Placenta - how far away from cervix is safe?

[Ibwatt8]

Hello! At 20 weeks I was told my placenta was low lying and was rebooked for a 32 week scan to re-check its location. I recently had this scan and it’s now measuring at 4cm away from cervix, they said it needed to be at least 2cm to not need a c section. I’m a natural worrier and so I’m wondering if this is still on the close side and how accurate the measurements can be. Has anyone got experience with this, were you told how far yours had moved away, and how did it turn out?

Mine was about 3cm and It turned out to be placenta previa. I wanted an ELCS so from that perspective it didn't matter.

Thanks for your reply, at which did they realise it was previa?

Hi i also have a low lying placenta and have been told 2cm in the minimal they are looking for.
I just had my 32 week scan yesterday and it is only 1.5cm away at the moment so I have been booked in for a section at 36+5 but have a scan the week before to check one last time if it's moved.

Did you speak to a consultant after your scan? What were their thoughts on the 4cm?

@Mally100 were you told you still needed a section at 3cm?

My placenta has been low all through pregnancy but moved by the 36w scan last week - was 3.7cm and told I could have a vaginal birth if I wanted (I don't so it's largely irrelevant) - but it sounds like yours is fine. Lots of time for it to move too, mine hadn't moved by 32w but has now.

@larrythelizard Can I ask how far away yours was at your 32 week scan?

I am also wondering whether I would still like to go ahead with the ELCS even if it has moved. I assume they would just move the section to 39 weeks if the placenta has moved. Did you just tell consultant you want to stick with a section?
Thanks

So at my anomaly Scan it was low lying and then they did another scan a few weeks after 2/3 after and confirmed Placenta Previa. I had already chosen an ELCS so it didn't matter to me.

They didn't tell anyone @MyloC to much eye rolling from the midwives and consultant but was still 'low'. Seeing the consultant next week but plan to confirm ELCS date (this is #2 and ended up with EMCS last time and keen not to repeat the full experience). I think it should be in my 39th week but guess it depends how busy the list is?

@MyloC No consultant chat afterwards as I’ve been midwife led all along. I think I would have only seen them if it was still classified as being too close after the 32 week check. The sonographer confirmed it was far enough away now. I think I just would have liked it further, the difference between 2 and 4cm doesn’t seem much!

@Mally100 Yeh this is no2 for me too and although first birth wasn't awful I had an episiotomy which took a while to heal so that's making me nervous. Now there's a section booked I sort of have it in my head that's what I want, maybe?

@Ibwatt8 I do agree that 2cm doesn't seem much I think you would be within your right to raise it again and look for reassurance.
Did they do an internal scan? The sonographer said to me that it looked like it wasn't low lying but she would double check with internal and in fact it very much was low lying.

@MyloC no, there was no mention of an internal scan! I guess it must have looked far enough away on the abdominal scan. She did show me the screen and I could see it clearly, but I’m obviously no expert!