Low Lying Placenta?

Question

I am 20 1/2 weeks and the doctor tells me that my placenta is a bit low. He also said that this tends to correct it self once I start showing. When is the average time that women in their first pregancy start to show? Should I worry?

Answer 1

i was diagnosed with that when i was 16 weeks (im 22 weeks now) wasnt allowed to do anything but at my 19 week scan showed that it was moving up and out of the way....i started showing at 3 months i was only 115lbs to start with but now at 5 1/2 months people are asking me when im due left and right!! haha good luck i wouldnt worry about it in the early stages of pregnancy

Answer 2

Most women start to show around 5-7 months. It depends on your body type. My sister has the same thing with her placenta, and a lot of the time the placenta will move as you grow, but sometimes it will stay where it is and that's called placenta previa. If that happens, you will need to have a c-section because the placenta can't be delivered before the baby is!

I wouldn't worry unless there is something to worry about. Your doctor doesn't seem to be worried, so I wouldn't be! A lot of the time the placenta will move, and even if it doesn't, it's not a major problem! The only difference would be you would need a c-section and to take it easy in the last few months as sometimes spotting occurs with placenta precia. That isn't too much to get used to, as long as baby is happy and healthy that's all that matters!

Congratulations and good luck!

Answer 3

Im 24 weeks with my third pregnancy, My first one was all normal, no problems. My second one i started bleeding at 34 weeks and went into the ER where they noticed a low lying placenta, i delived at 36 weeks because they induced me, the baby was starting to show signs of being stressed out. Everything turned out fine. When i went in for my ultrasound at 19 weeks with this pregnancy, they found the placenta was again low lying, i was told i had the placenta was covering part of the placenta. When i spoke with my dr, he told me that as my belly grows the placenta will more than likely move along with my belly. He said in 90% of the women diagnosed with this before 23 weeks it moves. I have an ultrasound at the end of march (30 weeks) to see if it has moved. Its really not dangerous, they said if it doesnt move it usually means you will need a c-section, and just be watched closer. I wouldnt worry to much, and if you need ask your OB as many questions as you would like to be more comfortable with the situation thats what they are there for. Goodluck and congrats!!!

Answer 4

At this gestational age, it is not abnormal for the placenta to be low-lying (aka placenta previa) due to the small size of the uterus. As your uterus grows, hopefully the placenta will reposition with the uterine growth and end up being out of the way of the birth opening (cervix). He will follow you closely during your pregnancy with frequent ultrasounds. If you notice any signs of bleeding you need to make him aware. At 20 weeks gestation, the top of the uterus should be right at your belly button, so when you are lying flat you should notice a nice little mound starting to show. Once you hit 24 weeks, you will begin to show more and it only gets bigger over the following few months! This condition (low lying placenta) is very common. Good luck!

Answer 5

I hope that you don't have what I had and that was placenta previa.
It means that your placenta is lying unusually low in your uterus, next to or covering your cervix. The placenta is the pancake-shaped organ — normally located near the top of the uterus — that supplies your baby with nutrients through the umbilical cord.

Placenta previa is not usually a problem early in pregnancy. But if it persists into later pregnancy, it can cause bleeding, which may require you to deliver early and can lead to other complications. If you have placenta previa when it's time to deliver your baby, you'll need to have a c-section.

If the placenta covers the cervix completely, it's called a complete or total previa. If it's right on the border of the cervix, it's called a marginal previa. (You may also hear the term "partial previa," which refers to a placenta that covers part of the cervical opening once the cervix starts to dilate.) If the edge of the placenta is within 2 centimeters of the cervix but not bordering it, it's called a low-lying placenta. The location of your placenta will be checked during your midpregnancy ultrasound exam.

Don't panic if your second trimester ultrasound shows that you have placenta previa. As your pregnancy progresses, your placenta is likely to "migrate" farther from your cervix and no longer be a problem. (Since the placenta is implanted in the uterus, it doesn't actually move, but it can end up farther from your cervix as your uterus expands. Also, as the placenta itself grows, it's likely to grow toward the richer blood supply in the upper part of the uterus.)

Only about 10 percent of women who have placenta previa noted on ultrasound at midpregnancy still have it when they deliver their baby. A placenta that completely covers the cervix is more likely to stay that way than one that's bordering it (marginal) or nearby (low-lying).

Even if previa is discovered later in pregnancy, the placenta may still move away from the cervix (although the later it's found, the less likely this is to happen). You'll have a follow-up ultrasound early in your third trimester to check on the location of your placenta. If you have any vaginal bleeding in the meantime, an ultrasound will be done then to find out what's going on.

BEST WISHES!

Answer 6

It could be a "low lying placenta" or "placenta previa" .. I had this!
(I'm not sure if you've had any spotting or anything .. but if you do .. this should ease your mind)
I started bleeding bright red blood at 15 weeks .. went to the ER (hystrical, because I thought I was losing my baby) .. they did an ultrasound, baby was perfect and the bleeding was because I have a "low lying placenta". I then (for 4 weeks) continued spotting brown. It does not affect the baby whatsoever. The doctor said 96% of people who have a "low-lying" placenta in early pregnancy will clear itself up and will be perfect by full term and will have a normal vaginal delivery. Worse case scenerio is that if the placenta doesn't move up (from your uterus expanding as your tummy grows) .. then in that 4% you will have to have a c-section. But you will still have a healthy baby :)
I just (2 weeks ago) went in for my 19 week ultrasound .. and no more low-lying placenta!! it's completely normal!! no spotting .. nothing! it was as if I never had it :)
I've known SEVERAL women who had this (some spotted, some didn't) and EVERY one of them cleared up by term and deliverd their babies vaginally! It's so very common in early pregnancy. Don't stress about it. I stressed myself retarded when it happend to me. I'm now 22 weeks pregnant with a very healthy baby boy!
Hang in there .. and relax :)

good luck! God bless!

Answer 7

well the dr is right I was low lying til my belly grew bigger. I started to really show show in month 6-7 I believe. everybody is different. My friend is prego with her second after14 months and she is showing at 3 months. So be patient it will come soon enough! Good luck!!!