Mature Placenta

eppy01

Anyone have experience or ever been told they have a mature or advanced placenta? At my last ultrasound they noticed some calcium deposits on the placenta, which indicated it's aging... I was told the placenta is functioning how it should be at this time and we will follow up in 4 weeks, but the more I have thought about it, it worries me and makes me wonder if it could just tucker out and stop supplying nutrients to the baby. I'm planning on discussing this more with my OB after she gets the U/S report but wondered if anyone else has experience with this. I am now 32 weeks. Thanks Ladies!

eppy01

I forgot to mention that they said my fluid levels were fine and that baby looked good and is moving well but that I was measuring 2.5 weeks small. They mentioned following up in 4 weeks, but this seems kind of long to me...

tarapike86

I do not have this but I have had a friend with this. 4 weeks does seem like a long time between checks. I would call your doctor and discuss your concerns and find out why the long wait. My friend had ultrasounds weekly after they discovered calcification and she ended up being induced at 37 weeks due to the deterioration Her baby was a little small but otherwise perfectly healthy. Good luck

cinderin

My OB is monitoring my placenta due to GD. 

I would ask your OB. They should monitor it.  

Soleil3

I haven't but if I had I would be demanding weekly visits or more.

hahniepie

If you're at 32 weeks, shouldn't you be seeing your OB every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, when you will then see him/her every week??

aquangel

I have heard of this and my cousin was suspected of having this so she was induced early after some other testing.  What you state is correct.  As the placenta matures/calcifies (which happens naturally in all cases hence why there's an "over due" date typically at 42 weeks), it becomes less efficient at delivering nutrients to your baby.  Your doctor should be monitoring your baby's growth (I'd think more than once a month!) and if under a certain %tile I wouldn't be surprised if they will want to induce because baby may fail to thrive in utero.

eppy01

This is how I feel. I'm going to call and see if I can start my weekly visits now instead of at 36 weeks. I wasn't very clear. I am seeing my OB every two weeks but it was 4 weeks until a repeat ultrasound was recommended. I read that some women go to weekly ultrasounds when the calcification starts but wondered if anyone else knew much about this. Right now I was measuring in the 30th percentile. Thanks for your thoughts. I'm going to call this morning.

aquangel

eppy01:

This is how I feel. I'm going to call and see if I can start my weekly visits now instead of at 36 weeks. I wasn't very clear. I am seeing my OB every two weeks but it was 4 weeks until a repeat ultrasound was recommended. I read that some women go to weekly ultrasounds when the calcification starts but wondered if anyone else knew much about this. Right now I was measuring in the 30th percentile. Thanks for your thoughts. I'm going to call this morning.

I think by the time my cousin was induced she had fallen to 10%tile but was 37 or 38 weeks.  They'll obviously want to keep you cooking for as long as possible!

BelhurstBride

u/s technicians are not qualified to make a diagnosis. I wouldn't freak out too much until you talk to your OB. When do you see your OB again?

eppy01

For my ultrasounds I have been going to a perinatologists, not because I'm high risk, but because its close and my OB highly recommended them. So I did speak to the perinatologist after the tech finished, but now that I've had some time to think about it I've had questions pop up. She made it sound like it wasnt a big deal, and not to worry, so at the time I didnt think much of it. I see my OB next Tuesday. She should have the report by now. I've left a message with her this morning.

KiKiMe

With DS1 had placenta dysfunction/calcification. My Dr. suggested an ultrasound after I measured small two checks in a row. The ultrasound showed the placenta was calcified so he did a NST which showed DS1 not responding properly. He suggested inducing I was 37 weeks. While in the hospital to start the process, DS heart rate fell and we needed to have an emergency csection. It is entirely possible according to my Dr. that I could have lost DS if I wasn't in the hospital being monitored.

For this pregnancy I am considered high risk and started my biweekly ultrasounds at 28 weeks to check placenta and measure growth and fluid.

I wouldn't feel comfortable waiting a month to check things!