Placenta covering os - terrified by research on the web

[memum]

I am 32 and a half weeks pregnant with my second child. I had a scan at 20 weeks and was told I had a low lying placenta but really nothing to worry about and I 'll have a rescan at 36 weeks. Baby is also breech - hence I'm pretty convinced that this time I'll be having a C - Section.
Stupidly I started looking on the internet and began to read all sorts of horror tales about blood loss etc, the need for bed rest etc. I was told nothing about this. In fact, I was told that it (placenta) would probably move.

When looking at my notes for the scan it says Placenta site: covering os. Am I right in thinking that this is full blown placenta praevia? Why was I not told of the possible complications and is not a 36 week scan a but late? Ahhh!! I'm getting scared. By the sounds of things I could bleed at any time. I have a very demanding 20 month old toddler and not sure how I am meant to take it easy looking after him!! Also the thought of being hospitalised over Xmas if I do start to bleed ........................ Was I not told all of this so that it would not cause me undue worry? Anyone else experiencing the same? I'm still not dressed (its 2:40pm! ) as I am so worried about this and barely think I'll be able to leave the house lest something happens!! (I can't drive (taking test next spring - failed 3 already!) hence push toddler in buggy everywhere - ie: STRENUOUS!!)

if your cervix is slightly covering or near the cervix there is a good chance you could deliver vaginally, but if it is half or completely covering the internal os, then you have to have a c.section as the risk of torrential bleeding is too big and too dangerous.

have you been told if it is grade 1 , 2 , 3 or 4?

so sorry, it must be really stressful especially when you have been given conflicitn information

lulu they said it is covering o/s - i think that means completely covering. they didn't give a grade but said it was unlikely to have moved. so utterly gutted at having to have a section again.

if it is totally covering the os, i think you should prepare for a c.s.

but having had conflicting advice from the registrar and midwife, don;t panic until your next scan !

Cheers lulu. I've left a message for the head consultant to try and get an idea from him. Community midwife backed up hospital midwife saying it was unlikely to move. Just to devestated as I had to have a GA last time as my blood platelet levels dropped and this seems to be happening again .

am so sorry

at least knowing in advance can help you try to prepare

How many weeks are you, hattyyellow? Can you ask for another scan now, just to clarify the situation?

Basically, the lower the placenta is, the less likely it is to 'move'. (It doesn't really move, btw, but it's just that as the uterus expands it takes the placenta with it, like a sticking plaster stuck on a balloon which you gradually inflate.)

If you do have to have a c-section, it will be a lovely calm elective section, probably done quite early though (36 or 37 weeks - no later). I know it's not what you want, but it needn't be a disaster, honestly. I had it, and although it took me a while to get my head round the fact that I wasn't going to have the lovely aromatherapy and whale music home birth that I wanted (OK, not aromatherapy and whale music really... just the home birth bit ), I can honestly say that dd's birth was amazing and wonderful and 8.5 years on I remember every moment of it as one of the two best days of my life (the other was when dd2 was born).

If your placenta is covering the os, I'd avoid sex and heavy lifting, etc. There's no need for bed-rest, though, just be sensible. I'd also have a bag packed just in case you start bleeding and need to go into hospital at short notice, and also some help with your other dcs on standby. All this may not happen, but it's good to be prepared, just in case. I also wouldn't go anywhere without my maternity notes!

Good luck. I really hope all works out well for you.

Thanks Lulu and Ellbell. I'm 29+3 weeks. My biggest dread is having to have the General Anaesthetic again if my platelets continue to drop like last time. I so badly wanted to be at least awake for this birth, even if its another section..

You're right tho, better to know now its likely than the trauma of an emergency section.

hatty... not sure about the platelets thing, sorry, but I was awake for my section. Unless the platelets cause complications, you'd only need a GA if you started to bleed massively and they had to do an emergency section. Hope that doesn't happen... Thinking of you.