Hello my friend,

Great news that beanie is so well.

My PP with the twins was not grade four-it was always just a few mms from the os but symptomatically it behaved as a grade four-I had my first bleed at 16 weeks, then 23, then 27 (had steriods then for babies' lungs), then 29, and eventually delivered by emergency CS under GA after the largest and final bleed at 30+1. I was in and out of hospital from 23-30 weeks which was hard having T at home and it was stressful as the bleeds were without warning. With a singleton I think I would have got to 35-36 weeks though.

However a very good friend of mine was in a similar position to you, living abroad and diagnosed with grade 4 PP. They came home early at 26 weeks and she was delivered by El CS at 37 weeks after not a drop of bleeding. Her older child (after IVF cycle#9) was born via CS for breech and her consultant attributed her complete lack of bleeding to the fact that she'd not laboured before and her cervix had never dliated.

I think you will just have to hope for the best, but not travel very far and be prepared that, if you do have any bleeding, it generally gets worse with each episode and you are likely to be admitted, possibly for some time. More uncertainty-which is tough but I really believe that having endured all that we have to get to this stage in some ways it is easier (on a good day) to tolerate these sorts of things as the end result will be worth it all.

There are some lovely ladies here who have had experience of PP and gave me lots of advice so hopefully they will be along soon.

Sending you lots of love and positive vibes,

Isobel
XXX

 

Obviously I am not a health professional but I don't see how they can say it looks 'stuck'? The placenta itself doesn't actually move anyway, it's as you womb/tummy grows it moves out of the way so it may well still do this. Are you booked in to be rescanned?

With my last pg I had a low lying placenta at 20 weeks and they said there was a possibility it had grown into scar tissue but to wait and see what happened. I was rescanned again at 32 weeks and it was still the same so they seemed more convinced that it was embedded, but by 36 weeks it had grown out of the way.

Have a read and maybe post here - http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=243452.0

Chux xx

 

Thanks so much Isobel and Chux for replying to my post - and I have read through the link you sent and posted there Chix thanks.

Isobel can I ask how your work/mat leave managed with you off for so long?? Has it had any impact on your work now (apart from having twins of course  ) and did it impact your training??
How did your DH cope? My DH is so far totally freaked out waking me last night at 2am to say he had a dream about me bleeding and would not tell me what had happened in it - but I don't know what to say to reassure him...
We are now planning to come home in the next few weeks and hope that as a primip I will be like your friend Isobel who went to 37 weeks with no probs!

thanks again and lots of love
C

 

Hi girls -
I was diagnosed at 20 weeks with a placenta praevia totalis (they don't do grades here in Germany, but totalis means the placenta covers the cervix fully). Been advised to go into hospital immediately if ANY bleeding occurs (regardless how little), not to have sex, hot baths, vaginal examinations, no sports and generally to take it easy. So far I have had no bleed and am very worried about pre-term labour. I am counting every day...
X Hola

 

Hey Hola it sounds like we are in pretty much the same situation - it is really scary but keep telling myself that the overall risks are low - esp to the baby. The thread that chux posted is really reassuring although there are some scary stories there everyone ended up with a healthy baby and mum at th end!

keep in touch and hope neither of us bleeds!
lots of love
C

 

Hi C -
Yes, I agree...lets make a deal - NO BLEEDS!
Also, I am surprised that your doctor gave you such a final diagnosis at just 20 weeks. My 3 docs (yes...I am being well looked after) all said that it's a total placenta praevia NOW, but that it can still change. Only once we get to about 30 weeks, it can be confirmed with such totality.
So, apart from not bleeding, let us remain positive that the good old placenta will find the motivation to shift 
X Hola

 

HOla I totally agree - lets hope they both move. I was told that a PP was not formally diagnosed until 28-30 weeks, but he thinks mine looks so squarely on the cervix and is in exactly the same place it was at 12 weeks that it is v unlikely to move....but am still hoping!
xx

 

Hi C-
How was Christmas?
Any news from your end? When's your next scan?
Mine will be on 11th of January, so no news until then...I REALLY want to know whether this lazy placenta has moved or not!!!
X Hola

 

Hey Hola

My Christmas was not too bad in the end thanks - we abandoned our exotic holiday with friends in rural Malawi and stayed locally on a tea estate and lay around eating and sleeping most of the time! My next scan is not until 24 weeks when I get back home to the UK, although we are trying to arrange one here before we leave. My local consultant here in Malawi says after 20 weeks a PP may move a grade (ie grade 4 to grade 3, or grade 3 to grade 2) but not more than that, so he fully expects me to end up with a c-section. He also said that he thought my risk of bleeing would only go up at 32 weeks when the cervix starts to soften up for labour to start in a few weeks time, but did not tell me to stay here rather than go home!

Are you having a scan soon?? I am impressed you have 3 doctors looking after you, and you sound like you are in really good hands. I hope you had a lovely Christmas and can relax over new year, and get ready for the 3rd trimester.

lots of love
C

 

Hi -
First of all, a HAPPY 2011!!! May it be full of laughter, nappies and cuddles.

Decided to go into hospital yesterday as my stomach kept tightening...was put on the CTG machine and guess what - yep, contractions.
So they did a thorough scan and the placenta has actually moved up (a bit), but I am still grade 4. COME ON, LAZY PLACENTA!!!
The contractions were just Braxton Hicks, so nothing to worry about (cervix closed). The doctor did say to just come in anytime if I have something similar happen to me again as it's impossible for mum to tell whether it's just BH contractions or indeed contractions that could start off labour.
Doctor was also very surprised that I have had no bleeding and said it's quite uncommon for us grade 4 girls not to bleed...
So feel very reassured and am hoping for even better news on the 11th.
When is your return flight home
Love, Hola

 

C - are you ok?
X Hola

 

HI Hola

I am fine thanks sweetie - scared to read about your trip to hospital but really relieved that it was just BH rather than anything more serious. I hope you are ok and still feeling relaxed. I am fine - flying home next weds, and just manic at work trying to get everything sorted here before I go - the slow internet does not help!
We are having another scan here before I leave just to check beanie is growing to help reassure DH who is staying behind for a couple more weeks to get his work finished. He is really freaking out at being on his own without me, as it is hard for him to get home quickly if something happens.....but I think that between 24-26 weeks although the risk goes up it is not as much as after 28 weeks..........

I hope your next scan goes well and am still keeping my fingers crossed for your (and mine) placenta to move

lots of love
C

 

Hi C -
You must be on your way home...I hope your flight wasn't too stressful. How was your scan prior to leaving?
Hey - you are 24 weeks tomorrow! 
I had a routine scan on Tuesday and placenta has moved another tiny bit, but it's still screaming C-SECTION...lets wait and see. They will give me a final answer at 30 weeks.
X Hola

 

Thanks for the milestone HOla - you are right am 24 weeks today!
I am pleased your placenta has moved a bit - keeping fingers crossed it keeps at it slowly   how often are you being scanned?

I had a 24 week scan before I left Malawi and so far it has not budged at all - and every doc that looks at it says 'this one is not moving'   am resigned now to a C-section and am looking forward to seeing my UK docs next week to discuss it in more detail. Flying home from JHB tonight - not looking forward to the 11 hour over night flight in economy, but when home at least I can rest there safely.

Have you had any bleeding yet? I haven't but keep dreaming about it -am sure it is my subconscious fears and hope they don't come true

good luck and lots of love
Ceci

 

Hola - 30 weeks is still early to make a final decision, usually it's around 36 weeks. I know I've said it already but mine hadn't budged at 32 weeks but had by 36.

Chux xx

 

Hi girls -
Chux - that would be great. Doc just told me that the chances get smaller and smaller each week, but if yours shifted that late, mine might too! It would be great as I really enjoyed the natural delivery of number 1.
C - welcome home! How are you?
X Hola

 

Fingers crossed for you Hola but definitely worth asking to be rescanned later on if it hasn't moved at 30 weeks.

Chux xx

 

Chux - here in Germany they scan every 4 weeks, then every 2 weeks from 30 weeks onwards...zey are ze pregnancy police  .
X Hola

 

Hola    love the idea of the pregnancy police

sounds like you are VERY well being taken care of!

I am back and settling in, just can't get used to the gloom compared to sunny Africa. I am off to see my docs on Thurs and really looking forward to it- have loads of questions for them......
Hola do you get a heavy feeling in your pelvis when you have been standing/walking for a while? I don't know if this is normal pregnancy or due to my PP - it worries me when I feel it and goes away when I sit........... am I going mad

lots of love
Ceci

 

Ceci - I too was diagnosed with PP at 20 weeks and like Hola, was told no sex, limited exercise (walking was OK), no sex, no lifting etc.  I was booked to have a c section at 36 weeks but when I went for my scan at 35 weeks, the placenta had moved enough for my OB to be happy enough for me to go for a vaginal birth. We were so happy as I wanted to have a normal birth rather than a c section. I ended up going to 40 weeks and had to be induced due to blood pressure, totally unrelated, and ended up having a c section anyway, again totally unrelated!  Like you and others on this board, I panicked and worried for almost 15 weeks but the docs kept reassuring me that the placenta could move and thankfully it did.  I didn't have any bleeds. 


I'm now pregnant with my second and I'm hoping I don't have to go through it again but I wish you and others all the luck in the world.  It's scary but try to remain positive.  I had a nightly mantra that I said to myself before bed just to try to remain positive. 


Good luck,


BabyM

 

Hi BabyM -
That sounds very promising and I hope that the same will happen to me too!
Can I ask did you have a placenta previa totalis like C and me?
Thanks,
Kristina

 

Hey girlies,


Yep, it was totalis like you both.  Try to remain positive - very difficult I know!


BabyM

 

Hi BabyM thanks so much for sharing your story with us - it is great to hear about women who have not bled, and even better whose placenta moved at the last min like Chux! I have just been to see my doctor who was very nice and rescanned my placenta -it is still a grade 4 and he thinks there is no chance of it moving out of the way, but he did say every PP is different and a lot depends on how the uterus grows and in which direction etc.....I am now in the 'bleeding window' so am still on knicker patrol, but am not as restricted in activities as my DH and mother would like me to be, which is great!

hola I hope you are ok and haven't had any more contractions  - and that the pregnancy police are looking after you!

lots of love
Ceci

 

Hi girls -
How is everyone?
C - the pregnancy police is driving me mad...they overdo it sometimes. My very careful OBGYN scanned me last week after some pain in my right lower abdomen and sent me straight to hospital with an ambulance. She thought that the placenta was coming off...
To cut a long story short...all is well and was well.
My placenta praevia totalis is on its way to becoming a marginalis...so there IS hope that things might develop further. So far it's still a C-section situation, but who knows! BabyM - I might take after you and have a normal delivery after all. That would be soooooo nice!
X Hola

 

Hey hola

Sorry you ended up in hospital - the same happened to me this week, I had funny pulling pains in my right lower tummy and went into the hospital, to be diagnosed with ligament pains - normal at 25 weeks! I am really pleased your placenta seems to be on the move,    it gets out of the way! I am having another scan at 28 weeks so keeping my fingers crossed for the same happening to me......

stay well
love
Ceci