ultrasound quandary-my ob scared me about placenta previa

1511 Views 25 Replies 15 Participants Last post by gossamer, Aug 11, 2006

oldmama44

Discussion Starter · Aug 11, 2006

I am really in a quandary here, ladies. i saw my ob today with my husband, and we told her that we don't want ultrasound because of the unknown quantity of damage that it may do our unborn child, and she scared me about placenta previa- how she needs to see where my placenta is located so that
she can make an informed decision about the rest of my pregnancy. what I want to know is the statistics of placenta previa occuring in the general population, and whether this is a really valid reason to subject myself to all this poking and prodding to find out something that probably isn't even a big deal anyway- she spoke of possible hemorraging,my death, my baby's death from this, etc. We are advocating the Bradley method of chilbirth, with a minimal amount of medical interference, and we are really in doubt of the information she presented to us- that there is no medical evidence to prove that ultrasound is at all harmful to an unborn baby. Any advice, ladies and gents?

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

Anguschick1

· #2 · Aug 11, 2006

A few things come to mind while reading your post...(keeping in mind that I'm not a medical professional, just a mama of 2 (1 intervention laden, 1 homebirth) and an avid reader of birth info)

First off - Congratulations on your pregnancy!

How far along are you? Early in the pregnancy (up until about 20ish weeks) just about everyone has placenta previa. It's because of how big your uterus is at the time and the fact that your placenta doesn't have room to grow "up" yet. Up as in towards your head/top of the fundus.

Get yourself a copy of Henci Goer's book, The Thinking Woman's Guide to A Better Birth. It's a great, research driven factual book regarding pregnancy, outcomes, risks etc about pregnancy and birth. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth has some good medical information and birth stories in it as well.

Finally - the fact that your ob is already pulling "the dead baby and mama" card concerns me. It really doesn't sound like she trusts natural birth or the natural process of pregnancy. Do you have any midwives in your area? Would you consider a birth center or home birth?

She said, "...so that she can make an informed decision about the rest of your pregnancy." Well I have news for you, it's YOUR pregnancy, not hers and that kind of statement just sets me off. Get thee a copy of the book, do searches here and read up.

Good luck and Congratulations again!

See less See more

snazzy_mom

· #3 · Aug 11, 2006

Sadly, I think they are more concerned with liability issues rather than the birth experience. I don't really have any advice but you'll know what's right for you. I would ask her why she would think this was an issue and if you started to have problems, why not wait until then?

AmieV

· #4 · Aug 11, 2006

I don't know much about placenta previa, but everyone I know IRL who has had it was diagnosed because they were sent for an U/S AFTER some abnormal bleeding. I don't think it's one of those things that is a "silent" problem. I agree with the PP that this doc's attitude doesn't sound like it's going to mesh with your bradley philosophies. And I also know that there are no studies that prove that routine u/s used on low risk pg women improves fetal or maternal outcome at all.

I think you'd have better luck with a midwife, if not a homebirth one then at least a CNM in the hopsital. good luck!

Jude Rose

· #5 · Aug 11, 2006

After that article that was just released on the dangers of ultrasound, she should be ashamed of herself.
(here's the thread in case you missed it)
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=497321

You have plenty of time to find someone else (unless you're 39 weeks

). Maybe this OB isn't the one.

ETA: I love what Anguschick wrote-great advice!

See less See more

Anguschick1

· #6 · Aug 11, 2006

Forgot to say, WELCOME TO MDC!!!

From Mayo health

Quote:

Early in pregnancy, the placenta may implant in the lower part of your uterus. However, as your uterus grows, the placenta usually moves up and away from the opening of your uterus, called your cervix. If it doesn't, it's called placenta previa.

This condition occurs in about one in 200 pregnancies, and it can be dangerous for both you and your baby. When the placenta covers the opening to your cervix, the placenta will detach from that part of your uterus as your cervix begins to thin and dilate in preparation for labor. This can cause severe vaginal bleeding.

In fact, most women with placenta previa experience moderate to heavy bleeding in the second half of pregnancy. This can be scary, but the bleeding will alert your health care provider to the condition - if it wasn't already detected by ultrasound. Then you can make plans to treat it.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pla...previa/DS00588

More info from Web MD

Quote:

Frequency:

* In the US: Placenta previa complicates approximately 5 of 1,000 deliveries and has a mortality rate of 0.03%. Recent data recorded from 1989-1997 indicated placenta previa in 2.8 per 1000 live births in the United States.

History:

* Vaginal bleeding

o It is apt to occur suddenly during the third trimester.

o Bleeding is usually bright red and painless. Some degree of uterine irritability is present in about 20% of the cases.

o Initial bleeding is not usually profuse enough to cause death; it spontaneously ceases, only to recur later.

o The first bleed occurs (on average) at 27-32 weeks' gestation.

o Contractions may or may not occur simultaneously with the bleeding.

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic427.htm

See less See more

oldmama44

Discussion Starter · #7 · Aug 11, 2006

3

I just want to thank all my sisters out there who are just like me, and to answer your questions: this is my third baby-I have an18 year old and a 20 year old, I'm in my 26 th week, and I have not had any problems with this pregnancy. I'm 44 years old- hence the moniker "oldmama44". i was raised on
organic food, drank raw milk as a child, and ate dirt and herbs to my hearts'
content as a toddler. I have always been a renegade, and i have the good luck of having an ob who is half my age, and half my intellectual equal. the mor i think about her responses, they're straight out of the textbooks she read in her classes. i came home and posted this thread, and then got busy researching. I found some amamzing links that i want to pass on to y'all:
www.birthlove.com, and the gentlebirth website from a midwife named Ronnie
Falcao, whic I believe is gentlebirth.org. all of these websites are pro-natural
childbirth, anti-u/s, and I am so grateful that there are informed sources out there. my husbansd is going to show her (my ob) the articles onu/s that I downloaded and blow her out of the water. I could get hit by a truck tomorrow, I could also die in chilbirth. The cjhances of either happening are really very remote. women who have a strong psychic connection to their babies in utero usually know when there's something wrong, and my baby has been very connected to me since the night she was conceived(yes, I know she's a girl- it's obvious the energy is female...)and there's nothing wrong here,except for the girl who is my ob!

See less See more

alegna

· #8 · Aug 11, 2006

Have you considered a homebirth midwife instead of an OB? This kind of thing is one of oh so many reasons I'd never consider an OB without a major medical reason. I have NEVER heard of previa without some bleeding at some point.

A good midwife may be able to figure out where your placenta is with a fetascope (depending on where it is)

-Angela

aisraeltax

· #9 · Aug 11, 2006

3

they had me worried about Placenta Previa (sp?) for months; however, when i decided to fire my OB and get a MW and "opt out" of their plan for my 3d c/s, things improved!

that OB sounds like an sOB, as someone here has called them before.

i wouldnt like what she said at all. and if your dh gives her articles, be prepared for the "oh you got those off the internet" kind of bs arguments.
things like this just really irk me. i had 6 u/s' before going to my MW, after which i had NONE. if i had stayed with my OB, he would have scheduled one every 2 weeks in my final months! HELLO????
good for you in questioning!
and congrats on the preg! i have an almost 16 yo....babies are so much easier!

rach

See less See more

arlecchina

· #10 · Aug 11, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmieV
I don't know much about placenta previa, but everyone I know IRL who has had it was diagnosed because they were sent for an U/S AFTER some abnormal bleeding.

exactly, it is not exactly symptomless.

I dont like your OB pulling scare tactics at all.

junebugmidwife

· #11 · Aug 11, 2006

Just wanted to throw in my $0.02--I don't think US are indicated in a healthy pregnancy with sure dates. Since you are 'oldmama', there are some risks that are a bit greater, but as with all testing in pregnancy, the big question is: what will you do with that information? What is the purpose of gathering that information? Will you do anything different in pregnancy based on what you find? I decided I wouldn't change anything (i.e. have a termination, unless maybe for a lethal anomaly--so rare), so there wasn't a purpose to be served by that.

As the PP said, placenta previa is something that would typically make itself known--although I am confused about the "then make plans to treat it" bit--as far as I know, the only treatment is a scheduled Cesarean birth. Which, for a complete previa, is life-saving for mama and baby (after two totally natural births, one at home, my mom had a complete previa with my youngest sister--diagnosed after she started bleeding at 30wks).

But you sound like a with-it woman. Best of luck in finding a provider who is your equal (or at least 75%)!

See less See more

melmo

· #12 · Aug 11, 2006

I have it and with no symptoms. The treatment is not just c-section. They have to monitor it very closely and if it's complete, meaning covering the cervix in later weeks, they may require bedrest or hospitalization. It can cause spotting or hemorrage which can cause death. I would take it very seriously and get the u/s. Unless you are having mice, there is no concern or proof that u/s are dangerous. People with twins have them every single week.

sapphire_chan

· #13 · Aug 11, 2006

Except that according the Mayo clinic info the placenta is frequently over the cervix at first and then moves away as the uterus expands. Getting a U/S now wouldn't actually tell anything other than to indicate a need for more U/S to see how it progresses. If you do decide you want U/S reassurance about placenta previa it'd be better to wait either you bleed or until it's unlikely that the placenta will be moving--after 30 weeks.

http://www.gentlebirth.org/Midwife/placprev.html
According to this 97% of early diagnoses of placenta previa are wrong. So definitely don't get the U/S now and definitely switch doctors if she's suggesting a U/S for placenta previa now.

And from http://www.nursingceu.com/courses/48/index_nceu.html:

Quote:

In placenta previa, the placental attachment is gradually disrupted, and bleeding occurs because the uterus is not able adequately to contract and stop blood flow from the open vessels (Lowdermilk, 2000). If the placenta is a partial or total previa, the effacement of the cervix causes the placenta to pull away from the cervix. This action tears the villi from the uterine wall, exposing the uterine sinus at the placental site. When this occurs, the mother experiences a bleed. The earlier the bleeding begins, the more serious the type of previa. If a term gestation can be reached, the incidence of placenta previa is 0.5% to 1%.

See less See more

melmo

· #14 · Aug 11, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan
Except that according the Mayo clinic info the placenta is frequently over the cervix at first and then moves away as the uterus expands. Getting a U/S now wouldn't actually tell anything other than to indicate a need for more U/S to see how it progresses. If you do decide you want U/S reassurance about placenta previa it'd be better to wait either you bleed or until it's unlikely that the placenta will be moving--after 30 weeks.

http://www.gentlebirth.org/Midwife/placprev.html
According to this 97% of early diagnoses of placenta previa are wrong. So definitely don't get the U/S now and definitely switch doctors if she's suggesting a U/S for placenta previa now.

Yes, I agree with that. You can still limit the u/s by checking later when it would become a problem. If you are early they would monitor it. Good idea!

alegna

· #15 · Aug 11, 2006

Another point is that "diagnosing" previa is useless early in the pregnancy. It means absolutely nothing at 20 or 24 weeks. Nothing. Nada. All it means is - hey you get to have more u/s!

melmo- welcome! I suggest you do more research. There is quite a bit of research to suggest that u/s is not as safe as it's made out to be. And there are plenty of women here with twins that never had u/s "every week"

-Angela

See less See more

Canadianmommax3

· #16 · Aug 11, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna
Have you considered a homebirth midwife instead of an OB? This kind of thing is one of oh so many reasons I'd never consider an OB without a major medical reason. I have NEVER heard of previa without some bleeding at some point.

A good midwife may be able to figure out where your placenta is with a fetascope (depending on where it is)

-Angela

i had placenta previa without any bleeding.

alegna

· #17 · Aug 11, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canadianmommax3
i had placenta previa without any bleeding.

Interesting, thanks for posting! Did you have it at term or just earlier?

-Angela

melmo

· #18 · Aug 11, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna

melmo- welcome! I suggest you do more research. There is quite a bit of research to suggest that u/s is not as safe as it's made out to be. And there are plenty of women here with twins that never had u/s "every week"

-Angela

As is there plenty of research that suggest that it is harmless. You can search and find research that will support both positives and negatives with just about any arguement. The truth is there is no proof either way as of yet. The benefits outweigh the risks for u/s as well as vaccinations. Some people have agendas and forget about what's important and that is the health of the baby and in this case an u/s later in pregnancy is necessary, especially if having a homebirth or little imedical intervention.

See less See more

shoefairy3

· #19 · Aug 11, 2006

I had a partial placenta previa (showed up on an u/s) and i was scared sh$tless...but turns out my placenta moved itself back to where it was supposed to. I cannot remember the exact statistic, but most women who show a partial or full previa on an early u/s usually move to where they are supposed to be at

See less See more

sapphire_chan

· #20 · Aug 11, 2006

Melmo, I've looked for studies on the safety of U/S. So far no luck except the studies about mice that you apparently are rejecting. Could you please share the ones you have that show it is safe?

And, I happen to know that Alegna didn't use the Bradley method. The Bradley method isn't nearly hardcore-crunchy enough for many MDCers.

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.