Low lying placenta

[bumpsmum]

My 20 week scan shows a grade 2 low lying placenta. I believe grade 4 is the worst. I need another scan at 34 weeks to assess position but I may need a c-section.

I have had 2 vaginal births so the thought terrifies me especially the recovery with 2 boys.

Does anyone have any advise or experience?

[my babyemmy]

this happened to me all of my pregnancies, mine all sorted themselves out in enough time to be OK! the only advice i have for you is please try not to be stressed out about it,(easier said than done i know!) have a hug :hugs:

[bumpsmum]

Thanks Lee

You're right it is easier said than done. The midwives didn't seem bothered and felt it would sort itself out but the dr was a bit more frightening and talked about rupture!! He did however state that the chances were it would be alright. He put me on iron tablets though just in case and they are vile!

[tickle]

It is very, very, very common.
So many people have low lying placentas and the chances of it moving up as the uterus does are very high. Mine is low with this one and I have a scan in a couple of weeks to check it has moved.
Try not to stress, I'm sure everything will be absolutley fine.;)

[charlach]

I also had the same problem with my first pregnancy. I was told the same thing and grade and it sorted its self out before 30 weeks, dont worry it will be fine. :thumbsup:

[JanetF]

There's a lot of overdiagnosis of this one. If you think about it, during early pregnancy EVERYTHING is near your cervix because your uterus is really small, yk? My plan of action (because I had a c-sec last time and it makes slightly higher risks of PP in future pregnancies) is that if my MW can't locate my placenta with a doppler or there's any doubt about it's location, I'll have an u/s at about 35-6 weeks and then decide what to do. There's research to suggest that outcomes aren't improved when you don't know about it until labour anyway. You're more than likely to be fine! Knowing about the grades is really good though so you'll know *for yourself* what's safe and what's not :)

[MrsMiggins]

I was diagnosed with a "significantly low-lying placenta" at my scan at 19w. I ended up having 8 scans in total & mine never resolved. I was extremely disappointed to have to have a c/s for my first, but I never had any further complications & everything went well - including the recovery; I was fine by the time I left hospital 4 days later. The only other thing that happened was that my bub was also breech, which can be more common (but still relatively rare) with placenta praevia as apparently there is less room for the baby to turn properly.

If you want to read about my experience, I have posted my birth story which you might find helpful in knowing what to expect.

http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?t=11384

All the best!

[mich80]

Both my pregnancys had low lying placentas till 32 weeks but it all sorted its self out towards the end!! most low lying placentas end up moving towards the end

[SixtiesChild]

Hi,

You are lucky it's a grade 2 because it means that it is not entirely covering the exit. I have heard that sometimes a vaginal birth is possible even with a grade 2 but it really depends on exactly where the placenta is in relation to the internal os.
I was unlucky enough to have a severe grade 4 placenta previa to the end of the pregnancy. (diagnosed at 19 weeks) I didn't bleed at all which baffled the medical staff and then had to have a c-section @ 37 weeks.
Also, I developed pre-eclampsia in the last month for which I was admitted to hospital.
I now have a beautiful baby girl, Ariel Samantha.

Every placenta previa is different.

[bumpsmum]

Hi
Thanks everyone for the advise. Unfortunately I have experienced some bleeding last week. They feel it is probably due to the PP but it was a small amount so hopefully there will be no more. It's worrying at the time but apparently even if it pulls away slightly it can reattach itself which is what they think has happened.

Its just worring because I still get pains on a daily basis but I keep reassuring myself that there is only 13 weeks to go and my other 2 were 2 and 3 weeks early so maybe I will have my bundle of joy in the next 10 weeks or so.:fingerscrossed:

[MrsMiggins]

Hi bumpsmum!

I was sorry to read that you have had bleeding. While I was lucky enough not to experience any bleeding with my PP, a friend who also had PP did experience bleeding right throughout her entire PG & both she & her baby were fine. She delivered at 37 weeks on the advice of her Dr. A scheduled C/S is fairly standard for PP (that is if your low-lying placenta does develop into PP after 32 weeks - chances are it won't :fingerscrossed: )

Nadia - my Dr's were all baffled that I had no bleeding also! They kept asking me "Are you sure?" like they didn't believe me!! Um, I think I would have known if I'd been bleeding! I was checking like every 5 minutes for the first 6 or 7 months!!:rolleyes: