placenta praevia

[sammy4]

Hey i just wanted to know if anyone can help me im 21weeks and i just found out that i have placenta praevia the doctors didn't tell me what it was about so i just wanted to know if anyone has had it and what to expect or if they know any thing about it :confused:

[workin'mumof2]

:eek: how on earth could they not tell u what it was..

anyway as far as i know.. (dont know much only what i saw on homeandaway) that placenta previa is where the placenta is covering the cervix and that if it doesnt move u have to have a csection..

i would be finding out if it is completly covering it ect in ur next appointment.. and u have to have some ultrasounds to see if its moved. (if u want a vaginal birth)

[SilverStarfish]

SethsandRubysmum pretty much nailed it. Placenta praevia is where your baby's placenta is growing over, or very close to the main exit!

There are 4 types (cut and paste from our friends at Wiki ;))


* Type I or low lying: The placenta encroaches the lower segment of the uterus but does not infringe on the cervical os.
* Type II or marginal: The placenta touches, but does not cover, the top of the cervix.
* Type III or partial: The placenta partially covers the top of the cervix.
* Type IV or complete: The placenta completely covers the top of the cervix. This type of praevia often will not bleed until labour starts.

Whether a c/s is needed or not for the first 3 are between you, the placenta and your doctor, but where the placenta is completely covering the cervix, then the baby will have to use the emergency exit :)

The placenta can "move" as pregnancy progresses - as your uterus stretches, the spot where the placenta is attached gets 'stretched' up too.

Can you make another appointment with your doctor and have it explained properly?

[sam's mum]

Did they at least give you 'the talk' about what you can and can't do, and what to watch out for so you know when to get to hospital?

[sammy4]

yeah it is completely covered and i am changing doctors cause i though he was really crappy

[sammy4]

faeml i have number four the doctor just said take it very easy and care full of what i do nothing else so thank you for the reply

[SixtiesChild]

Sammy4,

At this stage you have a low lying placenta and not neccesarily a placenta previa, it still has a chance to move out of the way.
They shouldn't really be calling it a previa until you get a 32 week scan. This is standard procedure with low lying placentas.

The main concern with any type of previa is the likelyhood of sudden bleeding. But don't let that frighten you, I had a grade 4 placenta previa and didn't bleed at all.
If you find that you are unlucky enough to have a complete placenta previa as I did in my second pregnancy please feel free to pm me.

[Sanzinoz]

Theres plenty of info on the internet about it, I think you will glad if you research a bit about it and find out exactly what you are in for. Especially since your ob didnt tell you. Hmm, I would have expected him to tell you what it was, its risks, possible outcomes, precautions, everything.

It happens in only 0.5% (ie 1 in every 200 pregnancies) and a lot depends on how much of the placenta covers the cervix. The main concern obviously is that bubs cant get out if her exit is blocked, but also that if you go into labour, the placenta may dislodge and start bleeding. This is dangerous for mum because of bloodloss and bub becuase her oxygen sypply is compromised. So generally the do the c/s at 38 weeks to ensure you dont go into labour.

I was told I had p.p and it was looking likely that I would need a a c/s. I had a few u/sounds in the last few weeks and it was still iffy every time, even at 36 1/2 weeks! My ob said just wait and see if the head engages, that will give a good indication whether she can get out passed it without dislodging it. And in the next week and a bit it moved out the way and I gave birth vaginally. Which is lucky because my waters broke at 38weeks! I couldnt believe it moved (well the uterus moved up thus moving the placenta up) so late in the pregnancy and in such a short time. So if its only partially covered or just low-lying dont give up hope, it may still move, right up until the end.

My ob suggested I take take things real easy. And take Elivit rather than Blackmores (as it has more iron) in case I started bleeding.

Best of luck to you.

[mamalou]

hey sammy in my second pregnancy i had a low lying placenta at 19wks but i had another scan at 34wks and she had moved up and i went on to have a vaginal birth no worries, i hope you are as lucky!!!!! :hugs:

[sam's mum]

the main precautions that I was told.

1. nothing penetrative. no internal exams from dr, nothing internal recreationally. :o
2. If you have any bleeding at all, go straight to the hospital, immediately.

the same that others have said about a cs. they will keep doing scans as the time comes and see where the placenta is before they make a final assessment.

[Kelsarni]

Don't worry too much :).

At 20 weeks I also was told my placenta was too low but they can't diagnose it as Placenta Previa until the later stages.
At 32 weeks I had another ultrasound and my placenta was 11mm away from my cervix and told that it ATLEAST needs to be 4-5cm away to give birth vaginally (which is what I preferred).
36 weeks I returned for another check-up and my placenta had shifted even further with the growth of my uterus and was 44.3mm away! Giving me the green light for a vaginal birth and I'm hoping since then its moved a little further and I'm now 40 + 5 and waiting for this birth!

Basically I was told that if the placenta comes out first this will cut off the oxygen supply for bub too soon which obviously can cause damage.
If you start to dialate it can start to peal your placenta from your uterus causing a hemorrhage.

If the doc was real worried they would of put you on bed rest right away. But because you know you have it DO NOT over do yourself, its a great excuse to be lazy :). Don't lift heavy things and if you have any bleeding then see your doc straight away.

No doubt they've booked another scan in roughly 10 weeks to see if its moved on its own? From there they will decide wether to hospitalise you to put you on bed rest, send you home with bed rest or tell you that your in the clear!

I don't mean to alarm you but I was told if you hemorrhage (later stage of pregnancies I believe) that you can bleed out in under 10 minutes. This is why its important that if you do have placenta previa that your hospitalised incase you go into labour.

But like I said the chances of your placenta moving away is pretty big :).

[tickle]

I would say you have a low lying placenta and not placenta previa at this stage. PP is only usually diagnosed down the track, when there is less (not none, but less) chance of the placenta moving.

At 20 weeks, in 90% of cases it moves away. Don't freak out about it now, as chances are you are going to have a complication free pregnancy. This is a really common thing for them to 'diagnose', I'm sure you'll be fine. :)

[Lyglc]

At my 20 week scan i was told I had a low lying placenta. I will be having another scan at 32 weeks to see if it has moved up. If it has moved up enough then everything will be considered normal.

If not, I will have restrictions on what i can do.

Also will have another scan at 36 weeks. If still too low, then most likely would have a c/s.

If you do have any bleeding though, please ring your doctor/hospital immediately or go straight there if you live near by.

Hope everything goes well and it moves up nicely for you

[Josh]

I have posted on here several times about my experience with placenta praevia, I had it in 05' and my DS was born by c/s because of it going undiagnosed and me losing a massive amount of blood, because what happens is if your placenta is covering the cervix as you grow bigger your placenta will seperate from the wall of the uterus, causing the blood loss like mine,:eek: but I dont think that you should worry, the specialists at my clinic have told me that it is caused by having a lot of d/c's, I have had about 6, I am currently 30wks and yet again I have PP, and my last scan is booked for 2 wks time, but I am fairly sure that it will be another c/s for me, my placenta hasn't moved one little bit, mine is completely covering the cervix and even my bub is laying on it, no way out for us only the big 'C', anyway good luck.
:yes: