placenta covering cervix at 20 weeks - what are the odds of it moving?

[annady]

hi,

i feel awful because i should feel grateful, everything appeared to be okay with the baby at my 20 week scan (just passed), but i was told my placenta was low-lying - indeed that it was 'covering' the cervix, and that they'll have to keep re-scanning me now.

is there really any genuine chance of it moving - and is there anything i can do to encourage it to move - or should i just resign myself to the fact that an elective c-section is on the cards? (this terrifies me).

the sonographer said that a low-lying placenta was pretty common, but she did labour the point that mine is currently not so much lying low as actually 'covering' the area in question...

(i have a DC already, there was no problem last time but perhaps this has no bearing on it?)

i feel really anxious, and then in turn i feel stupid / ungrateful for worrying when there's nothing i can do about it, and indeed when the main thing - the baby - appears to be be okay...

should i just blame my hormones for becoming such a sorry state of affairs??

any words of advice much appreciated...

anna x

I too had low lying placenta at 20 weeks - partially covering the cervix; and by my 32 week re-scan it had moved.
From research I did at the time I seem to think that most move; and if they don't this is where you are glad you live in the 21st Centruy where it really isn't a problem, they know it's there, they can watch it, and if it won't move, then it's C-Section time.

Don't worry I think it happens to about 1 in 20, and you will be looked after by the Doctors no matter what happens.

Good luck!

I had a low lying placenta at 20 weeks covering the cervix. At the time i was told that most(99%) move up and out of the way as the uterus expands.

I think most people are scanned around 32-34 weeks. Different hospitals have different policies/procedures but if it is still covering your cervix at 32-34 weeks then you may be admitted to hospital until birth so it might be worthwhile having a plan in place to cover this Eg have someone organised to look after dd etc.

Far too early to be worrying.

This is why I never have scans. They seem to cause far more worry than they actually allieviate.

There is nothing you can do.

The placenta itself won't move, but your womb grows and stretches, so the bit on your womb that your placenta is attached to will end up farther up.

(get a balloon, make a mark on it close to the neck, then blow the balloon up - the mark will now be farther up the side)

The problem is that the lower segment of the womb stretches the least. Overall the odds of a low placenta at 20 weeks not being low by 36 weeks is 80%. But the fact that your placenta is covering the cervix now makes it less likely (can't remember the odds).

If your placenta remains low you might have a sudden large bleed later on and will need to get to hospital. (Your baby will cope with this fine!). So it might be an idea to have a plan for who you are going to call to look after your dc, and to keep your phone with you.

Spidermama, I had my first major bleed at 23 weeks - if I hadn't had the scan at 20 weeks to warn me I would have been terrified.

I had my 36 week scan today after being told i had a low lying placenta at 20 weeks. It was fine and had moved upwards as my uterus had grown.
Apparently most do move, a girl in my NCT class had the same problem and hers had moved too.
Try not to worry

thanks so much for all your responses.

on my notes it says 'posterior / covering' (plus a symbol i can't make out) and because the sonographer did make a deal of the fact that it was covering the cervix - i.e. not just low-lying (i suppose she was managing my expectations a bit) - then i guess i'm a bit more worried.

of course, i've now made things worse by asking about it and have hence discovered that bleeds and possible hospital stays may be on the cards: serves me right for asking! let that be a lesson... (like i'll learn).

thanks again x

NCT info on placenta praevia

Is the 'symbol' the word "os"? Os is the name for the inside end of your cervix.

Hang in there. You're going to get a baby at the end of all this.

Mine was completely covering the os (grade 4)at my 20 week scan. also, instead of the rest of it going backwards(posterior) mine was at the front (anterior) i was told to take things easy and i did have extra scans, as my bump got bigger my placenta was moved out the way in the end (i had other none related com-plications) I was scanned at 32 weeks to check placental position

thanks again for your stories and advice - yeah, fruitful, you're spot on - it is os (i'd never have worked it out though!) so i guess it reads placenta: posterior / covering os.

i'd love to know stats re: likelihood of placenta movement if it's posterior / covering os at 20 weeks - even if they're not particularly good - just to give me an idea as to whether to keep hoping for a change in position, or resign myself to a probable c-section...

but of course, pregnancy is filled with concerns and what ifs and not knowing, so maybe that'd spoil the fun

thanks once more x

Mine was low with dd - touching but not covering the cervix - and I was booked in for a scan at 34 weeks to check its postion. I had a heavy and very sudden bleed at 32 weeks - like fruitful if I hadn't had a 20 week scan and been forwarned I would've been really scared. Placenta hadn't moved so had dd by section at 37 weeks.

I'm now 30 weeks with twins and had the same thing with one of the placentas at the 20 week scan but as of last week, it has moved and it now 3.5cm away from my cervix. I was just told, first time around, that the 'majority' will get moved out of the way as your womb grows, sorry can't be of more help regards the chance of it moving if it's actually covering the os. But at least you know about it and you will be closely monitored from now on.

Best of luck!

Hi, felt compelled to do my first ever post on Mumsnet(!) as really know how you're feeling.

I have literally just had my 34 week scan this afternoon to check the position of my placenta which they discovered at the 22 week scan was completely covering the OS. I'm sorry to say it is still covering and I see the consultant next week to discuss the elective c-section which I think will be done at 38-39 weeks.

So... to give you an idea of outcome from what I've learnt over the past 3 months(looked at endless Mumsnet threads on placenta praevia and spoken to quite a few sonographers/ midwives/ consultants now on my hospital visits), I'm afraid it's more of an unlikely outcome for yours to move. I know several people have posted that low lying placentas do move but those are the ones that are only near to or just covering the OS. Yours and mine are what's known as grade 4 praevia and it is fairly miraculous (can happen though) for it to move. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I wanted to be realistic.

Please be careful what you read about placenta praevia on the internet - there are some really scary stories (on Mumsnet too). It's the unexpected bleeding which you need to know about & be prepared for so do ask your midwife about what to do. However these days with the condition diagnosed and good awareness and taking things easy ie. no lifting/ no sex(sorry!) you should be able to stay at home and the outcome for your baby is very good. I have been living with this worry for 12 weeks now and admit I've become one of those paranoid "knicker checkers" but I'm actually feeling a whole lot better about it now I have the info, rather than at the beginning when I knew nothing like you and was researching it myself before any consultant appointments. I have had just one very tiny bleed at 30 weeks and was in hospital for 2 nights but they gave me steroid injections so my baby should be fine now even if I suddenly do get a major bleed and have to have an early delivery. Fingers crossed I'll make it to 38 weeks and I so hope you do too without any major scares.

Really sorry if I've bombarded you with info here or scared you even more but I thought you should get the truth! By the way I have one DS already and no it's a condition that's just "unlucky".

Best of luck with everything and do try and enjoy your pregnancy as even if you do get scares, the hospital will manage them very well and take excellent care of you and the baby. I've been reading loads of positive stories on here about elective c-sections and how great they can be too.

I had low lying placenta at 20 weeks, at 36 weeks and it finally moved at 38 weeks

Chances are quite high it will move...

I had a low lying placenta at 20 weeks, had moved by the 34 week scanThey said it was common and also very common for it to move as the uterus gets bigger - a bit like blowing up a balloon - everything shifts
I think the MW said 1 in 3 are like this at 20 weeks and 9/10 resolve themselves - no idea where she got those stats from or whether they were just guesstimates

Hell annady
I'm 34 weeks pg now but i had 5 massive bleeds around 7 weeks.
Everytime the baby was un affected by the blood loss-thankfully.
My placenta was also completly covering the cervix and was put on the sex ban(aarrgghh),no orgasms (double aarrgghh) and no lifting.
I haven't had any more blood loss and have been scanned every 3-4 weeks to check the growth etc and everything is fine.In fact being scanned so often is the silver lining for me.
The placenta is still covering the os and is very unlikely to move at this stage so the decision of a planned section was the only option.
I'm booked in at 39 weeks to have the section.
I hope this helps out in some way

The problem with odds and percentages is that there isn't enough research - a lot of it doesn't differentiate between "close to" and "covering" etc. One bit of research will say 10% and another 50%.

I was in hospital for months with ds2 (had placenta percreta). Anyway, I had lots of chance to discuss all this with the consultants - and they eventually admitted that they just don't know.

some stats here

Have you had a cs before? Or any kind of operation on your uterus? If not your chances are better!

thanks a lot for all this - to be honest i actually feel a bit relieved to know that the placenta's pretty unlikely to move, in as much as it least it gives me something to go on one way or the other, until my next scan (scheduled for 32 weeks, providing everything's okay til then...)

will work on the premise that the chances are it'll stay put, will be mindful of the increased possiblity of bleeding (is really good you've pointed this out to me, thank you!), i'll take it as easy as i can (hard with a toddler!) and otherwise i'll just have to wait and see.

thanks so much again to you all x

i had the same thing at my 20 week scan, they referred me to a consultant, who told me with a low lying placenta there is about a 90% chance it will "move" where as when the placenta is covering the os there is about a 10% chance it will "move" so much less likely but it can happen. she also said to avoid lifting and over stretching. and to avoid sex as it can aggravate the placenta and cause bleeding.
hope everything goes well for you it will be worth it in the end no matter the turn out. :) x

annady I am in the same boat; I had a scan at 22 weeks and my placenta is partially covering the cervix.

If you look at the hospital notes, it may also tell you what 'grade' the placenta covering is at? Mine is grade 1 so at my MW appt after the scan, I asked her about and she was said it was 'highly' likely that it would move by the 33 week scan. I would think that if the placenta was completely covering the cervix then they would have advised you the same as nobodysfool.

I've been told to look out for bleeding but haven't been given the no sex/no orgasms (HA! chance would be a fine thing! ) advice so I'm pretty hopeful things will run out ok for a vaginal birth.

HTH & good luck with the rest of your pregnancy x