[iluvbnamomma]

I had my 20 week u/s yesterday and the good news is the baby looks great!
But they discovered i have complete previa and after talking to several doctors AND my homebirth midwife it sounds like the placement is not likely to resolve itself. I have a follow-up scan in 8 weeks to see if there is any change, but i am trying to be realistic and focus on the positives. Healthy baby and this is one instance, where thank God, we have modern medicine.
I am pretty scared about what's to come and would love to hear any positive stories you may have even if they ended with a c-section.
I do not have a medical dr. , have only been to my first appointment, and I was really hoping for one scan only and now it looks like i will have many more to monitor the babies growth and such. ugh.

Pretty blue today

Thanks for reading

 

[77589]

sorry about the bad news, but

about the good news - healthy baby!

Try not to feel too down, if you do end up having to go c/s this time, there is always VBAC next time which is no where near as scary as it sounds

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for ya that it does move though. Good Luck Mama

 

[Schrody]

I was diagnosed with complete previa at 21 weeks. My ob was not at all optimistic about it moving and left me feeling like a c-section was a virtual lock. I had my follow up ultrasound this week (at 30 weeks) and it's almost completely resolved. It only has to move a fraction of a centimeter at this point for me to get the all-clear for a vaginal delivery and my ob is now completely confident that it will move the last little bit this month.

I don't have the link anymore (sorry), but I read a very good study that was published online which gave the odds of complete previa resolving depending on when it was diagnosed. If it was found at 21 weeks, the odds were actually still 55% of it resolving. So don't despair yet!

 

[mama_tigress]

I'm not sure what kinds of positive stories you want to hear, but I have two incredibly healthy, adorable baby boys and that's pretty positive to me! I had a complete previa with all possible complications and yet here they are, at 7 months old, adorable and wonderful and as healthy as can be. I hope you avoid any complications and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy!

(Oh yeah, my previa was complete at 20 weeks, complete at 25 weeks, complete at 27 weeks, but before they were born at 30w6d it was technically a low-lying placenta. So it definitely can resolve!)

 

[iluvbnamomma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mama_tigress I'm not sure what kinds of positive stories you want to hear, but I have two incredibly healthy, adorable baby boys and that's pretty positive to me! I had a complete previa with all possible complications and yet here they are, at 7 months old, adorable and wonderful and as healthy as can be. I hope you avoid any complications and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy! (Oh yeah, my previa was complete at 20 weeks, complete at 25 weeks, complete at 27 weeks, but before they were born at 30w6d it was technically a low-lying placenta. So it definitely can resolve!)

That is exactly the positive story i needed to hear. Congrats on your beautiful baby boys.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[iluvbnamomma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schrody I was diagnosed with complete previa at 21 weeks. My ob was not at all optimistic about it moving and left me feeling like a c-section was a virtual lock. I had my follow up ultrasound this week (at 30 weeks) and it's almost completely resolved. It only has to move a fraction of a centimeter at this point for me to get the all-clear for a vaginal delivery and my ob is now completely confident that it will move the last little bit this month. I don't have the link anymore (sorry), but I read a very good study that was published online which gave the odds of complete previa resolving depending on when it was diagnosed. If it was found at 21 weeks, the odds were actually still 55% of it resolving. So don't despair yet!

Thanks for sharing your story. I have been reading and it seems they often move so heres hoping. I really hope you get your clear and have a wonderful birth.

 

[CarolBe]

I went to church with a lady a couple of years ago that had previa up to her 36th week (or so they guess), she had an u/s done then becuase they had been planning a section and when they did the u/s the previa had resolved itself and she was able to deliver vaginally! She has a healthy 2 yo now!

 

[ClumsySugarPlum]

Oh, too cool. My doc's assistant called and left me a message today that I have a low lying placenta. I have no idea how low because neither my doc or the assistant were able to call me back with further details, but these positive stories make me feel better too. Thank you for sharing them!

 

[iluvbnamomma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClumsySugarPlum Oh, too cool. My doc's assistant called and left me a message today that I have a low lying placenta. I have no idea how low because neither my doc or the assistant were able to call me back with further details, but these positive stories make me feel better too. Thank you for sharing them!

Hope yours is not a previa and everything checks out fine. Keep us posted. I will not be going back until Feb 5th for a scan, but i will report back with any news.

 

[dearmama22]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolBe I went to church with a lady a couple of years ago that had previa up to her 36th week (or so they guess), she had an u/s done then becuase they had been planning a section and when they did the u/s the previa had resolved itself and she was able to deliver vaginally! She has a healthy 2 yo now!

gosh.. this is so good to read!! I hope this happens to me! What a blessing!

I meet with my doc tomorow to hear how low it is, Im so anxious!

 

[annekh23]

If I'm understanding the data right, then whilst a complete previa has a lower chance of moving than if it's a partial previa (still over the os, but the cord isn't central), that the chance is still reasonable. Also, some technicians/doctors might lump together anything completely covering regardless of where the cord insertion is as complete at this stage, simply because of the relative sizes and accuracies of things.

A rescan in 8 weeks could give you positive information, but when I've had friends go through this, it's often been after 28 weeks that the majority of the movement has occurred, sometimes even after 32 weeks, so make sure they scan you again before delivery!

 

[iluvbnamomma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by annekh23 If I'm understanding the data right, then whilst a complete previa has a lower chance of moving than if it's a partial previa (still over the os, but the cord isn't central), that the chance is still reasonable. Also, some technicians/doctors might lump together anything completely covering regardless of where the cord insertion is as complete at this stage, simply because of the relative sizes and accuracies of things. A rescan in 8 weeks could give you positive information, but when I've had friends go through this, it's often been after 28 weeks that the majority of the movement has occurred, sometimes even after 32 weeks, so make sure they scan you again before delivery!

Thanks for this info. I have a rescan at 28.5 weeks and then if it has not moved they said they will do another around 32-34 weeks. The hospital from which i am getting care is pretty good about not performing unnecessary procedures and are really hoping they do not have to preform a c-section. So i am really not worried that they will jump to any conclusions.

I'll update on Feb 5th.

 

[lkmiscnet]

I, too, was diagnosed with a complete previa when I had my amnio done at week 17. My placenta is completely on the bottom (envision a "U") as opposed to a letter "C", where it can still move off the cervix. My doctor said she has not had a patient with that positioning where it moved because it's not just the edge that is covering the cervix. The whole placenta is on the bottom.

I was moved into the high risk category and have to go in for visual ultrasounds every two weeks now. This is my first baby.

I am permitted one "free" bleed (which includes any spotting). If I bleed a second time, I have to go to the hospital and if the bleeding doesn't stop, it would be mandatory hospital bedrest. Otherwise, it would be mandatory bedrest at home.

From what I have read, if you do start to bleed, it normally starts after week 20-22.

I am now on "full pelvic rest", which means no sex, orgasm, lifting anything heavy, exercise or anything else that would be too taxing, including some housework.

My doctor wants to be as proactive as possible in trying to prevent mandatory bedrest, so she is being very cautious with me because mandatory bedrest would be impossible for me with my husband out of state.

She even asked if I could work from home because the more I am laying down, the better my chances of preventing the bleeding. So, that would be considered "modified bedrest".

Please be sure you are monitored more closely than in 8 weeks.

The upside from my new high risk status is that I now get to see my baby every two weeks and will have new u/s photos every two weeks as opposed to just getting the doppler u/s and only hearing the heartbeat.

Have to look for that silver lining!

Lin

 

[Cheshire]

I had partial previa at my 20 week scan. It stayed low-lying until my 37 week scan and it have moved enough for a vaginal delivery.

What you need to have them check for as it moves is to verify where the cord insertion is. If it inserts into the center of your placenta that is great (keep checking it because as the placenta grows up into the uterus away from your OS I believe the insertion won't move but can become off center).

What I didn't know to have the doc check on was the insertion (mine was a velamentous cord insertion) and also vasa previa - which means the cord inserted into the actual umbilical sac, ran along it's length before inserting into the placenta. Some of this cord and sac portion was close to my OS and the cord, being a velamentous insertion, had the vessels unprotected by whartons jelly (the thick whitish stuff that covers and protects the vessels) for a small section. At the end of a very uneventful labor the cord tore and the sac tore enough to tear that vessel, too. My perfect baby boy lost most of his blood in a number of heart beats. The NICU team did all they could but he died 12 hours after his birth.

What happened to me is pretty rare but it can be diagnosed VERY easily if a doc looks for it. Especially if they do a transvaginal ultrasound to check the distance of your placenta from your OS they can do a simple color doppler scan and see if any blood vessels run across the OS.

I do not post this to alarm anyone. I wish I had had this information before my son's birth. Just knowing what to ask for probably would have saved his life. I should never have been allowed to have a vaginal delivery.

I had a lot of ultrasounds and it was missed time and time again. It would never hurt to ask them to check for you to see the placental cord insertion site and also to look for vasa previa. Low lying placenta is an indicator. You can find some great info on this at vasaprevia.com.

Best wishes!

 

[AndrewsMother]

After my 31/32 week checkup I had weekly ultrasounds, but my complete previa never moved.

Will your doctor/midwife allow you too have weekly scans to monitor any possible changes?

 

[iluvbnamomma]

I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your story. I will be sure to ask about the cord position. I can not imagine how you must have felt.

s

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheshire I had partial previa at my 20 week scan. It stayed low-lying until my 37 week scan and it have moved enough for a vaginal delivery. What you need to have them check for as it moves is to verify where the cord insertion is. If it inserts into the center of your placenta that is great (keep checking it because as the placenta grows up into the uterus away from your OS I believe the insertion won't move but can become off center). What I didn't know to have the doc check on was the insertion (mine was a velamentous cord insertion) and also vasa previa - which means the cord inserted into the actual umbilical sac, ran along it's length before inserting into the placenta. Some of this cord and sac portion was close to my OS and the cord, being a velamentous insertion, had the vessels unprotected by whartons jelly (the thick whitish stuff that covers and protects the vessels) for a small section. At the end of a very uneventful labor the cord tore and the sac tore enough to tear that vessel, too. My perfect baby boy lost most of his blood in a number of heart beats. The NICU team did all they could but he died 12 hours after his birth. What happened to me is pretty rare but it can be diagnosed VERY easily if a doc looks for it. Especially if they do a transvaginal ultrasound to check the distance of your placenta from your OS they can do a simple color doppler scan and see if any blood vessels run across the OS. I do not post this to alarm anyone. I wish I had had this information before my son's birth. Just knowing what to ask for probably would have saved his life. I should never have been allowed to have a vaginal delivery. I had a lot of ultrasounds and it was missed time and time again. It would never hurt to ask them to check for you to see the placental cord insertion site and also to look for vasa previa. Low lying placenta is an indicator. You can find some great info on this at vasaprevia.com. Best wishes!

 

[JudiAU]

A good friend of mine had a complete previa last year. She was able to give birth naturally in a hospital setting. =) Good luck!

The only downside is that everyone was so interested in the placenta that they starting making dibs on it in the delivery room. And a million people came in to watch it come out! (She had some other unusual issues too)

 

[iluvbnamomma]

well i had my 28 week scan today to follow-up about the previa and unfortunately the placenta has not moved AT ALL.

: It is still completely covering the cervical opening. Good news is the baby looks great.

They scheduled me for another scan in 4 weeks. I am starting to think this will be a "belly birth"

 

[dearmama22]

aww, I'm sorry. It can't still move up though, can't it? Mine was low ( but not complete) at 20 weeks and it moved up. I hope it does for you!

 

[ChichosMama]

prayers mama.