has anyone had vaginal birth with placenta previa?Advice needed...

[beljeff]

Hi,
I am 34 wks pregnant and had my check-up us today as i had low-lying placenta. the sonographer had trouble seeing my cervix cuz bubs head is in the way, but she could see that the placenta is at least 4cm to the os. (that is, it may be closer, cant see)

anyway, i havent had any bleeding or anything, and at my first scan placenta was 1.5 from os so therefore not actually touching cervix-

so am looking to still plug away and have vaginal birth if possible, but knowing the staff down here i KNOW they will try to push me for a c-section.
im just looking for advice from anyone who knows anything about this?
Thanks, Bel.

[~sequoia~]

4cm is ages away from the cervix! And you are only 34 weeks, so if it has already moved it will probably keep moving. You should be home free! Are they calling it a low lying placenta or have they actually said it is placenta praevia?

[moneypenny]

It sounds like the placenta is far enough away from the cervix but I am no expert. I am sure that someone with more experience will be along soon

[beljeff]

well the prob is that she cant see where it actually starts... so it might be even covering it.. i might see if i can request an intrnal us but i dont think it will be possible here..
but thanks for answering me, i really really DO hope i can, i might just have to see how it goes and request that they leave me be.
they havent actually given it a name yet, i have to ring on thursday to get the actual report but thatws what the sonographer said.

[spiralgirl]

sounds fine to me!!!

I had a similar situation ( but the placenta was much closer to the cervix than that) and I birthed my daughter naturally with no problems whatsoever.

I was told by an OB that if the head has decended so far that the placenta cant be seen anymore on an U/S then the head is able to move past the placenta.

Be strong, tell them that you want to birth naturally and demand second opinions if they disagree......

You may wish to have the injection for birthing the placenta to decrease chance of haemorage...that was my compromise


good luck!

[spiralgirl]

if it wasnt covering before, it wont be now.....

[kermi]

Same for me... my birth story is here.

Just remember the ultrasound is done while you are lying down so that doesn't give an accurate idea of where the placenta is

[beljeff]

thanks so much guys, you made me feel so much better...
hey, with the injection, i had that last time and then had a PPH of 1200mls. so what the? the reason was that it didnt detach so the doc pulled it out manually. so opinions on the injection would be appreciated also... geez im a pain, right, lol.

[spiralgirl]

there is nothing wrong with seeking advice and support - so dont feel you are a pain! Ive asked a gazillion questions on this forum!

Maybe it was the pulling thay did the damage?

[DePome]

You had the injection AFTER your Dr pulled it out and you had a PPH?

What a dick.

It's called Controlled Cord Traction and it is standard procedure in hospitals WITH the syntometrine injection. If you had already had the injection then I could understand (though I don't agree with the procedure as standard at all) but if you hadn't

You should search Henci Goer's stie for her rebuke of the Bristol Study, which is what hospitals base this crap policy on. She comments, quite rightly, that what is too much blood loss for one woman doesn't even make another light-headed. Your 1200ml means nothing really though the hospital would've had a fit about it, I'm sure. It is totally subjective. They also like placenta's to be delivered in minutes. The reality is that the vast majority birth themselves by one hour after the birth, which is perfect timing for you to meet your little one, have a good gaze into his/her eyes, put him/her to the breast (which helps to stimulate the different kind of contractions that birth a placenta) and do it all on your own.

Injecting syntometrine means you have a window of opportunity to birth that placenta as the drug makes your cervix close up as well as shrinking your uterus (which is designed to push the placenta out). Unfortunately cervixes can close too rapidly with the placenta still not detached or birthed and this leads to manual extraction either in birthing suite or in the theatre sometimes (under GA). I don't see the point in all that crap. I had a slightly higher than normal risk of PPH in my last pg but I chose to have a physiological third stage. If it came about that I needed help to deliver the placenta quickly then I would have had syntometrine but I didn't see any point in having it 'just in case' and risking not making that window of opportunity. It doesn't help that I react to synto by vomitting - not pleasant.

There is an NP member who took about six hours from memory to birth the placenta after her homebirth. She had no issues at all, apart from having to wait! The option of synto was there but she didn't take it. In the end she told it to release and it did

As for low lying placenta.......

Your placenta needs to be a minimum of 1.5cm from the cervix to be considered safe for vaginal birth. Doctors have a tendency to exaggerate this though, especially those who are scalpel happy and you seem to think that yours are. From 28w the top of your uterus starts to grow and stretch upwards and it takes the placenta with it. Most women with a 'low' placenta at 28w will be absolutely fine by full term. Having the placenta praevia badge at 28w changes the process a little but if it was only low at that stage then it is incredibly unlikely that your placenta will even be particularly near to the cervix at term. A last minute ultrasound may reassure you.