Low-lying placenta at 20 weeks and travelling at 21weeks?

[Narlem]

Just after some general consensus. I had my 20 week scan on Friday where it was noted that my placenta is technically low lying at 1.9cm from the OS. I believe 2cm and above is classed as normal. we told the midwife we were going away and she didn’t mention anything about travel or any other restrictions other than that it’s up to us if we want to have sex but any bleeding we need to go to maternity and the likelihood is that it will move.

When I got home I googled as I am due to go away to Lanzarote this week 27th and will be back when I am 23 weeks (10 day holiday) and everything online is saying not to travel. I have contacted midwife’s, GPs and also a maternity consultant who said that they can not tell me not to travel or provide me clearance to travel it’s up to me based on the risks. Which isn’t very helpful for making a decision nor trying to claim on insurance if we decide not to as we haven’t been told not to travel. I haven’t had any bleeding since 6 weeks pregnant which was related to a SCH. Has anyone had this situation before? What did you do?

I personally wouldn’t go, but that’s just how I am : I know I’d probably spend the whole holiday worrying that something might happen and wouldn’t be able to properly enjoy it.

I’m in my third pregnancy and I’ve never travelled while pregnant. However, I actually love travelling with a newborn; they’re free to fly, they sleep a lot, and I don’t have the same worries or discomfort anymore.

If it was refundable, I’d cancel and book another holiday for when I could actually relax and enjoy it. I’d probably rebook it later and go with the baby instead.

That said, I know lots of people would feel differently and would be more comfortable travelling in the same situation.

Do you have cast iron travel insurance including telling thwm about the low lying placenta?

I’m with Aviva, I contacted them and they said they cover pregnancy related complications and that a low lying placenta would be covered - they provided me an email of the same effect

I know what you mean it’s such a difficult decision and I’m unable to cancel and get a refund or claim because I’ve not been told I can’t travel, every medical professional I have spoken too has said they can’t say to go or not to go which doesn’t help with making a decision and the fact it’s only classed as low lying by 1mm is just making the decision so much harder as biologically there can’t be much difference in risk between 1.9mm and 2mm surely x

I had this and it resolved without issue. I would go. I wouldn’t have sex or do anything vigorous though!

I had this at 20weeks but it rectified itself as the baby grew and uterus expanded. What does your doctor advise?

Just as a counter to the ‘I had this and it was fine’ PP’s, mine was low lying (not sure how much though as 2 decades ago! I ended up having a small bleed at 26 weeks (ish) and then a large bleed and hospitalised at 31 weeks. That was probably more likely as baby growing and uterus stretching at that stage, but having been through that I’m not sure I’d risk it just to be on the safe side. I’m not normally risk averse at all but you just don’t know if you’re in the ‘x’% that don’t move. Again I can’t remember what % it is although it is the minority that don’t move IIRC

As sad as the decision is, we have decided to cancel the trip as not worth the worry whilst away for 10 days. I feel like I’d be on countdown until back in the UK and safe. Hopefully next year we will have a little one to take with us!