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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Low placenta at 20 week scan

18 replies

Smurftastic · 30/04/2021 16:51

Already searched for similar topics so I know it's not the end of the world, but did anyone else have similar diagnosis? What were you told?

All I was told that I have a low lying posterior placenta and will need additional scan at 32 weeks to see if it moved. When I asked what happens if it didn't move I was told I'll be having a c-section! It's my second pregnancy, my first one was uncomplicated vaginal delivery. I find a c-section a scary prospect.

I called my midwife to ask whether I should be doing/not doing anything but was told to continue as normal and call MAU if I bleed! I have to say it didn't make me feel very reassured Confused...

OP posts:
Sunny1112 · 30/04/2021 16:57

I think MW has said the right thing and I don’t think there’s any other way to put it. But this is something they would say to any women who’s rang worried. So it’s not out of the normal or necessarily to scare you.
Whilst a section is scary you just have to think that it’s the safest way for you and your baby.
Hope this makes sense and gives you abit of reliefFlowers

Original poster
Smurftastic · 30/04/2021 17:00

One of my friends had a similar situation years ago, she was told not to have sex and do any heavy or even lighter lifting- she ended up on a bed rest for months anyway. I simply cannot be doing this, I'm a SAHM to a 3yo. I think I'd rather be more careful now if I can avoid being bedridden...

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Sunny1112 · 30/04/2021 17:02

Were you told not to do the same things are your friend?

Original poster
Smurftastic · 30/04/2021 17:06

Nope I was told to 'continue as normal'. My friend is not from the same area so just wondering if it differs in different places, or perhaps hers was more severe. There are no details on my notes.

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Warrickdaviesasplates · 30/04/2021 17:10

I was told to carry on as normal until the third trimester when I was advised not to have sex or do heavy lifting, so your midwife might just tell you those things later.

I was told there's really nothing you can do about it and most times they move anyway. But I'm in the same boat of having to wait for the 32 week scan before I know anything and it's frustrating.

Sunny1112 · 30/04/2021 17:10

So I think, you would have been told not to do things if they felt it was needed.
And with you having a friend with a similar experience and ending up on bed rest you’ve scared yourself. And rightly so I would be the same. But if there was anything of importance for you and your baby they would have said.

Warrickdaviesasplates · 30/04/2021 17:11

@Smurftastic

Nope I was told to 'continue as normal'. My friend is not from the same area so just wondering if it differs in different places, or perhaps hers was more severe. There are no details on my notes.
Is yours actually covering the cervix? If your friends was covering and yours is just low then she may have been treated as a more extreme case.
Original poster
Smurftastic · 30/04/2021 17:15

@Warrick that's what I'm also wondering but there's no way of checking it really. Mine only says 'low', nothing else, but frankly I don't really feel like having sex now anyway. I'd be thinking about possible bleeding and wouldn't enjoy myself.

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sarah13xx · 30/04/2021 17:15

I have this too, same position as yours! A girl at my work had it last year and hers had moved by the next scan, it seems that a lot do. My baby was upside down at my 20 week scan so I had to go back at 23 weeks and it was at that point they said about my placenta. I have a massive fear of birth though so I’m quite happy with a section if I can get one because to me the alternative is scarier 🙈 My next scan is 32 weeks as well and I think they said another at 36 if it was still so low

sarah13xx · 30/04/2021 17:19

Also the girl in the appointment was very casual about it and I’m sure I saw the measurement and it was 12mm away from my cervix when it should have been 20mm but I had to take a placenta praevia leaflet away that said all sorts of horrific things and didn’t actually specify which one I had 🙈😂 I only know I wasn’t the worst one because I happened to see that measurement on the screen! But it did say some people are told not to exercise or have sex. I had started doing the odd pregnancy workout online the week before and it has made me ease off them a bit. The sex part hasn’t really been happening anyway but it doesn’t really put you in the mood does it 🙈

Original poster
Smurftastic · 30/04/2021 17:21

@Sarah my baby was sideways at the scan, she probably didn't have space for any other position with placenta being on the bottom. I know most of them do move, I'm really hoping mine will. I was also quite scared of a vaginal birth but frankly my first one was quite fast. I had stitches which wasn't great but I didn't find it traumatising and I'm a wimp. I just don't want to 'continue as normal' if it could possibly make it worse. Better safe than sorry I guess.

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ElderMillennial · 30/04/2021 17:22

As PP says it is only if the placenta is converting the cervix that they advice you not to do certain things, I believe. I had this at my 20 week scan and was simply told I would be scanned again at 32 weeks. I'm now 30 weeks and I also see a consultant. Neither midwife or consultant had said anything other than contact them in the event of pain or bleeding. My placenta isn't covering the cervix but I think it is that's when there can be more complications.

Speak to your midwife when you see her or give her a call. They will be able to tell you whether it was covering your cervix or not and maybe to reassure you.

Couchpotato3 · 30/04/2021 17:28

I think if it was covering your cervix, you would have been told, as that is a situation that would definitely need a Caesarean. It is quite common to have a low lying placenta at this stage, but as the lower part of your womb stretches out later in pregnancy, the position of the placenta moves up relative to the cervix, and in most cases this means the baby can get past and be born vaginally.

I had an anterior (front) low lying placenta with my first and ended up having a bleed at 28 weeks after sex. I wish I had been told to take it easy, as I could probably have avoided it if I had known that could happen. All turned out fine in the end, baby was born at 40+6 and no harm done, but it was very scary at the time.

Good luck Flowers

Original poster
Smurftastic · 30/04/2021 17:29

@Elder I don't have a midwife appointment for the next 8 weeks. I called 'her' number already, but you just get a random community midwife who only told me to do nothing about it. I don't know if my placenta is covering the cervix but I'm assuming not as I'd have been told to be more careful. I guess all I can do is wait.

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Original poster
Smurftastic · 30/04/2021 17:33

@couchpotato thank you for sharing your experience. That's exactly what I've been wondering. I'm going to avoid sex just in case of a bleed. I had some small bleeds in my first pregnancy for another reasons and found rushing to the hospital miles away terrifying.

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Chelyanne · 30/04/2021 17:37

It's not a big deal at 20wk, most move before baby arrives.

The lower of our twins had a low lying which was covering the cervix at 20wk. I had no problems with bleeding from it. I was scanned every 4 weeks as standard for a twin pregnancy and it moved enough for a natural delivery by my 32wk scan. Unfortunately she was awkward and then turned breech before my next scan so I ended up with an elcs anyway. Elcs was so much better than I expected, there is no need to fear having one.

ElderMillennial · 01/05/2021 08:23

Yes I would assume not too OP but was thinking you could check if worried

sarah13xx · 01/05/2021 08:57

Maybe it’s the placenta causing mine to be in a weird position too then! he was still upside down when I went back but they managed to do the heart measurements etc this time but needed to do an internal scan to see where the placenta was because he was in the way

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