Yes! I'm so glad to see someone else here. It's a lonely world in VP land. I don't think there are any other mama's here who are dealing with it - unless I've just not found them yet.
I also have chronic low fluid and marginal placenta previa.
I've posted several times about my VP. Here is my first post right after I was diagnosed.
Since that post, I've joined the Vasa Previa Yahoo Group and I HIGHLY recommend you do that. I've posted lots of times there about different issues and it's nice to have one place with many other women who are going through what you are. Here is the link to the page - you need to set up an account and join the group to post/view posts:
- Been bleeding off and on since 22 weeks when I was first diagnosed
- I'm on strict bed rest at home, though if I need to go out for appointments, etc. I'm in a wheelchair
- Was supposed to go into the hospital at 24 weeks to finish out the rest of the pregnancy on hospital bedrest, but when I had my 24 week appointment, the bleeding had almost stopped for a few days, and my peri wasn't able to see vessels crossing my cervix anymore. He told me to go home on BR instead. However, the chances of my still having VP even though it's not able to be seen by doppler are still extremely high - it's missed all the time.
If I continue bleeding, I'll probably end up back in the hospital before 32 weeks. If not, I'll go in between 30-32 weeks for monitoring until we get closer to 35 weeks, where I'll have a mandatory c-section (standard protocol).
I'm bleeding again since the day before yesterday, so I have an appointment tomorrow to check things again.
What's your doc's plan? Does your doctor seem knowledgeable about VP? It's great that you've been diagnosed. I'm sure you've read the statistics on undiagnosed VP and realize how lucky you are!
Edited: for clickies!
TheBump ate my profile. Oh well. New and improved.
I am 36 weeks today and just got back from a doctors appointment and my first ultrasound since being diagnosed @ 18 weeks.
@ 18 weeks the ultrasound tech said I had an "accessory lobe" as well as a low lying placenta. Once i met with the doctor he explained vasa previa and showed me pictures of an actual placenta w/ accessory lobe and what "too much" bleeding looked like. I had complete placenta previa with my 2nd child w/ bleeding starting at 32 weeks and c-section at 36 weeks. My doctor said that since I have to have a section anyway, that he is not concerned w/ the vasa previa now that he is aware of it.
Since then I have done tons of research and became scared to death over the things I've read and extremely concerned at the lack of urgency over my situation. Today @ 36 wks, the ultrasound tech said my placenta was not near my cervix (its more up the left side of my belly) and she could not distinguish two separate placentas/lobes. She said that either there never was two lobes (it was just "pinched" at the 18 week ultrasound) or that the placentas have "come together". I did confirm with her that there were no vessels cover the cervix or in between the baby's head and cervix.
When I met with doctor after ultrasound and asked him about the tech's findings, he said he wasn't convinced that the placenta previa is "gone". He said that to him he is going to assume there still is an accessory lobe. I am still scheduled for a 39 week c-section on nov 19th. When I asked if I should come to hospital immediately if my water broke or lose my mucus plug as I was previously instructed to do, he said that I "didn't have to drive 150 mph, but I didn't need to stop to take a shower or do a load of laundry either". He indicated that I had sufficient time to get to hospital and be prepped for surgery living 20 minutes away with no concern for the baby's health or my health. He also told me to only come to the hospital if my contractions were 5 minutes apart. In other words, there are no precautionary measures being taken related to the "possible" vasa previa.
I did have some unexplained bleeding the early 2nd trimester that only lasted a week or two and was not heavy at all. i have had no bleeding since then which would indicate to me (based on my last pregnancy w/ complete previa) that my placenta is in fact moved out of the way of my cervix. All I know to do at this point is to continue following doctor's orders and hope that his assessments are correct. I guess the truth as to whether there are one or two placentas will be determined at the time of the c-section. He also didn't check my cervix today and said that he probably wouldn't be checking it at the remaining two appointments unless i indicated any signs of labor...contracting, discharge, etc.
Thank you so much for posting...I do agree that its a rare condition or difficult to get feedback on others who are going through or have been through same situation. I wish you a healthy delivery and baby!
I am 36 weeks today and just got back from a doctors appointment and my first ultrasound since being diagnosed @ 18 weeks.
@ 18 weeks the ultrasound tech said I had an "accessory lobe" as well as a low lying placenta. Once i met with the doctor he explained vasa previa and showed me pictures of an actual placenta w/ accessory lobe and what "too much" bleeding looked like. I had complete placenta previa with my 2nd child w/ bleeding starting at 32 weeks and c-section at 36 weeks. My doctor said that since I have to have a section anyway, that he is not concerned w/ the vasa previa now that he is aware of it.
Since then I have done tons of research and became scared to death over the things I've read and extremely concerned at the lack of urgency over my situation. Today @ 36 wks, the ultrasound tech said my placenta was not near my cervix (its more up the left side of my belly) and she could not distinguish two separate placentas/lobes. She said that either there never was two lobes (it was just "pinched" at the 18 week ultrasound) or that the placentas have "come together". I did confirm with her that there were no vessels cover the cervix or in between the baby's head and cervix.
When I met with doctor after ultrasound and asked him about the tech's findings, he said he wasn't convinced that the placenta previa is "gone". He said that to him he is going to assume there still is an accessory lobe. I am still scheduled for a 39 week c-section on nov 19th. When I asked if I should come to hospital immediately if my water broke or lose my mucus plug as I was previously instructed to do, he said that I "didn't have to drive 150 mph, but I didn't need to stop to take a shower or do a load of laundry either". He indicated that I had sufficient time to get to hospital and be prepped for surgery living 20 minutes away with no concern for the baby's health or my health. He also told me to only come to the hospital if my contractions were 5 minutes apart. In other words, there are no precautionary measures being taken related to the "possible" vasa previa.
I did have some unexplained bleeding the early 2nd trimester that only lasted a week or two and was not heavy at all. i have had no bleeding since then which would indicate to me (based on my last pregnancy w/ complete previa) that my placenta is in fact moved out of the way of my cervix. All I know to do at this point is to continue following doctor's orders and hope that his assessments are correct. I guess the truth as to whether there are one or two placentas will be determined at the time of the c-section. He also didn't check my cervix today and said that he probably wouldn't be checking it at the remaining two appointments unless i indicated any signs of labor...contracting, discharge, etc.
Thank you so much for posting...I do agree that its a rare condition or difficult to get feedback on others who are going through or have been through same situation. I wish you a healthy delivery and baby!
Yikes! I am nervous for you because if you do have Vasa Previa (and false positive diagnosis is extremely rare) you should really have had a c-section by now if your doctor is following the standard guidelines. At the very least, you really need to be in the hospital on bedrest so you can be monitored. From everything I've heard and what my doctor has told me, if there is a rupture of fetal vessels (which can happen randomly, or when your water breaks or cervix starts to dilate) you literally have minutes (less than 10) to get the baby out. Even then, many undiagnosed VP babies with ruptures need immediate transfusion and aggressive resuscitation.
I think you should assume VP is still an issue and maybe print some of the guidelines for management and bring them to your doctor. It's not safe for you to be anywhere but the hospital at this point in your pregnancy. And like I said, most VP moms have had sections by now...
I'm so very sorry you are dealing with this. I would do absolutely everything I could to try to get admitted to the hospital and I would opt for a c-section asap.
PM me your email address and I'll send you the PDF of the guidelines to take to your doctor, ok?
Keep me posted! I'm really thinking about you!
PS - I'm actually back in the hospital after another bleed. I think I'm here for the long haul and we'll do a c-section around 35 weeks.
TheBump ate my profile. Oh well. New and improved.
Re: Anyone else with vasa previa???
Yes! I'm so glad to see someone else here. It's a lonely world in VP land. I don't think there are any other mama's here who are dealing with it - unless I've just not found them yet.
I also have chronic low fluid and marginal placenta previa.
I've posted several times about my VP. Here is my first post right after I was diagnosed.
https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/69221796.aspx
Since that post, I've joined the Vasa Previa Yahoo Group and I HIGHLY recommend you do that. I've posted lots of times there about different issues and it's nice to have one place with many other women who are going through what you are. Here is the link to the page - you need to set up an account and join the group to post/view posts:
https://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Vasa_Previa/
Here's the current state of my affairs:
- Been bleeding off and on since 22 weeks when I was first diagnosed
- I'm on strict bed rest at home, though if I need to go out for appointments, etc. I'm in a wheelchair
- Was supposed to go into the hospital at 24 weeks to finish out the rest of the pregnancy on hospital bedrest, but when I had my 24 week appointment, the bleeding had almost stopped for a few days, and my peri wasn't able to see vessels crossing my cervix anymore. He told me to go home on BR instead. However, the chances of my still having VP even though it's not able to be seen by doppler are still extremely high - it's missed all the time.
If I continue bleeding, I'll probably end up back in the hospital before 32 weeks. If not, I'll go in between 30-32 weeks for monitoring until we get closer to 35 weeks, where I'll have a mandatory c-section (standard protocol).
I'm bleeding again since the day before yesterday, so I have an appointment tomorrow to check things again.
What's your doc's plan? Does your doctor seem knowledgeable about VP? It's great that you've been diagnosed. I'm sure you've read the statistics on undiagnosed VP and realize how lucky you are!
Edited: for clickies!
TheBump ate my profile. Oh well. New and improved.
I am 36 weeks today and just got back from a doctors appointment and my first ultrasound since being diagnosed @ 18 weeks.
@ 18 weeks the ultrasound tech said I had an "accessory lobe" as well as a low lying placenta. Once i met with the doctor he explained vasa previa and showed me pictures of an actual placenta w/ accessory lobe and what "too much" bleeding looked like. I had complete placenta previa with my 2nd child w/ bleeding starting at 32 weeks and c-section at 36 weeks. My doctor said that since I have to have a section anyway, that he is not concerned w/ the vasa previa now that he is aware of it.
Since then I have done tons of research and became scared to death over the things I've read and extremely concerned at the lack of urgency over my situation. Today @ 36 wks, the ultrasound tech said my placenta was not near my cervix (its more up the left side of my belly) and she could not distinguish two separate placentas/lobes. She said that either there never was two lobes (it was just "pinched" at the 18 week ultrasound) or that the placentas have "come together". I did confirm with her that there were no vessels cover the cervix or in between the baby's head and cervix.
When I met with doctor after ultrasound and asked him about the tech's findings, he said he wasn't convinced that the placenta previa is "gone". He said that to him he is going to assume there still is an accessory lobe. I am still scheduled for a 39 week c-section on nov 19th. When I asked if I should come to hospital immediately if my water broke or lose my mucus plug as I was previously instructed to do, he said that I "didn't have to drive 150 mph, but I didn't need to stop to take a shower or do a load of laundry either". He indicated that I had sufficient time to get to hospital and be prepped for surgery living 20 minutes away with no concern for the baby's health or my health. He also told me to only come to the hospital if my contractions were 5 minutes apart. In other words, there are no precautionary measures being taken related to the "possible" vasa previa.
I did have some unexplained bleeding the early 2nd trimester that only lasted a week or two and was not heavy at all. i have had no bleeding since then which would indicate to me (based on my last pregnancy w/ complete previa) that my placenta is in fact moved out of the way of my cervix. All I know to do at this point is to continue following doctor's orders and hope that his assessments are correct. I guess the truth as to whether there are one or two placentas will be determined at the time of the c-section. He also didn't check my cervix today and said that he probably wouldn't be checking it at the remaining two appointments unless i indicated any signs of labor...contracting, discharge, etc.
Thank you so much for posting...I do agree that its a rare condition or difficult to get feedback on others who are going through or have been through same situation. I wish you a healthy delivery and baby!
Yikes! I am nervous for you because if you do have Vasa Previa (and false positive diagnosis is extremely rare) you should really have had a c-section by now if your doctor is following the standard guidelines. At the very least, you really need to be in the hospital on bedrest so you can be monitored. From everything I've heard and what my doctor has told me, if there is a rupture of fetal vessels (which can happen randomly, or when your water breaks or cervix starts to dilate) you literally have minutes (less than 10) to get the baby out. Even then, many undiagnosed VP babies with ruptures need immediate transfusion and aggressive resuscitation.
I think you should assume VP is still an issue and maybe print some of the guidelines for management and bring them to your doctor. It's not safe for you to be anywhere but the hospital at this point in your pregnancy. And like I said, most VP moms have had sections by now...
I'm so very sorry you are dealing with this. I would do absolutely everything I could to try to get admitted to the hospital and I would opt for a c-section asap.
PM me your email address and I'll send you the PDF of the guidelines to take to your doctor, ok?
Keep me posted! I'm really thinking about you!
PS - I'm actually back in the hospital after another bleed. I think I'm here for the long haul and we'll do a c-section around 35 weeks.
TheBump ate my profile. Oh well. New and improved.