low lying placenta -20 weeks

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Hi

I have just been told during my scan that I have a low lying placenta. I am 20 weeks and this is my 3rd pregnancy. I was planning another home birth so I am under midwife led care so I did not get to discuss this with a doctor and i wont see the midwofe until the new year though I have left a phone message.

They have booked me in for a 32 week scan and said the chances are the placenta will have moved up naturally and if not, they will arrange for me to see a consultant. I am worried about waiting 12 weeks knowing nothing. I have found web articles a bit conflicting as to at what point this condition is considered a worry and when precautions should be taken. Some articles suggest that at 20 weeks, its fine and one should carry on as normal until the next scan at 30 plus weeks, others suggest that after 20 weeks is serious(so is 21 weeks serious??) and one should be prepared to go to hospital at a moments notice as bleeding may occur.

Also, I have read that usually they ask you to come back at 34 weeks, but if the placenta is completely blocking the cervix then they suggest 32. I did not think to ask how severe the low lying placenta was at the time but of course I am thinking it could have been more on the severe side as they said 32 weeks, though I bet all hospitals have different ideas so I really don't know.

I feel otherwise fine and fitter than in my previous pregnancies but i don't know if I should be preparing for possible complications before the next scan or whether I should carry on as normal. No precautions were mentioned to me but I have read experiences on the web where other pregnant mums (including less that 20 weeks) have been told to stop having sex and to take it easy.

Also, if the placenta does move up, will they still consider me at risk for the home birth?

any advice?

thanks
Lynsey

You should definetly go into hospital if you have any bleeding straight away with a low lying placenta. Also you shouldn't have sex until you get the all clear from a scan or have your baby.

If the placenta has moved away from your cervix at the next scan then you should be fine for a home birth.

I had a low lying placenta with DD1 @ 20 weeks.

I was advised to carry on as normal - it is only problematic in so far as it blocks the cervix during delivery. If you aren't in labour there is no problem (although of course any bleeding should be checked out).

I was advised both sex and flying (another thing I have seen web sites advise again) were fine and i did both. The former more frequently than the latter

The reason they can't tell you anything until 32 weeks is because the vast majority of placentas "move" prior to delivery (obviously they don't actually move but as your uterus grows so the position in relation to the cervix changes - imagine how a spot on a deflated balloon would move as the balloon inflates).

My placenta did move and I was cleared for a HB (but then I started bleeding at 36 weeks so was induced in hospital

Good Luck

Hi,

I got told the same thing with my second pregnancy. I carried on as normal - exercise classes, carrying out massages (I'm a therapist, picking up my 3 year old etc.

At 36 weeks I went for my scan only to find that my placenta had turned from being low-lying to being placenta previa (grade 4) and was completely blocking the birth canal. I had absolutely no bleeding (which apparently is a near-on miracle so the Midwives kept telling me.) I obviously had to have a C-section as natural birth was out of the question and spent the last 2 weeks of my pregnancy in hospital so they could keep an eye on me.

I delivered a healthy girl at 38 weeks.

FYI - sex was never mentioned as not being an option by any of the midwives who treated me from 20 weeks onwards.

Obvious signs are a breech baby late on into the pregnancy. Most placentas apparently do move, and likely you won't have to worry.

If you get any bleeding from 28 weeks + then go straight to hospital, even if it's only a spot. That's what I was told.

Good luck and most of all, don't worry.

Hi there i also had a low lying placenta at 20 weeks was told to carry on as normal which i did but was worrying all the same i had a scan at 32 weeks and the placenta had moved up so was fine try not to worry too much i am sure it will all be fine but if u do get any bleeding between now and ur next scan do get checked out.

Good Luck

Mine was also low at 20 weeks. Carried on as normal: running, sex, flying etc and was rescanned at 34 weeks when it had moved up. You must report any bleeding immediately though.

Hi- I also had a low lying placenta at 20 weeks- was told no precautions were needed -and at scan at 34 weeks it had moved round so all was fine. Nice to get another scan too!

Hey,

I had placenta previa with DS1 and bled quite often with him - hospitalised 6 times! The lower half of your uterus isn't as thick and muscular as the upper half and so bleeding is taken seriously as it could be a sign of abruption starting so although there's every chance a bleed will amount to nothin very serious they definitely like to play it safe - my health care team won't discharge from hospital until 24 hours after bleeding stops. Regular scannin throuhout the pregnancy (thanks to the bleeding) means we became aware the placenta was 'clear' of the cervix by 33 weeks and I had a normal vaginal delivery.

Currently 26 weeks pregnant with ds2 - 21 week scan reveal 'placenta covering os' again (something about my boys I guess - none of this marlarky with DD!) and lo and behold almost two weeks later I started bleeding. As it was post-coital I've been advised to avoid sex. A 23 week scan I had declared anterior placenta extending to the os so I've every hope this one is gonna move up and away too. Most of them do.

So my final word(s) are - have lots of hope and optimism that the placenta will clear the cervix in time for you to have a natural birth - the odds are in your favour. But do go to the hopital if you experience any bleeding, making sure you highlght to them when you get there that you have a low laying placenta.

agree with everyone else - MW told me (I think) that 1 in 3 women have a low lying placenta at 20 weeks and 90% sort themselves out by 34 weeks

Just found out today that mine is low lying this time too. Am being rescanned at 32 weeks and mine is not covering the cervix. Hopefully it will have moved by then (not that it matters much as I'm having a section anyway).

Hi - was told much the same thing (am also pg with dc3, btw). Carried on as normal, had no bleeds, just had the 32 weeks scan and all is absolutely normal. My midwife said the bottom part of the uterus is the last bit to stretch and in 80 percent of cases when the placenta has attached to this area, it is drawn up with it. Unless you bleed it's nothing to worry about - just an indicator to keep an eye out. HTH

PS was given no advice on not having sex, taking it easy etc etc - and I am rhesus positive so presume a bleed could be more dangerous owing to blood mixing and developing antibodies.

Hi there
I had a low lying placenta at 20 weeks too and was rescanned at 36 weeks. Told to carry on as normal but to get to hospital if i had any bleeding (which I didn't). Had moved by 36 weeks and was lovely to see LO so close to the end and see his wee face.
Hope it goes well for you, and congratulations