Anterior Placenta

[mom2tillie]

My placenta is anterior, which I am told means it is out front. Does this put me and baby at an increased risk for VBAC, I am concerned that the placenta could have grown into the scar tissue or something along those lines.

Thank you for your insights.

-Iris

[CarolynnMarilynn]

If it is anterior and low, then yes, it could be over the scar, which can cause problems, but is usually fine. It is just an increased risk of the placenta growing into the scar, but by no means it that usual. If it is high and anterior, there is no additional risk. HTH

[mom2tillie]

I am not sure if the placenta is high or not, the sonographer may not have even been aware that I had a previous cesarean in order to check this. Hypothetically, I could deliver the baby vaginally but the placenta just wouldn't detach properly and then I would risk hemorrhage? What is the possibility that if the placenta were high at 20 weeks, it would move down and grow into the scar? Is there any way to confirm this other than u/s which may or may not be reliable?

Thanks,
Iris

[pamamidwife]

If the placenta was over the scar, your provider or the sonographer's report would indicate this.

Placentas do not move, but as the uterus grows, it of course moves up with the growth. Never down.

[rmzbm]

Is there any way a MW could tell this sans US? I think I remember reading this could be "diagosed" by listening to the HB?

[mom2tillie]

They can diagnose an anterior placenta but I am not sure how they could tell if it had grown into the scar tissue (reliably) with or without an ultrasound.
At this point, my instincts are still to VBAC this baby I am just trying to get informed on all aspects of this labor ahead of time so I don't get blindsided by scare tactics etc...

I am really hoping to avoid the hospital completely, but I will go if my instincts tell me to at any point in labor.

Thanks for your inputs. Keep it coming if you have any new insight.

-Iris