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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Anterior placenta?

36 replies

Cafeaulait27 · 04/04/2021 06:58

Hi all, I had my 12 week scan earlier in the week and was relieved that everything looked normal, it’s the furthest I’ve ever got with a pregnancy.

However I noticed on the scan report that I have an anterior placenta, which wasn’t discussed at all. I briefly googled and saw that it says this is a perfectly normal place for it to be and isn’t a concern, and I know the sonographer or midwife would’ve spoken to me about it if it was.

However I googled again last night and saw a study which said it can cause small babies or even stillbirth due to potential restricted blood flow.

Should I be worried? Does anyone have any stories of their experience with an anterior placenta?

Thank you xx

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India999 · 04/04/2021 07:03

Hi, I had anterior placenta in my last and current pregnancy (successful pregnancy and currently 22 weeks with 2nd) and it is normal. You just have to be careful with checking for reduced movements as you will likely feel movement later and less frequently, because the placenta cushions the feeling. I ended up being induced with my first pregnancy because of reduced movements but it's not to say that ever anterior placenta pregnancy ends in induction at all or that was the only cause. It's perfectly normal. The placenta has to implant somewhere!

Congrats on your pregnancy!

Fuckitaaaallllll · 04/04/2021 07:06

I had it with both of mine, I don't think the midwives mentioned it but it was in my notes.

I didn't feel movement until quite late along which is totally normal but annoying when you're first wanting to feel kicks.

Mine were both back to back which I don't know if it is related to anterior but nothing else jumps out at me as being unusual. Quite different pregnancies despite the placenta being in the same place for both.

Apart from attempting a 4d scan at 30+ weeks with my first, it wasn't easy or pretty, I saved my money second time around.

Congratulations!!

Persipan · 04/04/2021 07:11

It's really, really normal. Just be aware that it can mean you don't feel movement as early or as clearly (midwives were forever asking me what position my baby was in and I'd be like '... Dunno? He's just a big blob?').

Original poster

Cafeaulait27 · 04/04/2021 07:18

Thank you so much guys this is reassuring.

How many weeks were you when you started to feel movement? Did it worry you?

Also did you find you had to have more internal scans? My 12 week one ended up being mostly internal as the sonographer couldn’t get a good view abdominally. Xxx

OP posts:

BusySittingDown · 04/04/2021 07:21

I had one with my first baby - I'm glad I never heard this as I was already paranoid and it would have sent me over the edge! I googled myself to death over everything so I'm surprised I didn't read it and the midwives/sonographer never said so I assumed that it was fine.

But anyway, I had a great pregnancy and she was born at 40+1, very healthy.

You don't feel them move as early due to being cushioned by the placenta. I didn't really feel her until 21 weeks and I had a private scan at 26 weeks where she was moving away and I couldn't feel it! I felt her enough to know that she was ok though, if that makes sense. As with any pregnancy, you need to keep an eye on it.

She was back to back which is more likely with an anterior placenta as apparently they like to be facing it but otherwise all was fine with her. She's 13 now!

BusySittingDown · 04/04/2021 07:28

Just missed your last comment re scans. I didn't have to have internal scans but at my 12 week scan I was told that I have a retroverted womb (or did have, not sure if pregnancy can sometimes correct it) so she did have a bit of trouble. She was basically scanning my pubic region - she was so low down! Wouldn't phase me now at my age but 14 years ago, before children, I was mortified 😂 .

THATbasicSNOWFLAKE · 04/04/2021 07:33

Ive had one baby with an anterior placenta and am also currently 27 weeks with another

The baby i have already had weighed in at 8lb 6oz when born during the 39th week. She was my easiest birth by far.

No extra scans and wasn't back to back!

I did start feeling movements later however this time (baby 6) i felt them very early despite the anterior placenta and have lots of movement now!

disneymad85 · 04/04/2021 07:34

I had an anterior placenta and everything was fine. She was a large baby (over 9lb) and was a very smooth sailing pregnancy,

I did have some reduced movements at the end of the pregnancy but I think she ran out of room rather than it being due to the placenta. I generally felt loads of movement and you could see belly move etc

CeeceeBloomingdale · 04/04/2021 07:37

I did with both of mine. It was quite unremarkable although they were both back to back.

RebeccaCloud9 · 04/04/2021 07:38

I had it with both of my pregnancies. I felt movement myself really early on, but felt from the outside a bit later than 'normal' ie was harder for my dh to feel. And I didn't ever get any of the 'oh look I can see a whole foot poking my belly'.

eternalflame2020 · 04/04/2021 07:47

Yes, nothing to worry about and more common than you'd think!

I felt consistent movement from around 28 week.

Baby has been head down with back facing forward since 28 weeks so not necessarily going to mean they are back to back.

Try not to worry as it sounds like your 12 week scan went well and they would have discussed any concerns with you then.

ShadierThanaPalmTree · 04/04/2021 07:56

I had an anterior placenta. It meant that movements were harder to feel until later in the pregnancy (by 3rd trimester I definitely knew she was there 👀😂) also I didn't feel her "drop" before I went into labour (had plenty of other signs though). Apart from that, everything else was completely normal. My first scan was internal, and after that all scans were normal.

Congratulations op 💐

jupitermars1345 · 04/04/2021 08:32

I'm 30 weeks with my second baby .
I've had anterior placentas both times

With this baby I could feel the odd movement between 19-24 weeks but it wasn't until about 27 weeks I really started to feel a lot of movement every day.
I can feel body parts poking through my belly now and see my belly move through my clothes and she moves a lot.

Have never heard of it being a more likely cause of still birth .
I've only ever had it's linked to more back to back labour .
Its a perfectly normal place for it to implant. They can implant anywhere in your womb.

BrumBoo · 04/04/2021 08:34

All three of my successful pregnancies have had an anterior placenta.

Didn't have one internal scan, had very good bith weight (last was 8 pounds 7), pretty straight forward births, have no health issues etc. I did/do find it harder to count kicks until the last trimester though, especially if they moved into my back. However, I always took/take 5 minutes every day to make sure I've felt something.

My current one is measuring towards the 90th centile. So much for smaller babies....

Chelyanne · 04/04/2021 08:56

I was told I have my 1st anterior placenta at 20wk.
This is baby 6 for us and I could feel movement before my dating scan at 13wk. I was worried that her movements were a lot less at the same stage than our others before the scan but she still moves lots (it just feels different). I don't think much will be felt on the outside until she's much bigger and only at the sides of bump, a shame for older siblings and dh.
Plenty of people have perfectly healthy pregnancies with an anterior placenta so don't worry too much.

Chelyanne · 04/04/2021 09:02

RE scans Q.
I have a retroverted uterus which has got worse with each pregnancy, had some big singletons and big twins last time. If I have scans before 12wk they struggle to see with abdominal. I've had them twice at 8wk, our twins they could see abdominally as they brought the uterus forward earlier due to size of them. The other was a singleton so they had to do internal and I had to put clenched fists under my hips, have to do the fist thing for smear tests too. Carrying a fair bit of fat around my belly hasn't been an issue for the abdominal scans.

Original poster

Cafeaulait27 · 04/04/2021 10:00

@Chelyanne that’s interesting, it was mentioned in passing that my uterus may be tilted and that’s why she couldn’t get a good view, and it was then on my report about anterior placenta.

I’m slim but she still had to do an internal, which is fine as I’ve had quite a few now.

It’s interesting what you say about smear tests - I often have to put my fist underneath me too. No one ever mentioned any problems with my uterus angle but they often seem to struggle so maybe that’s it.

Thank you!

OP posts:

THATbasicSNOWFLAKE · 04/04/2021 10:04

@Chelyanne, i'm 27 weeks with #6 and anterior placenta, movement can be felt and seen on the outside all over my bump except the lower part under my belly button which is i assume where the placenta is. Has been like this for a few weeks now

DelurkingAJ · 04/04/2021 10:06

Both DSs were anterior. Both fairly large (4kg) and healthy (41 and 42 weeks but both arrived under their own steam).

Chelyanne · 04/04/2021 10:19

Any future scans should be much easier for them to do with abdominal scans as everything will move in to a normal position as baby grows.
My dating scan was at 13wk and they had no problem then, had a private one at 16+4 and anomaly at 20wk and they've managed to see everything they needed to.

Original poster

Cafeaulait27 · 04/04/2021 10:25

@Chelyanne also I’m amazed that you felt movement at 13 weeks!! What did it feel like??? Xx

OP posts:

Chelyanne · 04/04/2021 10:27

@THATbasicSNOWFLAKE good to know.
Not sure exactly where mine is atm, it can't be low though as they would have mentioned it as I have cs scar from our twins. I keep checking for movement with my hand when I feel her wriggling, my extra padding doesn't help.

Moominmiss · 04/04/2021 10:29

I’m 16 weeks with number 4 and have an anterior placenta. I think it’s fairly common.

I have felt some movements for a few weeks but they are few and far between in comparison to my previous pregnancy.

I’ve not had any issues with any scans and all abdominal ones have been lovely and clear. So perhaps that side of things is related to your uterus and the fact it may be slightly tilted?

I’ve even been able to find baby’s heartbeat really easily with a Doppler. I had never used one in previous pregnancies and would never have bought one but my friend gave me hers to try. I was wary due to my placenta potentially blocking things but it’s not caused an issue so far.

I will be having a c section and have been told it would only be an issue if the placenta is low, which it isn’t.

JJSS123 · 04/04/2021 10:33

Hey! I had an anterior placenta with my first child and I’m currently 14 weeks and have it with my second too.

I didn’t know I had an anterior with my first until I had a private gender scan and the man told me. It was written in my notes on my nhs 12 week scan but I didn’t know what it was, I wasn’t told this time either I just asked.

I haven’t had any issues my movements weren’t massively strong until 20+ weeks I did feel him but I’d go a few days without and I think that is normal AT THAT STAGE but I was concerned a few times and rang the midwife at the hospital and they had me in to check with a Doppler which was more for my peace of mind than anything else. I had no problems later on in pregnancy and delivery and baby was perfect.

Good luck! X

Chelyanne · 04/04/2021 10:37

[quote Cafeaulait27]@Chelyanne also I’m amazed that you felt movement at 13 weeks!! What did it feel like??? Xx[/quote]
I knew the baby movements because they were a bit scratchy, may be due to damaged nerve ending from elcs. I though she was head down before my anomaly scan because all the movement low down was scratchy and that was her hands up by her head. I feel obvious kicks to the side going toward my ribs now and it's an odd sensation when I think she is rotating her body around. The early movements can be mistaken for gut rumblings but they get stronger and more obvious as the pregnancy progresses. The different types of movement are quite hard to describe, they're familiar movements to me because I've had so many now. It's fascinating to watch bump move when they are quite big, was crazy with our twins as there was so much going on when they were both awake.

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