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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

low lying placenta - when should i worry?

19 replies

Mimsy2000 · 27/06/2008 12:16

had my 21-22 week scan and was told that i had a low lying placenta and that I would be rescanned at 35 weeks to determine if the problem went away or if not then plan for a c-section.

i looked on old mn threads and see that it's really common and usually corrects itself. so what it seems to me is that i'm supposed to just wait until my 35 week scan and if the problem is still there i have a c-section. is that really it? is there anything that i should do or keep an eye on? is there a time i should worry?

i am not too stressed about this but at the same time had been slowly processing the whole birth/labour issue and now to be told there's a chance of a csection has really thrown me. i'm not sure i can be patient till 35 weeks.

sorry this is a bit rambling...this is my 2nd pg by the way.

cheers

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MamaG · 27/06/2008 12:17

Mim I'm in teh same boat - am 22 weeks and have to be rescanned at 32

I got a lot of positive posts saying just wait and see (poss rest a bit more!) and that it usually moves

Original poster

Mimsy2000 · 27/06/2008 12:27

mamag, don't know about you but i think the waiting is the worst bit. would like to know about the csection either way. [i realise how stupid that sounds b/c logically i know you can't plan anything. but in my hormone-addled brain i'd like to think i was in control]

OP posts:

ilovemydog · 27/06/2008 12:31

you should NOT be worried!

I had low lying placenta also with DD at 20 weeks, but it was fine at 36 weeks.

Believe that only a small percentage stay low lying....

Romy7 · 27/06/2008 12:31

i was re-scanned at 35 weeks and told i could have a vaginal delivery as clear. dd1 then born with elective c-section as consultant said she was scanning at 9 1/2lbs and could be a pound heavier, and he did not believe i would be able to deliver naturally.
this was four days before my due date and i had cs the next day.
ain't no planning allowed where these darn babies are involved...
(two vbacs later tho...)

BlueDragonfly · 27/06/2008 12:34

i was told i had grade 4 anterior placenta praevia at my 20 week scan (completely covering the cervix with most being at the front) and that i would definatly need a section and that if i bled even a small amount i was to go to hospital. Was told that as my bump grew, my placenta would move but not enough.

was rescanned at 32 weeks and not only had it moved away it was at the top of my bump!!!!!!!

I had spent 12 weeks needlessly worrying. please don't worry unless you really need to

MamaG · 27/06/2008 12:38

I know what you mean mimsy about being in control - i found out two weeks ago.

I'm on my third pg and was induced with both my other two babies - I was talking to DH and saying "so when I'm induced this time, we'll get my Mum over that morning...." etc then realised hwo much I'll panic if I do go into labour myself Mum lives 1.5 hours drive away, hospital is 50 minute drive from home - I need to be in control!

I have now accepted that much as I'd like to control it, I have to be ready for anything (but am still secretly scared at the thought of a cs )

katieskids · 27/06/2008 14:53

I also got told last week that I had a low lying placenta. I have got another scan at 34 wks to check position. If I had the time i would worry but this is my 5th pregnancy and so i've put it to the back of my mind. All my others were normal deliveries and i can't imagine a c sect....but i want this baby so bad and i'll take what i'm advised in order to hold him/her iykwim. My scanner told me that the placenta attaches itself to a different part of the uterus each pregnancy, so i guess in my case i'm running out of space!

FruitfulOfFruit · 27/06/2008 18:24

But, but, but.

Um. This would freak me out.

I've had placenta praevia twice. First time I haemorrhaged at 34 weeks (didn't stop, had baby by emcs). Second time it was 33 weeks.

How can they possibly think it is ok to wait to 35 weeks to check?

With ds1 they checked me at 32 weeks, said it was unlikely to move now, and gave me all sorts of warnings - no sex, for starters. And try not to be alone with the kids (hah) or without a phone.

When you start bleeding with pp, its not a dribble. It bounces offf the floor. You need to get to hospital pretty fast. I really don't want to scaremonger and it is true that 90% move. But 10% don't. At the very least you need to be prepared.

MABS · 27/06/2008 18:29

same here Fruitfuloffruit,had it twice. i got to 27 weeks with ds and 30 weeks with dd

Hoonette · 27/06/2008 20:42

Ok, now I really have something to worry about...

BlueDragonfly · 27/06/2008 21:08

placenta praevia and low lying placenta are different things

MABS · 27/06/2008 22:29

i had pp - grade 4 twice.

FruitfulOfFruit · 28/06/2008 09:16

Placenta praevia is low-lying-placenta in the third trimester. 90% of low-lying-placentas move up. 10% don't.

Original poster

Mimsy2000 · 28/06/2008 09:57

so i guess the bleeding it the only real sign that somethings going wrong?

OP posts:

FruitfulOfFruit · 28/06/2008 10:09

Yes. With ds2 I had a lot of spotting. I also had a big bleed at 23 weeks which stopped. With ds1 there was no sign of anything till it happened.

pollyblue · 28/06/2008 12:44

Yes, bleeding (heavy and painless) is really the only sign that the placenta is low. Mine was spotted at my 20 week scan and I was booked for another scan at 34 weeks, but started bleeding at 32 weeks. Bled on and off for a few more weeks until dd was delivered by section at 37 weeks. Even at that late stage the placenta can move, i think that's why they leave checking it again until 34+ weeks. Also, unless you start to haemorrhage and it becomes necessary to do an early section, they will aim to deliver the baby no earlier than 37 weeks.
FruitfulOfFruit is spot on, the bleeding can be very sudden and very heavy - i really wish i had been warned about that, i was expecting it to be more like a period and it was nothing of the sort! So I'm not saying that to frighten you, I think it is good to be prepared, just in case.

SqueakyPop · 28/06/2008 12:58

One of the objectives of the scan is to locate the placenta.

If the placenta is seen to be low, they have to record it as such. However, the lower part of the uterus grows later than the upper part, so the placenta appears to move up as the pregnancy progresses. They don't truly know whether a low placenta at 20 weeks is in the mid part of the uterus or in the lower segment when it appears low, which is why they ask you to come back at 34 weeks.

If you get bright red bleeding later on, then it could indicate a low placenta, and you would of course get fully checked out.

MABS · 28/06/2008 17:42

second what everyone said about the spotting and the sudden heavy bleeds.

Original poster

Mimsy2000 · 30/06/2008 08:29

thanks for the info on the bleeding - i imagine it would be quite frightening but now i'll at least know if it happens.

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