During my first pregnancy, we used to live in a small mining township with not a single decent shop for baby stuff. As the nesting instincts kicked in (I guess they were my natural ''shopping instincts'' disguised as nesting instincts), I was after my hubby's life to take me to a nearby city, for a week, just to shop. Husband finally gave in saying that we need to take a thumbs up from my gynecologist as well. And in that check-up my gynecologist declared that I have a low lying placenta during pregnancy and therefore I should avoid traveling.
This low lying placenta or Placenta Praevia in medical terms, did not pose any further complications during my pregnancy and I still feel I was just gassy that day which pushed the placenta down!! Another theory in my head was that it was my husband's wicked plan to convince my doctor to advise me against traveling so that he can avoid that major dent in his finances from that week long shopping trip.
Anyways, this declaration by my gynecologist lead me to do my own little research on Placenta Praevia. I asked her multiple questions and read pages after pages on internet. My conclusion is that Low lying placenta is a fairly common occurring issue during pregnancy however it is not to be taken lightly. Here's what we should know and understand about this condition.
What is Placenta Praevia?
Placenta Praevia or low lying placenta is a medical condition during pregnancy where the placenta is towards the lower side of the womb near to or covering the cervix. It is detected around the 20th week ultrasound. In most of the cases, it moves back to normal position as the pregnancy advances. If not, it may lead to one or more medical complications during the pregnancy. A low lying placenta usually means that one has to opt for a cesarean section. The condition can be partial or total which could be checked with the help of ultrasound scans as the pregnancy progresses.
Why Placenta Praevia occurs?
Placenta praevia is more common in women who are:
- Older than the peak years for child bearing
- Are on the heavier side
- Have had a previous baby through cesarean
- Are smokers OR do drugs
- Have gone through a miscarriage
- Are carrying twins
- Have had multiple pregnancies.
Placenta praevia can occur in any or all of these cases. However it can occur even in the absence of these factors, the severity may wary.
Symptoms of Placenta Praevia?
The most common sign of placenta Praevia is vaginal bleeding during or at the onset of 2nd trimester. If the bleeding occurs, your doctor might go for an ultrasound to determine the cause. The medical caregivers generally avoid an internal examination at this stage as this might lead to more bleeding. Depending on the severity of bleeding, other symptoms include anemia, pale skin, and drop in blood pressure. Constant bleeding may lead to early onset of labour leading to premature birth.
Line of treatment for Placenta Praevia?
Most of the cases resolve on their own as the pregnancy progresses. The reason why it goes away on its own is that as the pregnancy progresses, the uterus grows specially the lower part. The placenta moves away from the cervix along with the growing uterus thereby resolving the problem. However, if you have Placenta Praevia, you'll be asked by your medical practitioner to refrain from having sex. Ultrasounds are the only way the doctors can assess the situation therefore one might go through repeated ultrasounds. Bed rest is also advised to prevent severe blood loss. The medical staff will monitor your and the baby's heart rate to see if the blood loss in not affecting the foetus in any way. If that is the case, an emergency cesarean section might be performed. The doctors might take a sample of amniotic fluid to check if the baby is mature enough to be born.
Placenta praevia or low lying placenta is definitely a condition to be worried about however with complete information and proper medical care it can definitely be kept under check leading to a full term pregnancy and a healthy baby. One must take care not to ignore the symptoms and to follow the advice of your doctor.
Did you face this condition during your pregnancy or are you going through it now? What are the precautions you are taking? Share your experience in the comments section to help other moms deal successfully with it.
