? About placenta accerta

mcgeeva · November 2013

So this is random but I'm asking because I'm nervous as hell now. My doctor mentioned at my last apt on Monday when going over my anatomy scan that due to my previous csection and having an anterior placenta there is concern for the placenta growing into the csection whih could cause the placenta to be cut at the time of birth. There could be a lot of bleeding and they would just need to pull the baby out fast but this isn't something they will know until they cut. Now I didn't think anything if it but now after researching it and coming up with blood transfusions, people getting hysterectomy and such why would she bring this up to me?!! Would you be concerned and question this? I feel like this isn't something they should tell someone because it just causes worry. Especially since I didn't know things like this happen. Should I call and leave one of my other ob's a message questioning this? I'm already high risk and the last thing I want is to be stressed yet again about something else. Thanks in advance ladies!

kwinkle1980 · November 2013

I had a placenta accreta with my first pregnancy. I had no risk factors and it was not known until after my son was born. My placenta would not deliver and I hemorrhaged. I had a quick D & C, 3 transfusions, and all was well. I am concerned about it happening again, and it is something that doctors are aware of and prepared to deal with. I would ask a lot of questions if you are nervous about it.

mcgeeva · November 2013

Wow three transfusions sounds crazy! Glad your okay.

jnevin123 · November 2013

Wow! I have no advice or experience with this but you've given me a question to bring up with my doc next week. I too had a section with my first and now have an anterior placenta with this LO. I agree with you- it's freaking scary!

mcgeeva · November 2013

Yeah... Read about it! It's terrible! I didn't intend on having other babies due to the cost of fertility treatments and if this pregnancy ended rough again but the thought of having a hysterectomy is crazy.

kneenah1231 · November 2013

Scary.. I have my 39wk appt tomorrow I will bring it up. I also have an anterior placenta and suppose to be induced going to ask if my placenta is in the way just in case I need a csection :-/ so many things can go left with pregnancy :-/

mcgeeva · November 2013

Very true! But do you think it's odd for them to mention something unless they see something wrong?

kneenah1231 · November 2013

I don't think it's odd. Some drs have diaharria of the mouth when they don't need to. You can either take it as he is warning you ahead of time. I wouldn't worry until the day comes because regardless you can't do anything to change it.. You cross that road when you get there! I am sure you are not the first or the last person to have that. There is a standard protocol to deal with such situations..

LegallyBlonde217 · November 2013

kwinkle1980 said:

I had a placenta accreta with my first pregnancy. I had no risk factors and it was not known until after my son was born. My placenta would not deliver and I hemorrhaged. I had a quick D & C, 3 transfusions, and all was well. I am concerned about it happening again, and it is something that doctors are aware of and prepared to deal with. I would ask a lot of questions if you are nervous about it.

I had a very similar experience to this. Hemorrhaged while they were removing the placentas, got 2 blood transfusions later that the day. But they missed a piece of placenta so I hemorrhaged again almost 3 weeks postpartum. Back to the hospital for an emergency D&C, and 4 more blood transfusions. The D&C didn't completely stop the bleeding so I had another procedure that stopped it, thankfully. Had it not worked, I would have had a hysterectomy that afternoon.

I would definitely call your OB's office and ask tons of questions. Maybe they mentioned it because they have to, but are thinking/hoping the placenta will move away from the c/s scar before you deliver.

mcgeeva · November 2013

Thanks eveyone for the great information. Glad everyone is okay after their scares

3sthecharm · November 2013

They have to tell of you of the risks involved to get informed consent before the procedure. Heres hoping all turns out well and uneventful

mcgeeva · November 2013

Thank you! I guess they wouldn't had said a thing if they aren't somewhat concerned. Here's to hoping the placenta isn't attached.

curlylocks3 · November 2013

I would ask for follow up with a high risk doctor/MFM. Yes, an anterior placenta over the c/section scar ups your risk but an in-depth ultrasound scan closely focusing on how the placenta looks should give them more of a feel for it, and an MRI can be done as well if its not clear from ultrasound.
An accreta is scary- but far more dangerous when you don't know about it before delivery. When they know you have one they can make a very specific plan with all the correct people there to minimize complications. I would really encourage you to push to meet with an MFM if your doctor is tossing around the term accreta.

mcgeeva · November 2013

Thank you so much curlylocks3 I never heard of this before and I guess I should be my own advocate instead of waiting for d day and something bad happening. I'm high risk and up to this point every person jn my practice has treated me completely differently. Right now they have zero concern that all will go well with this pregnancy and stopped doing 24 hour collections. Completely lost

GilletteBaby · December 2013

i was diagnosed with placenta acreta in my first pregnancy during c section. my mfm was able to stop the bleeding and about 6 months post partum i had a d&c to remove what was left of my placenta. i am now 25 weeks pregnant with baby #2 and my doctor is convinced i will have accreta again even tho thru ultrasound there is nothing pointing in that direction. i am scheduled for an MRI on monday so we will see if that shows anything. regardless, my MFM has prepared me for the worst case scenario being blood transfusions, hysterectomy. i will be delivered early, between 34-36 weeks. i am terrified but know i am in the best hands possible. my husband will not be allowed in the operating room and i believe a team of specialists will be participating in my c section. good luck to you, hope you don't have it.

mcgeeva · December 2013

Interesting. I'm glad it turned out well for you the first time an hopefully wont happen again. I asked my doctor monday what the plan is and they just said they will just do an ultrasound again before birth to check it out and that's it. So I guess I just leave it be until my c-section takes place. Now why take your baby early??

GilletteBaby · January 2014

Just got back from my 30 week appt and MRI confirmed i have the accreta again. My new delivery date is Feb 14th which would leave us at 34.5 weeks. She wants to take the baby early because with accreta you can bleed and end up having an emergency c section, not having the right doctors there etc. Supposedly she has an entire team of doctors including an OB oncologist who will be performing my hysterectomy as soon as the baby is out.

Contrary to what some people are saying in this chain, it is better to know before. I will be in main OR, blood transfusions ready to go and they are even putting in pelvic catheter balloons, to help control the bleeding if i should hemmorage. I will be delivering my baby girl at NY Presbyterian hospital in NYC which has an amazing MFM team and one of the best NICU's in the country. Im in the best hands possible but sooooo scared. Keep me posted and demand an MRI

mcgeeva · January 2014

GilletteBaby yeah everything my doctor said they were going to do they haven't done even with being high risk. They just said they would do a sonogram to check closer to my due date. Not sure what all you can see with that so at this point not feeling very confident.

unoriginal · January 2014

I was diagnosed with placenta previa at my 20 week ultrasound. At that time the doctor told me it was attached to my uterus and I would possibly need a hysterectomy and would deliver in a regular operating room.

During all of my subsequent ultrasounds, they said it kept looking better and they no longer believed it was an accreta. I didn't bleed until I was 34 weeks. I was in the hospital for 4 days when they decided that even though the baby looked good on the monitor, I was still bleeding (not too much but had continued bleeding on and off the whole time I was in the hospital) and they would rather be able to do the c-section under normal circumstances instead of having to rush me into the OR.

Once they got the baby out, I heard them say they could not detach the placenta entirely from the uterus. The doctor came around and said she felt it was best to do a hysterectomy. They called the MFM doctor in and that's the last thing I remember.

My recovery time was not too bad. I did need a bag of blood during surgery and then wound up getting 3 more bags the next day. On the third day, I felt so much better and went home on the fifth day. My son wound up being in the NICU for 20 days and sometimes I struggle with whether I made the right decision in letting them do the c-section early without it being completely necessary at that time. But then I think what could have happened if we didn't and suddenly there was an emergency. Ultimately, I think and hope I made the right decision.

Sorry this was so long!

mcgeeva · January 2014

unoriginal I think you made the right decision. The longer it attached and if you went into labor in that situation you want them to not be rushed and have everything they need like in your case since you needed a hysterectomy. Super scary. I'm glad you and are your baby are doing good!

GilletteBaby · January 2014

i think it never appeared on ultrasound cause an accreta can't properly be diagnosed thru ultrasound, has to be MRI. My accreta isn't there in ultrasound but in MRI it was. so glad to hear your recovery wasn't awful. I am counting down the days, 16 to go. thanks for this feed, i really appreciate hearing positive stories.

GilletteBaby · January 2014

and yes, you definitely made the right decision. your baby needs you, your life could have been in danger....

Want a personalized experience?

? About placenta accerta

Re: ? About placenta accerta

Choose Another Board

Search Boards