Placenta Praevia and inappropriate GP

[Becks1978]

i girls
Hope you and bumps are doing ok. I posted last week about fact I had some spotting (cervical erosion) and they found at scan I have placg todown and tryinenta praevia (complete).
My Midwife and a friend of the family who is a chief midwife have explaine dit to me and its very scary but thay have put positive slants on it, reassuring me that 99% of mothers and babies are fine with PP esp when it is early diagnosed and managed correctly.
I have though been extremely anxious anyway, esp as had mc last yr, and could do without the extra stress!

Anyway Iwas just settling down and trying to get a grip on my stress level/emotions (hormones so dont help) when i went to see my GP yest to sign me off for 1 more week as sickness hasnt gone totally yet. She was such a nightmare and so inappropriate i think.Some of the things she said were;

1, "With placenta praevia you might bleed like a 'stuck pig'"

1. "You should know names, nos of all labour wards/gynae units of all hospitals near where you go (ie if you go to a party, away for wkend etc) as you may not have much time to get there"
2. "If you have a late miscarrage you might be in trouble. You wouldnt be able to miscarry naturally with pp and would need surgical intervention"

OMG! I am only 16 weeks pg and was told by midwife to carry on as normal til 20 week scan and then i would be under an obs/gynae consultant who would manage my care. I got home yesterday and thought i should either plan my own funeral or consider a termination!!!! The Gp totally freaked me out on every level.

Would you make a complaint?

Becky xx

Definitely make a complaint! How insensitive and inflammatory.

OMG how insensitive.
i would def make a complaint.

just to reassure you..........my sister had pp (also had a previous mc as you have) and she carried her pregnancy through without any problems.

Sounds like she was lacking in bedside manner, but the second one sounds like sensible advice. But I accept it could be a matter of tone.

Please don't be scared! I had pp, it was confirmed at 20 week scan and the first trouble i had with it was at 32 weeks when i started bleeding. Sounds like your gp went for the factual rather than sensitive approach!

PP isn't an exact thing as each case is different, some women will bleed, some won't, sometimes the placenta can move out of the way, sometimes it won't, if it doesn't you may need a section (I did). The important thing is you and the docs are aware of your situation and you will shortly be under obs/gynae care. When i was taken into hospital with bleeding the docs were really on the ball and i was monitored extremely closely, scanned regularly etc. It's something they won't take any risks with. And if you DO have a bleed (heavy but painless and to be honest i wish i HAD been forewarned of how heavy it might be) just call an ambulance.

Now, relax! I find lots of choc really useful for stress.....

Becks- I agree with Pollyblue. Relax.

I had PP with DD (DC2), was confined to hospital for the last 2 months and she was delivered by ECS following a massive bleed.

It was very stressful, BUT, she survived it and is now 4yrs old. And despite constant warnings that they would most likely have to remove my uterus, I have delivered 2 more DC (vaginally) since then.

I would suggest that you keep a mobile phone in your pocket at all times, have the numbers of hsopitals to hand... and then do your best to forget about it.

Oh, and at 16 weeks it is very, very likely that as your uterus grows the placenta will be taken with it and 'move out of the way' so to speak.

I had a grade four PP at 32 weeks and it moved to a grade two at 39 weeks, but not enough to have a normal delivery.

16 weeks is far too early to be panicking about a PP.

Your GP was out of order with comments 1) and 3) but I think 2) is sensible advice for any pregnant woman who is travelling- although it does sound like she put it really badly and was a bit OTT.

Please relax re the PP. As others have said, there is plenty of time for it to resolve itself before the birth and if it doesn't you will have a nice, calm planned section. Your consultant will have seen lots of cases before and you will be fine, as will your baby.

Take care.