20 weeks low lying placenta - anyone else?

[hopingforapeainapod]

Hey all, first time mum here and just had my 20 week scan - all went well and baby is looking perfect but sonographer said I do have a low lying posterior placenta. She said not to worry and that 9 out of 10 placentas move up, but I will have another scan at 36 weeks to check (everyone in my area gets a 36 week scan). I’m not too worried but was just wondering if anyone had had similar experiences? I’m also thinking 36 weeks seems very late, and NHS / Tommys suggest a scan more around 32 weeks. Is it worth paying for a private scan to check before 36 weeks?

I had a low placenta at 20 week scan, 38 weeks now and it's moved up as you have stated most do.
My next scan was 32 weeks but thats because I am classed as high risk (over 40 and IVF) I should imagine 36 weeks will be fine as baby is unlikely to come before then anyway.

my daughter was told at her 20 week scan she was not only low lying but that she was totally covering her cervix and the consultant said that in most cases it moved but in her case it was unlikely..

at her 34 week scan, it had not only moved, it was now at the other end of the womb?

so yes its a consideration that it might not move, but keep your options open. she was old for 14 weeks they would c-section her and then bam at the 34 week scan they shrugged and said off you go!

I had this with my second pregnancy and, of course, are the mistake of Googling it and spending ages panicking about C-sections and complications and all the morbid doom and gloom I could muster.

It moved up.

I was exactly the same and spent hours doom scrolling about it!

Mine also moved up.

Thanks all! Can you remember when you had follow up scans? I’m sure it will move I just think 36 weeks is very late to suddenly have to get my head around a potential planned C section!

My next scan was at 25 weeks for a low lying placenta. It was still a bit low so I've got another one at 31 weeks.

The reason they do the repeat scan that late is because sometimes they haven't moved enough by 32 weeks, and then they just need to repeat it again. Doing it at 36 weeks gives a definite answer, but I appreciate that it's late to wrap your head around a CS!

However if your placenta is only low lying and not previa (ie covering your cervix) then I can almost guarantee that it will move and you won't need a C section. Does it give the measurement on the report of how close it is to the cervix?

@renthead no she didn’t put a measurement unfortunately, she just said it was ‘very very close’ - it just says low lying on the report so it’s definitely not placenta previa, so hopefully it will move, my anxious brain just feels weird waiting 16 weeks before knowing for sure!

I had this with my second. He was, unrelatedly, born early (35 weeks) and my placenta had moved by then.

I had this and had scans every four weeks or so after. Wasn't until the last scan the week before my due date that I was signed off as a "normal" pregnancy. We were talking millimetres. Fingers crossed everything moves for you. If ever in doubt, just phone your midwife. Good luck x

Hi OP, I had a low-lying placenta too - I think my next scan was booked at 34 weeks. Mine didn't move up (of course I had to be part of the 1 in 10!) so I had another at 36 weeks to check, and then a c-section at 38+3.
I was like you and read pretty much everything available about low-lying placentas. Once I knew I was going to have a c-section, someone on here recommended 'Caesarean Birth' by Leigh East and it was really helpful.
I hope that yours moves up, but if it doesn't then you will be fine (and so many of my friends recently have had to have c-sections after going into labour 'naturally', I think that I was quite fortunate to have the time before to prepare myself rather than it being a complete surprise).

I had a LLP in my first pregnancy. Had a 32 week scan and it hadn’t moved up but it had by 36 weeks. I went on to have a lovely water birth at 41+5.

Yes I had the same, I’ve got a follow up scan at 32 weeks. Not worth worrying about though, very likely it’ll move and if not, at least you know so you can discuss the best birth options

Thanks all, this is really helpful. I’ve also read somewhere that a posterior placenta (which I mine is) is less likely to move than an anterior placenta, but I’m just going to hold onto the hope that I will be in the 9 out of 10 which do!

@hopingforapeainapod mine was posterior and moved alllll the way up.

@hopingforapeainapod how did you get on in the end? I’ve just had the same at a 20 week scan

Did any of you ladies have any bleeding or were you ok until your c sections / the placenta moved up?

@Fluffydino21 I had a bit of bleeding at around 20 weeks (and was held in hospital briefly because of it) but my placenta had moved before my son was born (I didn’t have a c-section). Good luck!

@Fluffydino21 so my placenta never moved - had a 32 week scan and was confirmed placenta previa. I had a bleed at 35 weeks and 36 weeks - both relatively minor but enough that I had to stay in hospital for a few days - and then they delivered baby boy by c section at 37 weeks exactly, which actually went very smoothly and was a very positive experience! Best of luck with everything - do remember that 9 times out of 10 they move!