Is there ANYTHING I can do for placenta previa? ADDED PIC of previa

[Artichokie]

I am 26 weeks along and had an u/s a week ago that showed the following:
1. total placenta previa
2. anterior placenta
3. transverse baby.

My midwife has advised that it is not appropriate for me to try to influence the baby out of the transverse position as long as I have the placenta previa. She said that the baby is "staying away" from the area of the previa, and will stay transverse for now for that reason.

I feel helpless! I joked that this seem to be the one thing that isn't solved by the solution, "drink more water!" So, is there ANYTHING that anyone knows of that I can do to move the placenta away from the cervix? At 17 weeks it was only low lying, so I was extremely disheartened to find a total previa at 25 weeks.

I figured if anyone knew of anyway to get the placenta to grow away from the cervix, it would be you folks.

Thank you!

[AzariaJordan]

Am I the only one a bit baffled at how a 17 wk low lying placenta (which many if not most are at that stage) can turn into a total previa?! Since when do placentas migrate downwards?

[Artichokie]

Originally Posted by AzariaJordan

Am I the only one a bit baffled at how a 17 wk low lying placenta (which many if not most are at that stage) can turn into a total previa?! Since when do placentas migrate downwards?

Thank you! I am totally confused about this. How did this happen? But, there are pictures showing it. At 17 weeks, the u/s pic shows a placenta that is not touching the cervix. At 25 weeks, there is a pic of the placenta covering the entire front of the uterus, with the bottom edge of the placenta extending beyond the cervix. I'll see my midwife in person in two weeks (rather than speaking to her in between her appointments via phone), and I'll ask more about that then. Seriously, it doesn't sound right, but I don't really know enough to question it.

There is only one thing I can think of: the ultrasound person required that I come in with a full bladder, and then she had me empty it before she looked at the placenta. I know that previa is diagnosed with an empty bladder. It is possible that after holding my pee for a hour and a half, that my bladder did not empty completely, and so the reading of previa is inaccurate. This is crucial, obviously, because placenta previa will yield a required c-section if it continues to exist. I guess I could insist on another u/s with a pre-emptied bladder, but I really want to minimize the number of u/s I end up with.

Here is a pic of the previa: http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...enn/previa.jpg

[BeckiCNM]

Were these abdominal or vaginal ultrasounds? Vaginal ultrasounds are more accurate in diagnosing previa. I would think the most likely scenario is that one or the other was not accurate as to where the placenta was.

Having said that, the best thing to do is to try not to worry. More than 90% of previas will resolve by the end of the pregnancy. There is nothing you can do to make it move. I would probably check again in a month or so (not before 30 weeks at the earliest), and make sure I got a transvaginal ultrasound before I even thought about your chances of a c/section.

[Jane]

To me, the transverse baby is not an issue at this time. I would probably suggest that you get a repeat vaginal u/s at 34 weeks if there is no bleeding happening.

[Artichokie]

Thank you so much for this information. I will insist on a vaginal u/s in about two months for diagnosis before I accept that I must have a c/s due to previa.

The diagnosis was based on an abdominal one.