Marginal placenta previa story/question

[Erin]

Hi all,

Awhile back I posted a question about how likely it was for a 22-week
placenta that was 1.2 cm from the cervical os to move up before delivery.
People mostly seemed to think I had a good shot of it moving, and I decided
that barring any sudden bleeding, I would go about my normal business and
wouldn't worry until I got the 32-week ultrasound results. Well, the
medical establishment seems hell-bent on MAKING me worry A few days after
the ultrasound my midwife called saying, "We got your scan results and you
have marginal placenta previa. If you start bleeding heavily, go directly to
the hospital. Don't lift anything and try to take it easy. And we used to
tell women with your condition not to have sex, but the research on that is
inconclusive ... however, I'd still advise you to be careful."

The call left me paranoid about any little ache or pain. After a week I
settled back into a more normal state of mind, but by then had to go back to
the doctor's office for another appointment. The midwife reiterated the
comments that had been made over the phone, and also made it sound like it
was nearly a done deal that I'd have to undergo a planned C/S if the
placenta didn't move. So now I'm back to being worried. Oh, she also gave
no stats on the likelihood of it moving.

It's very hard to find info specifically about marginal placenta previa, as
most of what is out there centers on partial or complete previas. But the
stat I see bandied about most is that something like *95* percent of women
who supposedly have it in the second trimester don't have it at all by time
of delivery. So I'm a bit annoyed about being forced down the C section
path at this point, and very annoyed at the implication that it might be bad
to have sex! I mean, I can't drink, can't hot tub, and can't do a lot of
the exercises (e.g., weight lifting and more strenuous hiking) that I
normally enjoy. Cut out sex and my life seems pretty boring! I'd of course
do this without complaint if I were more sure I had a real previa ... but it
seems more likely that I don't, which means I'd be abstaining for absolutely
no reason for several months until the next scan said I was ok.

Anyway, I was just wondering if there are any other women out there who are
also grappling with this issue now, or have with a previous pregnancy. How
did it go for you, and how did you handle the uncertainty and stress related
to it?

Thanks in advance,
Erin, edd Oct 26

[Tracy]

Hi Erin,

I unfortunately have a complete placenta previa and this is my first
pregnancy. I was diagnosed with it during an ultrasound at 17 weeks. I'm 32
weeks now and my doctor told me after my last ultrasound at 31 weeks that it
will probably stay right where it is and to expect a section. I was told at
17 weeks no sex, exercise, etc. so basically I have been sitting on my
behind this entire time to prevent any bleeding or losing the baby. There is
too much information on a complete previa, so much that I'm scared to death
of what might happen to me or my baby. The further you are, the better
chance to bleed so I have put myself on bedrest. My doctor does not find it
necessary until I start spotting or bleeding but I'd rather be safe than
sorry. Since you only have a marginal, you have a bigger chance of the
placenta moving upward. When your uterus grows, the placenta will move with
it at least that was what I was told, mine is just stubborn and staying put.
I'm having a really hard time with this now because most women that have had
a complete go into preterm labor. I'm trying my best to stay positive and
hope for the best. Good luck and keep us posted.

Tracy
edd Sept. 4 (Now edd is the last 2 weeks of August)
It's a girl!!!!!






"Erin" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all,
>
> Awhile back I posted a question about how likely it was for a 22-week
> placenta that was 1.2 cm from the cervical os to move up before delivery.
> People mostly seemed to think I had a good shot of it moving, and I
decided
> that barring any sudden bleeding, I would go about my normal business and
> wouldn't worry until I got the 32-week ultrasound results. Well, the
> medical establishment seems hell-bent on MAKING me worry A few days after
> the ultrasound my midwife called saying, "We got your scan results and you
> have marginal placenta previa. If you start bleeding heavily, go directly
to
> the hospital. Don't lift anything and try to take it easy. And we used
to
> tell women with your condition not to have sex, but the research on that
is
> inconclusive ... however, I'd still advise you to be careful."
>
> The call left me paranoid about any little ache or pain. After a week I
> settled back into a more normal state of mind, but by then had to go back
to
> the doctor's office for another appointment. The midwife reiterated the
> comments that had been made over the phone, and also made it sound like it
> was nearly a done deal that I'd have to undergo a planned C/S if the
> placenta didn't move. So now I'm back to being worried. Oh, she also
gave
> no stats on the likelihood of it moving.
>
> It's very hard to find info specifically about marginal placenta previa,
as
> most of what is out there centers on partial or complete previas. But the
> stat I see bandied about most is that something like *95* percent of women
> who supposedly have it in the second trimester don't have it at all by
time
> of delivery. So I'm a bit annoyed about being forced down the C section
> path at this point, and very annoyed at the implication that it might be
bad
> to have sex! I mean, I can't drink, can't hot tub, and can't do a lot of
> the exercises (e.g., weight lifting and more strenuous hiking) that I
> normally enjoy. Cut out sex and my life seems pretty boring! I'd of
course
> do this without complaint if I were more sure I had a real previa ... but
it
> seems more likely that I don't, which means I'd be abstaining for
absolutely
> no reason for several months until the next scan said I was ok.
>
> Anyway, I was just wondering if there are any other women out there who
are
> also grappling with this issue now, or have with a previous pregnancy.
How
> did it go for you, and how did you handle the uncertainty and stress
related
> to it?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Erin, edd Oct 26
>
>

[kereru]

"Erin" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all,
>
> Awhile back I posted a question about how likely it was for a 22-week
> placenta that was 1.2 cm from the cervical os to move up before delivery.
> People mostly seemed to think I had a good shot of it moving, and I
decided
> that barring any sudden bleeding, I would go about my normal business and
> wouldn't worry until I got the 32-week ultrasound results. Well, the
> medical establishment seems hell-bent on MAKING me worry A few days after
> the ultrasound my midwife called saying, "We got your scan results and you
> have marginal placenta previa. If you start bleeding heavily, go directly
to
> the hospital. Don't lift anything and try to take it easy. And we used
to
> tell women with your condition not to have sex, but the research on that
is
> inconclusive ... however, I'd still advise you to be careful."
>
> The call left me paranoid about any little ache or pain. After a week I
> settled back into a more normal state of mind, but by then had to go back
to
> the doctor's office for another appointment. The midwife reiterated the
> comments that had been made over the phone, and also made it sound like it
> was nearly a done deal that I'd have to undergo a planned C/S if the
> placenta didn't move. So now I'm back to being worried. Oh, she also
gave
> no stats on the likelihood of it moving.
>
> It's very hard to find info specifically about marginal placenta previa,
as
> most of what is out there centers on partial or complete previas. But the
> stat I see bandied about most is that something like *95* percent of women
> who supposedly have it in the second trimester don't have it at all by
time
> of delivery. So I'm a bit annoyed about being forced down the C section
> path at this point, and very annoyed at the implication that it might be
bad
> to have sex! I mean, I can't drink, can't hot tub, and can't do a lot of
> the exercises (e.g., weight lifting and more strenuous hiking) that I
> normally enjoy. Cut out sex and my life seems pretty boring! I'd of
course
> do this without complaint if I were more sure I had a real previa ... but
it
> seems more likely that I don't, which means I'd be abstaining for
absolutely
> no reason for several months until the next scan said I was ok.
>
> Anyway, I was just wondering if there are any other women out there who
are
> also grappling with this issue now, or have with a previous pregnancy.
How
> did it go for you, and how did you handle the uncertainty and stress
related
> to it?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Erin, edd Oct 26
>
>

I have a friend who was due a few days ago actually (no action yet). Her
placenta was under 2cm away from the OS at 20 weeks and it has moved up no
problems, no bleeding etc.. So it's possible :-)

Judy

[Ericka Kammerer]

Erin wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Awhile back I posted a question about how likely it was for a 22-week
> placenta that was 1.2 cm from the cervical os to move up before delivery.
> People mostly seemed to think I had a good shot of it moving, and I decided
> that barring any sudden bleeding, I would go about my normal business and
> wouldn't worry until I got the 32-week ultrasound results. Well, the
> medical establishment seems hell-bent on MAKING me worry A few days after
> the ultrasound my midwife called saying, "We got your scan results and you
> have marginal placenta previa. If you start bleeding heavily, go directly to
> the hospital. Don't lift anything and try to take it easy. And we used to
> tell women with your condition not to have sex, but the research on that is
> inconclusive ... however, I'd still advise you to be careful."


Shame on them for fear mongering! Here's a result from one
study:

" It was estimated that when the lower placental edge overlaps the
internal cervical os by 23 mm at 11-14 weeks the probability of placenta
previa at term is 8% with a sensitivity of 83.3% and specificity of
86.1%"

So, for women whose placenta *OVERLAPS* the os by 2.3cm at 11-14 weeks,
the rate of placenta previa at term is only 8 percent. While you're
further along, you don't even have *any* overlap, and you've still
got many weeks to go. I don't have time right now to check out all
the studies (but you can search at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/),
but I would be quite surprised if you have even a 2 percent chance
of requiring a c-section at term.

Best wishes,
Ericka