Cesarean due to low lying placenta?

Question

I had a c section 9 weeks ago, my waters broke early and I had to have an emergeny c section after inducing failed. I was advised that due to a low lying placenta I would never have gone in to labour naturally, surely this could have been deteced on my scans?

I am annoyed as I have since been informed that my doctor should have detected this early on and I could have prepared myself for a c section. I live in Greece and had to go to another island to have my baby, I had a very bad expereince at the hospital and my doctor was not interested in my well being after the birth, in fact I received no advice whatsoever on recovery from a c section, I had to read books for all the info.

Should this have been detected ealry on? I had several 4 D scans, the last one being at 31 weeks

Answer 1

When I read your questions Nicky - it's like reliving my first born!
I'm in Greece too (as I've said - I've tried to contact you) I also had an emergency c-section .... my baby's umbilical cord was too short (which obviously should have showed on the ultrasound). I too was traumatised by the whole operation! I was aware of what was going on even though I was supposed to have been asleep! I heard one doctor call me Jayne Fonda - that's when my gyno believe me that I was partially awake during the op.
Don't put too much blame on the Greek doctors - they do the best they can with rubbish equipment - and the outcome is you have a beautiful baby. I trust the Greek doctors 100%. I'll tell you what happened in UK in a London PRIVATE hospital - a friend of mine's Greek (RICH) sister-in-law had her baby there as she wanted the best of everything. However the it turned out to be the worst decision she could have made - The baby had the umbical cord wrapped around the top of its leg and the doctors failed to see this in any scan - the blood was cut off during birth and the baby's leg was amputed from the top of the thigh. And these were the best UK had to offer. My sister also had a traumatic birth in UK 2 years ago - and has still bnot fully recoverd from post natal problems nor panic attacks etc.

I, like you was induced at 8.30am - then when the doctor returned at 7pm in the evening - he took one look at me (I think my head was spinning like exorcist by then) he ordered an emergency c-section.

It took me ages to recover - I mean I couldn't get out of the bed for 4 days - even though the nurses were begging me to move - my 70 yr old mother in law had to do EVERYTHING for me (you know the nurses do nothing). Recovery was extremely slow for me - I probably suffered post natal depression - I was sooo scared!
I don't belive this would have been better if I had had time to get used to the idea of a c-section (in fact it turned out it wasn't - had 2nd 4 yrs later)

The first time I had to visit a cousin after my experience in the same hospital - on the same ward - I froze - started shaking and burst into tears!
I didn't get much sympathy from the UK side as at the time people were (and still are) electing to have c-sections - 'too posh to push' and my family thought I was 'acting'. as they had seen celeb mothers coming out of the hospitals super slim and radiant. I, on the otherhand could hardly stand up straight for weeks - had all kinds of werid and wonderful rashes / problems etc.

I think my daughter was about 6 months when I finally was anything like my old self (with loads of extra weight). Then after 3 yrs - we decided to have another - to be honest I was bullied into the 2nd. I had friends lined up for help - I knew I was having a c-section. I have never been so scared in my life! Even writing this I am starting to cry! Every visit I begged the doc to make sure I am out of it on the operating table - I wasn't again I was aware - This time I felt the knife and the staples! Thankfully I had told myself that I was going to make a quicker recovery - it was better in the sense that I knew I was going to breastfeed a few months (not 11 like the first) I wasn't going to do the same mistakes as I did with the first (rocking her to sleep etc) - The 2nd is now 4yrs old - I had my tubes tied during that c-section as I knew there was no way I could go through another c-section.

I want you to know you will be ok - just put the c-section behind you and enjoy your baby. Thank the docs that you have a healthy baby girl and mummy's ok too. It really wasn't their fault. Don't waste energy thinking about what could have been - she's there - so let it go. Don't be swayed by the 'Drs in Uk (or elsewhere) would have done this/or that - it's not true! If you had had time to plan - nothing would have been different.
Good luck and take care of you and baby!
Contact me if you wish.

Answer 2

This is reported in around 5% of pregnancies at the 18-20 week scan. There is no need to worry if you are amongst this 5% – you can continue your daily activities as per normal unless you have been advised otherwise. In your third trimester (until around 36 weeks) the bottom part of your uterus does most of it’s growing and stretching, taking the placenta with it. It doesn’t ‘migrate’ upwards, but being attached to the uterine wall, it’s carried upwards with it. In 0.5% of cases, the placenta doesn’t move up with the uterus – so given that small percent, there is an extremely good chance that your placenta will not be covering your cervix when it’s time to give birth, enabling you to have a vaginal birth. If you have a low lying placenta at 18-20 weeks, this does not mean you need a caesarean section. The placenta will highly likely move as mentioned above. The uterus still has much growing to do, so an ultrasound late in your third trimester will give you and your carer a better picture on what’s really going on and if it really is of concern. Placenta Praevia (which means placenta first) is a rare condition which occurs in around 0.5% of pregnancies. Instead of implanting on the uterine wall, the placenta implants partly or wholly over the cervix. Placenta Praevia is usually detected by ultrasound and/or bleeding in pregnancy. The first bleed most commonly occurs at around 34-38 weeks of pregnancy, but may occur sooner or later than this. It doesn’t always lead to pre-term birth, but it is more common. Some women never experience any bleeding at all but any painless blood loss should be reported. If you have Placenta Praevia, you will likely need to birth your baby by caesarean section depending on the grade or degree of Placenta Praevia. You may be able to birth vaginally if you have a grade 1 or 2 Placenta Praevia, however if you have grades 3 or 4, a caesarean section will be necessary. This wont be booked in immediately, if you don’t go into labour before hand, you will likely be booked in at around 38 weeks when your baby is more mature. If you go into labour prior to this you will need an emergency caesarean. A grade 4 Placenta Praevia will often mean being admitted to hospital at the first bleed and remaining as an inpatient until birth.

Answer 3

In britain this certainly would have been detected early on, in fact i went for a scan recently (9weeks 1 day to be precise) and the scan was able to show the position of my placenta, the lady doing the scan was even able to point it out to me reasuring me that it was in a decent place.

I'm really sorry you had such a bad experience, perhaps it was a cultural thing, i dont know as i've never been to greece or abroad for medical treatment. I hope you can get over this trauma soon but in the meantime enjoy your new baby.

Answer 4

Yes it could and should have been detected most likely. Though was your baby in head down position at 31 weeks? If not the placenta could have been pushed down when the baby turns. You just really never know what can change during those last few weeks.

Answer 5

they should have told you, i also have a low lying placenta which was detected at my 20 week scan. i am having another scan at 34 weeks and have been told if my placenta is still low then they will book me in for a section as it is potentially dangerous for baby and mother to go into labour naturally with this condition. they should have picked it up on the scan, and as for the way you was also treated in hospital afterwards....i would seek legal advice.

congrats on your newborn.

Answer 6

Where I live In the UK, it is routine practice to have a scan at 12 weeks and another at 20 weeks. The placenta is located and noted at both scans.

If it found to be low at any point, then it is monitored via ultrasound. If it does not move up the uterus, then a c-section is arranged.

Answer 7

Yes you should of been told early on in your pregnancy I was told at 20 weeks and was all prepared to have a c section and then at 37 weeks it moved out of the way. Sorry to hear you had such a bad time but since then I have had 2 perfectly normal pregnancies so dont worry to much just make sure that they check you out properly next time.

Answer 8

Yes it should have. My son is now 27and I had type IV(complete) placenta previa with him. I was diagnosed when I was 21 weeks pregnant. I was kept in hospital until I was 38 weeks and then had a C section. With the technology that is now available I am very surprised that it wasn't picked up before.

Answer 9

Yes, as my placenta was low in the beginning and my doctor told me some things to do and after a few weeks it rose back to normal. You should not have gone that long with a low placenta, you could have died. Take them to court, the a--- holes.

Answer 10

Yes, this should have been noticed in the scan, It's so important to know where the placenta is.
Sorry you weren't treated properly, poor you, such a hard time as it is xx