If you have a low lying placenta, what are your restrictions?

704bride · July 2011

My placenta is at least 2.7-2.85 cm away from my cervix (ultrasound about 10 days ago) and is considered "low lying" until it is 3 cm away. My doctor's orders are to continue pelvic rest. I remembered after my appointment that with my son, I had placenta previa, which turned into a low lying placenta at the very end (only 1 cm away), and was told I didn't have to follow the pelvic rest restrictions. I might have been told that by the doctor at the hospital where the ultrasound was. I talked to my doctor today and she said that she doesn't know why I was ever told that and that I need to continue pelvic rest. So, what are your restrictions, and do you know how far away your placenta is from your cervix right now?

alexa08 · July 2011

I don't know the measurements on mine, but I was told I had a low-lying placenta too at 18 weeks. Thursday I have an u/s to check if it's moved up. Dr put me on pelvic rest; no sex. I cannot recall if she told me not to do anything else as I was distracted by her "creative lovemaking" lecture - not kidding!

Needless to say I ignored her and we've DTD maybe 4 times since Embarrassed - never any spotting. I know, you should not ignore doctors orders and if I'd spotted the first time we'd have not done so again.

704bride · July 2011

alexa08:
I don't know the measurements on mine, but I was told I had a low-lying placenta too at 18 weeks. Thursday I have an u/s to check if it's moved up. Dr put me on pelvic rest; no sex. I cannot recall if she told me not to do anything else as I was distracted by her "creative lovemaking" lecture - not kidding!

Needless to say I ignored her and we've DTD maybe 4 times since - never any spotting. I know, you should not ignore doctors orders and if I'd spotted the first time we'd have not done so again.

It's probably not a good idea to ignore doctor's orders on this one because you can have a lot more than spotting. I had placenta previa with my son, so we had to talk a lot more about the risks involved. If you start to spot or heavily bleed (which could happen out of nowhere), you are often put on bedrest because, as my doctor put it, "you'll probably start to bleed again," and the blood is coming from the placenta - the baby's life source. Sometimes women with placenta previa end up needing to deliver early because the bleeding doesn't stop. I was also told no orgasm because your uterus contracts and that could cause bleeding to start as well.

drcolleen · July 2011

1.7cm by abd US @ 19+4 - transvaginal is more accurate so if they had attempted restrictions I was going to request a transvag in the office like I do for my patients especially since the tech told me it "it's wierd that your placenta is low lying since it is fundal"- and no one mentioned restrictions to me at my appt today but I know they assume I read my own results but I try to make it obvious that I am not directing my own care.

704bride · July 2011

drcolleen:
1.7cm by abd US @ 19+4 - transvaginal is more accurate so if they had attempted restrictions I was going to request a transvag in the office like I do for my patients especially since the tech told me it "it's wierd that your placenta is low lying since it is fundal"- and no one mentioned restrictions to me at my appt today but I know they assume I read my own results but I try to make it obvious that I am not directing my own care.

Are you an OB/GYN? If so, do you usually tell your patients they have to be on pelvic rest for a low lying placenta? Or just placenta previa?

drcolleen · July 2011

I'm an FP who follows and delivers, I enjoy it. If there is any history of bleeding I have pt's abstain, otherwise if if there is no previa I don't give precautions but certainly don't want to stick my fingers up there at the end.

Per an AAFP review- Women with asymptomatic previa in the second trimester can continue normal activities until follow-up ultrasonography is performed at approximately 28 weeks. Women with persistent placenta previa in the third trimester should report any bleeding and abstain from intercourse and use of tampons.

As per my type of US comment- Visualization of relevant structures is poor on 50 percent of transabdominal ultrasonograms, and additional transvaginal ultrasonography changes the diagnosis in 26 percent of cases.

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