What happens if I’m diagnosed with placenta previa?

wow the baby is almost 6 months in my womb now! time really does fly!

we had a scheduled check up @az-zahrah last sunday to see the baby progress n guess what ? after 5 months of continuous weight loss i finally gain some weight! nearly 1 kilos since the last check. hurray!! alhamdulillah. we can see the baby getting bigger thru the ultrasound and alhamdulillah sweetpeas weight and size are normal. except that i was told that i had a wee bit low-lying placenta but its too early to worry or anything yet since i havent got any bleeding during my pregnancy so the doc said to wait until 28 weeks , then we’ll do another scan to see if my placenta moves up. but she also adviced me to go straight away to the hospital should any bleeding occurs.

if u have no idea what a low-lying placenta (also called placenta previa in general) is, its one of pregnancy complications n this is what i found after some googling

If you have placenta previa, it means that your placenta is lying unusually low in your uterus, next to or covering your cervix. The placenta is the pancake-shaped organ — normally located near the top of the uterus — that supplies your baby with nutrients through the umbilical cord.

If the placenta covers the cervix completely, it’s called a complete or total previa. If it’s right on the border of the cervix, it’s called a marginal previa. (You may also hear the term “partial previa,” which refers to a placenta that covers part of the cervical opening once the cervix starts to dilate.) If the edge of the placenta is within 2 centimeters of the cervix but not bordering it, it’s called a low-lying placenta. The location of your placenta will be checked during your midpregnancy ultrasound exam.

It depends on how far along you are in pregnancy. Don’t panic if your second trimester ultrasound shows that you have placenta previa. As your pregnancy progresses, your placenta is likely to “migrate” farther from your cervix and no longer be a problem. (Since the placenta is implanted in the uterus, it doesn’t actually move, but it can end up farther from your cervix as your uterus expands. Also, as the placenta itself grows, it’s likely to grow toward the richer blood supply in the upper part of the uterus.)

What will happen if my previa persists?

If the follow-up ultrasound reveals that your placenta is still covering or too close to your cervix, you’ll be monitored carefully, have regular ultrasounds, and need to watch for vaginal bleeding. You’ll be put on “pelvic rest,” which means no intercourse or vaginal exams for the rest of your pregnancy. And you’ll be advised to take it easy and avoid activities that might provoke bleeding, such as strenuous housework or heavy lifting.

If you have a low-lying placenta after 20 weeks (which i am) you may experience vaginal bleeding during your pregnancy. Bleeding from placenta praevia can occasionally be very severe, and so put the life of the mother and baby in danger. If the placenta is low-lying in the womb after 20 weeks, it may prevent the baby from getting into the normal position of head first. Your baby may lie bottom first (known as the breech position) or lying across the womb (known as transverse) around the time of birth. –ok this is scary

ok the bottom line is if i arrive at my due date with a low lying or partially covered cervix, i’ll be scheduled for a c- section. thats freaky, i know but like the doc said, its too early to tell. (well i kinda freaked out and cried a bit the day later, but thanks to hubs for comforting and convincing me that its gonna be okay )

googling / knowing too much of information can be scary u know but ive decided to be on the +ve side. cos stresses n worries arent good for the lil one right! n cause there is still HOPE. and if that is what He had prepared for me along with His precious gift , ill redha n prepare myself to it .

“If you’ve just been diagnosed with a low-lying placenta, think positive thoughts. Remember that most women experience a change that allows them to go through their pregnancy and delivery just like every other woman. If your low lying placenta does not improve, it’s going to be okay, it’s just another excuse to take extra special care of yourself and your baby!”