Retained placenta after c/section? sorry if TMI

[GiasMum]

Hi,

I would like to know if anyone has ever experienced retained placenta after a c/section and what your experience was?

I had an emergency c/s with DS and the next day in the bathroom what i thought was a "large" clot was in fact a large (whole?) piece of placenta.... :eek:

I would just like to know if anyone else has experienced anything like this? Thanks in advance.

[delirium]

Yep, I had that with my first. I bled for 10 weeks, but thought it was normal as the only other woman I knew that had a c/s, had some retained membranes too.

I know it's gross, but you need to get checked out if the membranes smell bad, or you are getting bad pains, as they are signs of an infection. Same with having a temperature. Luckily I didn't get an infection, so it doesn't mean you'll automatically get an infection. Just keep an eye on things ;)

[Tam-I-Am]

I haven't had a c-sect - but wanted to let you know that after my recent VB, I had quite a massive (ie fist sized) clot that looked like it might have been a piece of the placenta, however my middies had been quite sure that the placenta was intact. When I discussed the clot with them, they assured me it can be quite normal to pass rather large clots after birth - I assume it would be the same after a c-sect. The middie's thoughts were "better out than in", basically. She told me to look out for smelly/offensive discharge, feelings of being unwell, running a temperature, excessive bleeding etc as signs of retained product - if none of that's occurring then it was probably pretty normal. Its always a good idea to talk to your care provider if you're worried though :)

[GiasMum]

Hi thanks for your replies.

i should have added this is not a recent occurrence...DS over 2! It is actually something I have always wondered about as whenever I have mentioned it in a conversation no-one else seems to have ever heard of retained product after a c/s. I suppose this is kind of closure for me?

At the time it was a bit of a shock - and it was definitely placenta. (Stretched out it was about the size of an A4 page). The midwife at the time just made the comment "better out than in" and kind of brushed it off as a non-event. The ob just said he was sure the placenta was intact. And i never pressed the topic at the time - i was a bit of a wus.

I did end up with prolonged (11 week) stop/start bleeding and occasional small clots(but no infection or smell/cramps). An internal u/s showed nothing, but i had a curette at 11 weeks because the ob was concerned considering the history. Again nothing was found. Bleeding did stop after the curette though.

sorry for long post :o

[MrsMiggins]

I too was told that retained placenta after a c/s was rare.

I had "unexplained" bleeding for 4 months after DS was born. At my 6 week check up, I mentioned to my GP that I was still having bleeding that sometimes was very light & sometimes was like a period, with large clots. She said that as I'd had a c/s, not to be too worried about it, but that if it hadn't stopped in a couple of weeks to come back in. So a couple of weeks went past, still having the same sort of light then heavy bleeding, so I went back. I'd had mastitis & also a flu, so it was difficult to say whether my raised temperatures had been due to that or an infection from retained placenta.

I was sent off for scans & the conclusion was that I had signs of retained placenta, but only in my cervix! My GP was baffled, as she'd never heard of this happening before. I ended up going to the hospital to see the Gyno & she said that she'd never heard of that happening before either. I was checked out & told that as I was physically well & not having any difficulties due to it (no pain, no anaemia, no signs of infection etc), then it would probably be best just to wait it out (or I was given the option of having a D&C - uhhh... no thanks!)

After 4 months, the bleeding finally stopped for good.