even if I have another section. They'll scan me for this at 32 weeks.

Very interested to hear other people's experiences!

No one?

Hi OP. Certain situations do increase the risk of Placenta Accreta, but it is still very rare. The statistic you gave doesn't sound right, but i am no expert, so worth asking your consultant. The stats are 1 in thousands generally I think. If your risk of PA is raised, they should be able to get a specialist to diagnose it one way or another at a scan. You would probably need a slightly earlier (about 37 weeks) c section if this PA were diagnosed. A low lying placenta and one that is covering scar tissue do both raise the risk of PA, but it still doesn't mean this will happen. But if it is the case, they will be prepared, with extra blood on standby. The possibility of a hysterectomy is present if PA means bleeding is very severe. How do you feel about that? Please do discuss your worries with your consultant.

I am due my 4th section, and I have a low lying placenta too. It's posterior though so not covering the scar. I know it's worrying but the professionals are well prepared for these issues, especially when they know in advance of either a diagnosis or an increased risk.

Please do message again if you'd like to chat about it.

Hi! Thanks for replying. I was ok reading what the RCOG says, but then another website (which also seemed legit, but maybe not so) painted a much more doom and gloom picture.

Our first became very poorly a few days after birth and spent 8 days in SCBU. Had that not been the case, I think I might be less worried now. As it stands, I know how shit having a baby in hospital is, and that's not helping me at the moment.

According to the RCOG, babies with PA are usually delivered around 35-36 weeks and those with PP are delivered around 36-37 weeks. Do you work in the field? You just sound so relaxed, I wish I was Have you had PP/ PA with previous deliveries?

I know the professionals will be really well-prepared, but I think needing a blood transfusion in theatre would still be quite scary. Would they give me a GA if it came to that? Just not sure my husband would cope very well either. Added to all this is that if I do have PA, all my care would be in a hospital in a bigger town. It's not far away, but I don't drive and it would be much more of a faff for my husband and son to visit if I had to be admitted in late pregnancy.

I really don't a hysterectomy as we are not convinced this is our last and I would feel robbed of a part of my female identity, even though I wouldn't look any different on the outside. However, I think hysterectomies are carried out as a last resort only I believe, and if it's that or death the choice is simple.

I wasn't sure if I'd got over the trauma of having an I'll baby last time, and I had awful anxiety in my first pregnancy. I was doing so much better this time round, but now I'm just scared by all the what-ifs. I should find out more in a few weeks, when I see the consultant radiologist to check for PA. I wish that was sooner though...

I'm sorry this situation is making you feel so anxious. As mothers, we're suckers for punishment, aren't we?
I don't work in medicine, but I work with women in a perinatal capacity (support/education etc). I've been reading more about both placenta previa and accreta (they often seem to go together). I've also seen more sources now that suggest delivering baby early in the case of PA is likely, a bit earlier than the 36/37 weeks I saw when I last looked into it. It seems that they would try to do it by this time, rather than at this time.

As for your situation, I think that 8 or 9 times out of 10, a placenta that is found to be low lying at the 20 week scan, will have moved further up at later scans as the uterus grows. Fingers crossed your placenta does just that! But if PA is eventually diagnosed, it's very positive that it is known about in advance as it can be managed and planned for, with the expert team ready and a plan in place for all eventualities. It is getting more and more common these days, so is something that hospitals are well used to dealing with. I'm not certain that a GA would be necessary for a blood transfusion. It certainly would for a hysterectomy, but I think it would be possible to remain awake during a transfusion, although that is definitely one to ask your consultant. From what I understand, I think a hysterectomy would only be done if absolutely necessary, in the case of severe bleeding that was difficult to manage in other ways. I understand too your feelings when you say the thought of a hysterectomy would affect your identity as a woman. I felt the same, but on further reading, it seems that it's only a partial hysterectomy normally, leaving cervix and ovaries intact, meaning that all the usual hormonal changes would continue to happen as usual, even down to periods etc usually. However, if you are not sure you're done with having children, that is definitely worth mentioning to your consultant so that they are doubly aware that a hysterectomy should be last resort only.

I know it's hard, but try to put it out of your ming until your layer scan, when you will know more. Hopefully your placenta will behave and move up and away from your scar!

No, I haven't had either PP or PA with any of my three previous deliveries. But this time I do seem to tick lots of 'at risk' boxes (age, previous multiple c sections, low lying placenta, fibroids etc), so I'll certainly be having a big conversation with my consultant too in two weeks time!

I was diagnosed as possible PA with definite PP by scan. Had a CS at 38 weeks, but otherwise was treated exactly as I was in my first pregnancy (also CS).

It turned out I didn't have PA. It's pretty rare so there were lots of observers in the operating theatre. They all looked bitterly disappointed when it turned out I was fine! 😂😂

Hey, I was wondering how things turned out for you? I am in the same situation right now at 17 weeks.