C section with anterior placenta previa

[george83]

Hi ladies, I'm just wondering if any of you found yourself in this position - I'm still waiting to go back for my 36 week scan to know for sure but at my 32 week scan I was told I had placenta previa but my placenta is also anterior. I stupidly looked it up on google and read nothing but scary stories so now I'm looking for reassurance. I had two amazing natural labours with my first two boys so the thought of having a caesarean scares me anyway. Thanks in advance

 

[amy8686]

This is what I had - complete anterior placenta previa that never budged. I had my c section last week and it was perfect! My doctor had (gently) warned that there could be excessive bleeding, and I had to sign an agreement for a blood transfusion if necessary, but everything went fine. And even if there had been excessive bleeding, my doctor didn't seem worried about it. It seems routine for the doctors... Many of the scary stories I had read came from women who hadn't been properly diagnosed in advance.

I don't know about you, but the hardest part for me leading up to the birth was worrying that I'd start bleeding early, because the internet had led me to believe I would. Again, my doctor wasn't worried... He said it would start as spotting, I'd be evaluated, and we would deliver earlier if necessary. In the end, I never bled and my c section was done at week 37.

It was a lovely, calm birth experience, my recovery was entirely tolerable, and my baby is perfect.

Don't worry! Let me know if you have questions.

 

[Kalabear]

Hi George...I can't comment on the placenta issue but can about the c section. I had a lovely experience as well. It was so calm and in control. I'm hoping for the same experience this time good luck!

 

[george83]

Thanks ladies, I really appreciate the support.

Amy I'm lucky in that mine wasnt diagnosed as complete previa so im less worried about bleeding than i might be and I'm still hopeful it will move in time but am still worried about the thought of a caesarean

 

[Crazycolours]

Hi George 83.

Just reading your thread as I also have low lying placenta. I have follow up scan at 36 weeks to check the position but I also am terrified of the outcome being c section. I had My first natural with just gas & air so naively thought this one will come with flying colours also! Silly me.

How long till you find out? Xx

 

[george83]

Hi George 83.

Just reading your thread as I also have low lying placenta. I have follow up scan at 36 weeks to check the position but I also am terrified of the outcome being c section. I had My first natural with just gas & air so naively thought this one will come with flying colours also! Silly me.

How long till you find out? Xx

I just replied to your thread in the other section before I saw this! I wont repeat myself with the background but I have an appointment on 13th April to find out if its moved. I've also had two super easy labours so was hoping this would be too. Plus my youngest will only be 16 months when this one comes along (this was a surprise baby!) so really can't imagine recovering from a c section and dealing with him. Luckily I've read loads of positive stories on the Internet about them moving right at the last minute so I'm hopeful it will clear in time

 

[Crazycolours]

Iv just done the same on my other thread lol.

Bot long till you find out then, let me know how you get on. Good luck xxx

 

[Sass827]

I'm in the same spot. I know I'm not as far along, but I've been told my previous c section lowers the odds of it moving up. A personal question to you ladies, if you don't mind? Are you all on "vaginal rest"? My doctor has told me I need to be (even though I'm just low lying, not even a partial) and I'm wondering if this is standard.

 

[amy8686]

Sass, I was never put on official pelvic rest, but I was advised to be careful with penetration. They were more concerned about it with things like vaginal exams than with sex, but with my nervousness I avoided that too.

The advice I got a few times, since I wasn't bleeding, was "keep doing what you're doing." If I'd been spotting, they probably would have given me more restrictions.

 

[Sass827]

Thanks so much. I haven't spotted and I'm just sort of thinking maybe my doctor is super cautious?

 

[amy8686]

Yes - I had a doctor tell me that some docs prescribe pelvic rest just to cover themselves in case things go wrong, but the research shows that it's rarely necessary. You just don't want anything hard bumping up against the cervix.

 

[george83]

I've not been given any real advice - I spoke to my midwife over the phone and she said to carry on as normal. I've since had a routine appointment with a different midwife and she has referred me to a consultant but still didn't give me any advice on things to do or avoid

 

[Sass827]

This is so interesting to hear. My ultrasound doc only said come get rescanned at 27 weeks. My ob acted like there was nothing to be done, then just mentioned pelvic rest as she was walking out the door without really getting into what it totally means or how serious it is. I go back in 4 weeks so I guess I'll drill them then.

 

[george83]

Hi ladies just wanted to update you on my situation - a bit self centred I know!

My midwife was tracking down my referal to a consultant which never went through and should have happened after my 32 week scan. On Saturday I turned36 weeks and was feeling really confident I would have my scan on Monday (today) to find out the placenta had moved and was no longer a problem, I'd literally just been making child care arrangements for my appointment when I went to the bathroom and was bleeding. The hospital said to come in with an over night bag just in case. We got to hospital and the bleeding was very heavy very quickly, I passed a massive clot and within 3 hours of arriving my baby was born by emergency c section. He's in special care at the minute to help with his breathing as he's a bit early.

My bleeding was totally out of the blue, I'd had no spotting and genuinely expected to be given the all clear. I read so many stories on the Internet of people having this happen to them but never thought it would be me! I hope you all have much safer deliveries

 

[amy8686]

George, how scary! Sorry you had to go through that, but congratulations on your little one, and I hope he's breathing on his own soon.

I spent my pregnancy convinced that that would happen to me, despite my doctor saying it's rare. Congratulations on being rare, I guess.

The hard part is over! Wishing you an easy recovery. Enjoy your baby.

 

[Sass827]

No way! Omg George! Hope you're fairing well and you're little guy gets out of special care very soon.
Does this mean your placenta git closer to your cervix? It's so wild that it just started bleeding like that. Maybe I haven't done enough reading on our situation....

 

[george83]

Thanks ladies! The lady who scanned me last night did say she wasn't a professional so wasn't the best and didn't go into huge details as it ended up being fairly rushed but from what I could tell it sounds like it dropped lower. I think the main reason it seemed so scary was because I was convinced it would move up and that I thought I had one of the least concerning degrees of it but the bleeding matched the worst cases I'd read about.

I'd definitely try and read up about it so your prepared but again it is rare so hopefully won't happen to you ladies

 

[Zephram]

Not sure about the placenta previa part, but I had an emcs with my first and I had an anterior placenta. Nothing was mentioned to me either way about the position of my placenta being a risk factor and it all went fine, so just being anterior in itself is not something to worry about unduly as far as I'm aware.

I again have an anterior placenta - though I'm going for a VBAC - but maybe I will ask if it makes a difference in my next appointment.

 

[amelia26]

Wow George, that must have been scary. Congratulations though!

I have complete placenta previa but it's posterior. That makes it less likely to move but nice and out of the way if I need a c section.
I had a bleed at 17 weeks. It didn't start with spotting. It was heavy, bright red blood. It happened at night and I woke feeling it come out. Got up and sat on the loo and I could hear it pouring it out.
I went into labour Ward and was kept in 24 hours. After the initial heavy blood, it slowed down very quickly. The doctors considered it mild even though it looked loads to me! I am on pelvic rest, no heavy lifting and generally taking it easy. As I'm not far along there's still a good chance it might move.

 

[Crazycolours]

Congratulations on the birth, hope all goes well with the recovery. Take care & pleanty of rest. Xxx