Low Lying Placenta, opinions needed please:)

halfthetree · October 2013

Hey mamas,

My midwife has let me know that at my a/s a few weeks ago that the tech said my placenta was low lying but not touching the os. My thinking is that I'm 23 weeks, that was at 20, no big deal. It will move.

My midwife wants a scan at 26 weeks, because the tech didn't measure how far from the os it was. And then another TWO weeks later to see if it has moved. This is absolutely ridiculous right? The midwives in my area are government controlled, so they have ridiculous rules and guidelines and OBs breathing down their necks, so I don't think it's her rules here.
But am I crazy for wanting just one scan at 35 weeks to see where it is at? If it is under 2cms away, I can't be cleared for homebirth or birth with a midwife and I will be transferred to an OB, who I will fight for a vaginal birth if it's over 1 cm away.

What would you do? Refuse the scans and fight for one at 35 weeks? Or just do the two?
3 ultrasounds within 8 weeks seems like so much exposure.

erb82 · October 2013

Maybe the reasoning is that the placenta doesn't move as much after 26 weeks? That's total speculation though. Personally, I wouldn't want to wait until 35 weeks to make sure. My mom had this and went into labor at 34 weeks. Because they knew about the placenta they took her in for an emergency csection and both she and the baby were fine. If they hadn't known, they could have wasted precious time trying to stop labor instead.

KateLouise · October 2013

Perhaps she's thinking that if you need to transfer to the care of an OB, that it's better to do that sooner rather than later, so you can find one who you gel with and build a relationship with?

I'd be inclined to ask her why she wants one at 26 weeks AND 28 weeks? Why not just do one at 28 weeks? Is it most important at this point to know how far it is from the OS (I have no idea what that means), or to see if it's moving. Perhaps if it's moving then that will give her an indication as to whether or not it will probably have moved far enough by the time you're due.

halfthetree · October 2013

KateLouise said:
Perhaps she's thinking that if you need to transfer to the care of an OB, that it's better to do that sooner rather than later, so you can find one who you gel with and build a relationship with?

I'd be inclined to ask her why she wants one at 26 weeks AND 28 weeks? Why not just do one at 28 weeks? Is it most important at this point to know how far it is from the OS (I have no idea what that means), or to see if it's moving. Perhaps if it's moving then that will give her an indication as to whether or not it will probably have moved far enough by the time you're due.

Well she wants one at 26 weeks to see how far away from the os (or opening of the cervix) the placenta is. Because if it is less than 2cms away at the time of labour, I am not eligible for a homebirth or midwife care. So the 26 week scan is a baseline (they didn't measure at 20 week a/s) and the 28 week one is to see if it has moved. But that's so close, and the placenta can move until the lower segment of the uterus is fully developed by 32-34 weeks.
It's all getting very confusing now.

babyLOLO13 · October 2013

I'd just request 28 weeks, the 26 week one sounds stupid. I had a low lying and was rechecked around 28-29 weeks. If its only low lying there's a good chance it's moved well up by 28 weeks.

Luv2Run1st · October 2013

I had a low lying placenta and had a re-check at 31 weeks. I was cleared for home birth.

My midwives said 30-32 weeks is best so that it has had time to move but well before when one might go into labor if low risk.

I personally wouldn't want to subject my baby to ultrasound more than necessary. I would fight to have just one more ultrasound done in that 30-32 week range.

mavgirl_73 · October 2013

With our last my MW had me scanned at 32 weeks but an abdominal us. She deemed me unsafe for homebirth. Transferred me to an OB who wanted a transvaginal, performed at 34 weeks, found placenta to be 2.5cm away so cleared for an OB hospital birth. Healthy DD born naturally in hospital at 40 weeks. It was rough to be transferred to OB so late in the game, probably why she wants one at 28 weeks. I'd ask for one at 28 weeks only. Btw I'm a 3rd time mom, due 12/6 hopefully homebirth with DEM assisting. 1st time posting here.

LittleMommaBlueHen · October 2013

I have a marginal previa and my midwives have asked me to get a scan sometime between 28 and 32 weeks and if it hasn't moved far enough by then we'll check it again a few weeks later.

Kristinfm · October 2013

I also have a low lying placenta. My midwife said that placentas don't typically move much after about 30 weeks, so she scheduled my u/s for 32 weeks. I would not want to have 2 ultrasounds 2 weeks apart. That seems ridiculous.

halfthetree · October 2013

Kristinfm said:
I also have a low lying placenta. My midwife said that placentas don't typically move much after about 30 weeks, so she scheduled my u/s for 32 weeks. I would not want to have 2 ultrasounds 2 weeks apart. That seems ridiculous.

Ya that was my thinking too, I'm going to turn down having two and just request one scan for a bit further along. Fingers crossed ours move!

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