Placenta Previa - Keller,TX

If the placenta doesn't migrate up the uterus by the time you are about 36 weeks at latest, you will have a c-section. If you try a vaginal delivery with a full on placenta previa you and the baby have a high percentage chance of not living through it. Now. If you are 6-8 weeks, even 12 weeks with a previa, there will be other sonos to see how far the placenta will migrate up the uterus. If it does and is out of the cervical area, you will be fine. If it doesn't, plan on your doc talking to you about a section no later than 38 weeks to make sure your body doens't kick into labor so that the placenta doesn't abrupt (shear off from the uterine wall). Please keep us informed. When found and monitored early on, you two have a high chance of being just fine. Its those who don't know until delivery that have the major problems.

L.
Student Midwife

I was told that I had this with my first baby, and it was expected that I would have a C-section, but a week or so before delivery, everything just seemed to work itself out. My baby had also been breach. When she finally turned around, I bled a little bit, and then no longer had the placenta previa.

I had a mild case of it with my second child. The placenta was simply on the edge of the opening to the uterus. It caused me to have worse breakthrough bleeding when I exercised so I had to be careful. Walking seemed to be the only thing I could do at the beginning and I did deep water aerobics toward the end of the pregnancy (months 7-9). The doctor told me that sometimes the placenta would lift to the place where it should be by time for birth. Mine did, but I had to have a cesaerean anyway because she was breach also.

If I were you and you haven't already, I should get a 3D sonogram. If it doesn't correct itself, the farther you get along, you'll probably be put on bedrest and maybe on hospital bedrest. You may experience some hemorrages and that's what the doctor wants to monitor closely. If it doesn't correct itself, you'll probably not go full term but plenty far enough to have a healthy baby. My daughter experienced this; she was on bedrest at home 3 weeks and the last three weeks was in hospital bedrest. She had a C-Section with the baby being 6 weeks early - girl now 4 years old, healthy and happy. My sister-in-law had the same thing too having a healthy 8 weeks early baby who is now grown. You just have to be really careful. Both mothers and babies did fantastic! And there's no reason to freak out. You'd be surprised as to how many mothers have this.

Get a good doctor who has lots of experience with this. If yours doesn't, let me know and I'll give you a great doctor in the Casa Linda area. He gave my daughter his home phone as well and saw her at a minute's notice when called. He was just fantastic and upbeat and took such great care of her.

Keep us posted!

It's important you have a good open frank discussion with your doctor about anything you do not understand, so be sure to ask him or her about this in more detail your next visit. I had two twin pregnancies and had placenta previa in both. As I understand it (best I could), it has to do with the space between where the baby is lodged and the opening of the uterus. It is primarily an "indicator" of potential for problem - it means it is something to be watched to ensure problems can be handled if indeed a problem comes up - it does not in itself create a problem. Sometimes (as in my first delivery) the problem takes care of itself, other times it requires, as in my second pregnancy, bedrest and in extreme cases hospitalization and/or early termination. In both cases, I delivered healthy twins although the second set was born premature. Remember that doctors now can see so much more and know so much, and they are very careful to just be careful. It is a good thing that they can be so in tune with your body that they can keep an eye on potential problems, and try not to fret too much other than to follow your doctor's advice. If he or she says bedrest, do what you are told.

I had it with both babies. My doc didn't seem to think it was that serious -- I just had to abstain from 'relations'. It was rougher on my hubs than it was on me :-) Anyway, it must have been a pretty mild case, because I never was too worried, and both babies were full term and perfect.

I had it, but it cleared up in between 12-20 weeks. Often it clears up on its own. If not, I think it leads to an increased risks for some complications and for the need for a c-section.