Just wanted to say a huge thanks to all the ladies that have posted here.  This is baby no3 for me and was a tad suprised at my 22weeks scan to find I had a low lying placenta, it was actually covering the exit as she put it!  The only info I was given was that I wouldneed a scan at 32 weeks and not to worry and it would probably move, was quite common and a badly photocopied sheet of paper.  This paper basically repeated everything the lady who scanned me had said and also if you start to bleed call Dr, etc straight away, this made me wonder how serious it was as I had a friend who was low lying and everything went normally for her and she didn't make a big deal out of it.  Thankfully the internet is out there now and found some very good none scary info.  Saw midewife at 28 weeks and she doesn't seem hopeful that it will have moved far enough to allow a normal birth, but will see.  Anyone managed to go from being completly covering to having a normal birth?  Thanks for the positive stories, fingers crossed for us all. MBxx

ive got my scan on the 4th october i think it is. 32 weeks to see if it has liffted...

i have lots of questions about this.... kirstie-custard@hotmail.co.uk

oh my god!!!! glad ur ok now. what a horrendous time you had. hoping mine will be a bit more straightforward!!!

got back from consultant today who says they will scan me at 34wks to see if it's moved - it's grade 4 so assuming that is extremely unlikely - & hoping they will give me a date for c-section. wish they had today to be honest as i don't fancy just waiting around to 38/39 weeks just to start bleeding everywhere. they did say that i might go to 39 wks, but will say know to that.

Having just logged on to join a forum for my second baby, I came accross this thread and I feel I should share my story of my first baby who was born in 2006.

 I was told during my 20 week scan that my placenta was low lying, but that it would probably move and it was a very common condition.

I was diagnosed with placenta Praevia grade 4 when I started bleeding at 28 weeks, I went to the delivery suite and to my shock was admitted due to the bleeding, (which was quite light at that stage), I was almost let out several times (I was told I could go home if I stayed blood free for 48hours). 

My partner and friends felt that it was over precautious, and said I should just discharge myself, but having read up on the internet about the condition as soon as I was admitted I followed the consultants advice.

I was taken to the delivery suite twice and was going through the motions with the anaethatist etc when to my delight the bleeding slowed and they sent me back to the ward.

My waters broke at 37 weeks and so I was taken down to theatre to have the planned c-section.  I chose to stay awake as I was planning to breast feed and wanted to be with my baby as soon as possible. My daughter was born & I had a brief cuddle before my partner took her away with the midwife to change and feed her and I stayed in theatre due to placenta accretia and my blood loss due to placenta praevia, I had a massive transfusion (14 pints) and was in theatre for 10 hours, during which time they did all sorts to save my womb.  I then went to Intensive Care for two days before returning to theatre.  After which I spent 24 hours in the high dependency unit.  During my time in IC & HDU I insisted the midwives express for milk.

When I returned to central delivery suite I was finally fully reunited with my daughter and am happy to say that I bonded immediately with her and was able to breast feed with a little help from formula top ups.

I have now the most beautiful daughter and another baby on the way, so despite everything it is all fully working down there!

I know I have written some scary stuff, but there truly was a happy ending, I have a beautiful daughter (who was breastfed despite all the odds) and I now have another baby on the way.Although I don’t know if I will have Placenta Praevia again yet, I have been told that I will have to have another C-Section.

The Consultants and midwifes were truly amazing and I feel really blessed that I live in a country where they are fully prepared.

I hope that by reading my story you will know that despite the worst possible conditions it really can be a happy & healthy birth.

ah thanks hun, you are making me feel more positive. on all the scans & monitoring machines baby has been doing great & 'unaffected' by it all, so just hoping my placenta stays intact for at least 4 more wks. like u say, every day or wk that goes by i am happier with how strong baby will be. am usually on the go non-stop, so all this resting is weird for me.

lol, you will be fine and so will ur baby, but i know its easier said than done i felt like i was walking on egg shells and was thinking every week that passed my baby has more chance of survival constant worrying but no matter how much advise people give you will not stop worrying as it is normal as its your baby and your job is to worry about things working out. let me know how you get on xxx p.s legs crossed is prob a good way of stopping baby entering world just yet, just stay calm and that will help baby too GOOD LUCK XX

gonna keep my legs crossed & off the ground as much as poss!!!

yes mummy that must be it with the blanket lol

i got scanned loads - 1 point it was 3 per week n i wasent to walk more than the hosp n bk (only 10mins there n 10 mins bk)....it is worrying for sure but try take deep breaths n stay calm and u will be fine.....fingers crossed for rest of ur pregnancy

yummy, yours is a great story & think i should email it to my dad who is on high panic mode & sure he thinks i am about to drop down dead!!!

must say that if i walk too much i have had spotting & cramps, which has worried me a bit, but you have reassured me. am 32 wks on weds, so getting there slowly!!!

hiya was just reading and thought my experience was one of the least worrying, i had grade 4 pp with my 1st baby and i was told at 20 weeks then frequently scanned to see if everything was ok i was told them restrictions about no exercise not to walk far and no sex etc apart from the cramps and bleeding at 34 weeks which luckily was nothing serious i had a plain sailing pregnancy, didnt have to stay in hospital i had my c-sect at 38+1, with no complications i was awake and recovered great, my placenta was covering one side of my sons face and what was funny is he used to pull his blanket over this side of his face before he would sleep must of been comforting like back in the womb. xxxx

seeing consultant on thurs so will see what she suggests then. you're right worrying has made me feel 10x worse & sure that was why i got some cramps last night.

i was awake with my 1st c-section and out of hosp after 2days

if ur that worried why not ask if u cud have a few days in the hosp see how u feel then, i got told not to worry etc as it cud make things worse?

lucie - were u awake during c-section? did u come home at all before the birth? i am at home but wondering if i should be in hospital!!!

had started a thread about this but will also reply on here.

i am 31+4 & only found out about my placenta privea last sunday when i woke up bleeding at 5am. got taken to hospital in an ambulance & scanned on tues to be told it was a grade 4 - completely over my cervix. no bleeding since but discharge. Am at home atm & scared myself stupid after googling the condition. been told to go straight back to hospital at any further bleeding, so worrying myself silly about it. was not told to have complete bed rest but to not rush about, no lifting & no going back to work. so i've been sitting about mainly but have a 3 yr old who i have been looking after.  also told i could drive. so not sure really if i am doing too much or if it will just start again. am really uneasy about he whole thing tbh - just want my baby out!!!

Hiya

i had the grade 4 aswell wen i was pg with my 2nd  althou they found this out wen i wa going on to be19wks pg, they said the placenta cud move but doesnt look it will...they tried to keep me from week 21 but i wasent having it.my due date was 04.04.04 bt they said they cudnt let me go till then so they will get me in b4 then so i was booked in for a section on the 17.03.04.....went in on the 12.03.04 to go over details, fill out forms/sign things etc so it saves time doing it on the morn i was to go in.

i went home on the fri and went to sleep early, woke up around 8.50am feeling kinda funny - so went to loo as it felt like i needed a wee...but it was infact pure bright blood i wee'd out (sorry tmi i know)....i had practised wat to say wen/IF i had 2 fone the hosp - so i said it all calmly and they panicked, told me to go lie down with something between my legs to catch anymore blood....so the fone was at the other side of the bed were i sleep - so i put fone down and started to walk round to my side of the double bed, i had just got my butt on my side n the door went - it was rapid response  - due to the fact this is life threating to both myself and baby - i was like jesus u were quick (seriously it was within 2mins - maybe less of foning).

well i had 2 wait for the ambulance to come  - but they were here within another 2mins of the rapid response guy turning up - i got ready n my dp grabbed my suitcase - got into the hosp n got put into a room on my own and hocked up onto the monitors...babys heartbeat was nice n strong, i wasent even allowed a drink or nothing as i felt bit dizzy, i had to sign more forms etc and like the 1st lady said - i got told abt hystorectomy aswell n it scared me....they said to me that it was safer for me to be put to sleep to have my baby than it was to stay awake, i had to sign more forms to say i agree to this and that if anything happned they take no responsibility for this...also if i were to suffer from back,neck or shoulder pain they take no responsibility for this eaither, well i signed them as i wanted my baby out quickly and alive!!

they told me just before i got put to sleep that i have been very calm...more than they have been and that im the 1 who's kept them calm (as they can be) - i just said im not wanting to get into a panic incase i loose more blood etc (was just going thru how the specialist told me to)! well anyway they said that if i were to die then i wudnt know the diff as i was sleeping anyway -BUT as u can tell im still here and got a daughter who i called rachel - she was born @ 1.06pm on the 13th march weighing 6lb 13oz..

she has had many chest infections and breathing probs - but they said she must have swallowed loads of the placenta blood - they told me that if i were to fall pg again then this may not happen to me again as all pregnancys are diff (i do know that!) as that was my 2nd - and my 2nd emergancy c-section, was kept in for 8 days and got out in time for mothers day

now i know i have said a few scary things in here and i do not mean to frighten any1 i was just telling my story they way it happened.

if any1 wants to chat to me - please feel free to send me a pm and i will be happy to answer any questions.

btw mine is fully covering and i had a major bleed at 34+ but luckily it stopped and baby still baking away..lol! im now under all ante-natal and consultant care on a weekly basis until they take me in x

hi, thanx 4 ur post u have made me feel better cuz im now 35+ with my 1st and i got diagnosed from 20+ and im kinda feeling alone till i read ur post and it made me happier, so thanku xx

your  story has made me feel a lot better im 32 weeks pregnant i have placenta previa placenta fully covering cervix im on bed rest ive been in and out of hospital for the last 3 months i have been loosing lots of blood and nearly had to have baby twice ive had to have a blood transfusion i know i have got to have a c section but scared about this aswell this pregnancy has been problem after problem cant wait to have my baby now

Hi there

Well this thread has made me feel a whole lot better. I have been put on bed rest until the end as my cervix is short and I have had contractions along with light bleeding. I am only 21 + 4 and finding it hard to relax. My placenta has actually attached itself inside the cervix which is why I have been put on bed rest as the pressure when I walk is causing it to open. This is my third pregnancy and 4th baby, so the doctors have told me that my risk of a hysterectomy is very high and I'm scared to death. I have lots of lower abdominal pains and I'm not sure if its normal so if you could stay with me and help me through I would be really grateful. I have a scan every 2 weeks as the condition is not improving. I'm also not allowed to drive or even go out in the car. Did you have any of these restrictions? They also said if I was stil like this at 32 weeks they will delivery. I am now a mess and just want my baby boy to hang on in there, but cant help feeling thats its all my fault, that my body is going to give up.

Biba

Hi ladies

I noticed there were a couple of posts regarding placenta previa and so I thought i'd share my story to give hope and confidence to all those ladies with the condition.

I was diagnosed with Grade 4 (the worst!) placenta previa at 35 weeks pregnant with my first child (I'm 27). Basically, the placenta was completely covering the cervical OS.

I had a very small amount of painless fresh bleeding at 15 weeks but when I was checked out everything was fine with me and baby. At my 20 week scan it was noted that the placenta was covering the cervix and I was booked for a re-scan at 36 weeks to see if it had moved. There was no explanation as to what the implications of this might be so I googled it when I got back and scared myself silly with horror stories of placenta previa.....not recommended!!

At 35 weeks started to get some painless brown discharge, and so knowing about my condition I went straight to the central delivery suite. I was checked out, the baby was fine and I was to. I was kept in over night and saw the doctor the next day. She said that if I stopped having the discharge for 24 hours then I could go home. The next day I had a scan and was diagnosed with grade 4 placenta previa. 4 days later I was still having a very small amount of discharge so was kept in. A couple of days later the discharge stopped. The doctor said I could go home but I would have to come back if I had any fresh bleeding..immediately. By this point I was really worried and between us we decided that I would stay in until my planned C-section at 38 weeks. I didn't have any more discharge or bleeding up until my c-section and my stay in hospital was all very uneventful.

I was extremely distressed to learn that hysterectomy was written as a risk on my pre-op consent form. This completely freaked me out and I was a complete mess. The morning of my op I could hardly breathe! I was also always referred to as high risk and special and because of the seriousness of my condition I had the top consultant obstercian doing my c-section. As it turned out, my beautiful baby boy was born with absolutely no complications whatsoever at the planned 38 weeks. 'knife to skin' was at 9.24am, baby born at 9.27am, placenta removed at 9.28am and I was in recovery at 9.57am.

Teddy Gene was 6lb 6oz. 

I hope for those of you who have been diagnosed with this condition that this story will go some way to put your mind at rest that its not all doom and gloom! 

Lucie & Teddy x

ps. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about my experience....