Anyone ever had a caesarean from low lying placenta?

[sweetheart]

I've just been told I have a low lying placenta. I'm not worried as I had it with my dd as well and it moved in time for me to have a natural birth.

I just wondered if anyone here has ever had to go the caesarean route? It seems very unusual for the placenta to still be obstructing the exit at 40 weeks.

Aloha had placenta previa and had a CS. She thought it was excellent. How many weeks are you?

I'm only 21 weeks so there's still plenty of time for it to move.

I didn't relise placenta previa was the same as low lying placenta

Isn't that quite serious??!!!

No it's not the same at all. Loads of people have low lying placentas, and (I think) 95% resolve.

phew I didn't think it was serious, but I started panicing then!!!

I'm sure it will sort itself out - it did last time.

Both of mine were low lying and both moved - mws were really laid back with both of them, even planning home birth with DD2 as almost all of them move. The body is an amazing thing. Saying that, my next door neighbour?s sister is pregnant and has a planned C section for this reason (she is only a couple of weeks off). She was told that they have booked her in one week before she is due ( I think) but will scan her at the time and if it is moved, let her go home and carry on with plan a.

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2 of my friends have had to have c sections for thi sreason.

I seem to have been extremely unlucky in some ways as it looks like I'm on my second experience of placenta praevia.

With pg no.1 I was sent for a scan at 32wks as my placenta had been low-lying at 20wks and it had not budged an inch. This is unusual, as most move well out of the way, so I really wouldn't worry yourself at all. I had an elective c-section and, like aloha, found the op and birth itself to be a very calm and positive experience. What was stressful was being admitted to hosp at 34 wks then being there for much of the time until I deliverd at 37.5 wks.

I'm now on pg no.2 (27wks) and another low-lying placenta was spotted at 20 wks and I have a final diagnosis one at 32wks. This time I was sure it would move up. However, I went for an extra scan on Monday and the sonographer said the placenta again hasn't budged and in her opinion is unlikely to as it's posterior and has nowhere to go. I now think I've got some kind of cockamamy-shaped womb and that has caused this to happen twice. However, I'm not worried about another c-section (in fact the last one was so good I was hoping for another anyway!); I just hope I don't end up in hosp early again. Both times I've had no bleeding at all, which is when the docs and midwives get worried.

I must reiterate, though, it is relatively rare and 9 times out of 10 (prob more than this) women who have low-lying placentas at 20wks are FINE at 32. So try not to worry... and even if the 'worst comes to the worst', it's actually NOT the worst! and aloha and I are livign proff of this. Good luck, I'm sure you'll be fine.

or 'living proof' even!

Thanks moomin for your positive story.

I have not been told to take it easy or infact to take any special action. However I have just read on the internet that I should have been told this - with special reference to excercise.

I am trying to carry on excercising at the moment as I did with dd up until I was 9 months and I feel it helped with the birth. Now I am worried that I should cut out my gum visits.

What do you think? I wasn't told to take it easy with dd either and this is the first I've heard of it.

Yes, me!

I had grade 4 placenta praevia. I started bleeding at 27 weeks... big panic as they thought that the baby was going to be born there and then. Luckily she stayed put and was eventually delivered by c-section at 36 weeks. I was in hospital the whole time, though, which was a tad tedious (but I kept bleeding, so it was safer for me to be there).

On the other hand, with dd2 my placenta was 'low-ish' at 20 weeks, but had moved completely out of the way by 34 weeks and she was born naturally.

Try not to worry about where your placenta is. A huge proportion of those which are low at 20 weeks have moved by the time you come to give birth. I was very unlucky with dd1. The only thing I'd say is that if you do have any bleeding (however small) get down to the hospital straight away, just in case. But I repeat that it's extremely unlikely to be a problem.

If you're worried about the possibility of a caesarean, don't be. My experience was incredibly positive. But I'm sure you'll be fine.

PLease don't worry sweetheart. I think the 'take it easy' advice is more for those who have been actually diagnosed with plac.praev, rather than a low-lying placenta, which is very common. Unless you've actually had any bleeding / spotting, I wouldn't worry too much. Just do what you're used to doing - gentle exercise, etc. and carry on as you were. As we've all said here, chances are the placenta will move on up in its own time. Do let your m/w or doc know if you have any bleeding in the meantime though.

I had placenta previa which wasn't diagnosed and had to have an emergency section with dd when I started bleeding at 38 weeks. Had never heard of it at the time.

Didn't have it with ds although I did have an elective section.

thanks everyone. I wasn't overly worried but it doesn't hurt to check these things does it!! I'm sure by my next scan the placenta will have moved. In the meantime I'll take your advice and keep an eye out for any bleeding.

cheers ladies

damn...... that means I still have to go to the gym

Sweetheart

I hate to be the Angel of Doom, but if you do have any bleeding or even just spotting, don't wait to make an appointment with the doctor or midwife - go straight to the hospital. This is one of those things which is very very unlikely to go wrong, but if it does it can be serious and it can all happen very quickly.

On a more positive note, when I had dd2 and the placenta was low (but not described as placenta praevia) I was not told to stop taking exercise or to avoid sex (ha ha... as if I cared about that!), so I'm sure you're fine to keep on exercising. In fact, I'm sure it'll do you more good than harm.

Only comment is that my best mate had low lying one and then a c-section. The midwife commented afterwards that she was glad she hadn't given her a sweep to start her off - as apparently this isn't a good idea with a low lying placenta.