I was diagnosed with partial placenta previa during my first pregnancy. I kept bleeding and having contractions, so they put me on bedrest from week 22 to week 32. What helped get me through those long weeks was a support group on www.sidelines.org
In 95% of the cases, placenta previa does resolve on its own, and does not result in a c-section. I had a vaginal birth and a healthy son. It's likely you'll do just fine - just be sure to stay hydrated, and if you feel contractions or start to bleed, stay off your feet.
It was explained to me like this: The uterus is like a balloon, and the placenta is like an ink mark on one part of it. As the balloon gets blown up, the ink mark moves up and out of the way.
As long as the placenta isn't covering the cervix, you can have a natural childbirth.
I am 37 years old and was 16 weeks pregnant with my first child when I was diagnosed with a placenta previa. I was told to not to overdue anything, no walks, no lifting, no long car rides. Well I ended up bleeding at work and was on bed rest for one entire month. After several check ups, Dr. gave ok to go back to work, then agian two weeks later, I started to bleed. I ended up on strict bed rest for the duration of my pregnancy. I had to be examined every two weeks by my doctor to see if the previa had moved, it never did. I had a c-section at week 37 and now I have a beautiful healthy 8 month baby boy.
Do not take any chances. Your doctor should keep a close eye on you and your progress. You may be one of those lucky ones where the previa does move out of the way. Just take it easy, rest with your feet up as much you can. Do not take any long trips in the car, stay close to home, do not go shopping have someone do your shopping and do not do any housework (hire someone). The only way you will be able to have a normal delivery is if the previa moves out of the way. I am so grateful and consider myself luck to have my baby boy.
Good luck. I hope everything turns out for the best.
Hola Maria,
I also had placenta previa with my first child. At the time it was a surpirse - an unforeseen thing in those days I guess (I never had an ultrasound - I had planned a home birth, but ended up going into the hospital 2 weeks before her due date - fortunately I did not have to have a C-section because she was born within 3 hours of first labor pains and they didn't have enough time to prep me before she was actually born! I don't know about bed rest - since I didn't know this would be happening, I was still working (some) up until she was born and was also walking every day.
Best wishes - I would say listen to your own inner voice about this, if you can do that.
I was diagnosed early in my pregnancy, first trimester, with placenta previa. I had some spotting, so my doctor put me on modified bedrest. Yes, I also heard and read that usually the placenta does move back to the usual spot before you go into labor. Mine did and if it doesn't, yes, you will need a c-section. It is fairly common for it to return to the normal place. My doctor monitored me more often/closely.
I was diagnosed with placenta previa when I was pregnant with my son a year and a half ago. I have heard that the placenta can move, but mine was a "complete" previa and it did not move and stayed completely over the cervix. I was not put on bed rest and felt great throughout my pregnancy. I did not have any bleeding which is the main concern with placenta previa. I had a scheduled c-section one week before my due date to ensure that I would not go into labor. I now have a very healthy and happy 17 month old. Hope you have an easy pregnancy!
First congratulations on your pregnancy.
Second, i feel some concern for you as placenta previa can become a life threatening condition. who diagnosed you? you should be asking all thses questions to your OBGYM. It is extremely important that you engage in a good relationship with the physician of your choice and a good prenatal program, specially in your condition. If any problems should arise, a doctor that already knows your full medical history will be much safer and helpful than been rushed to a hospital's emergency room where they have to start your evaluation from zero,
My grandmother suffered a placenta previa and almost die from the hemoorrage. they had to preform a histerectomy (removal of her uterus)and she was unable to have more children. I am not saying that is necesarily the course of a placenta previa but there is the risk.
Let a local physician determine what the course of your care will be and whether you will be a high risk pregnancy or not.
Please , take care of yourself and search for sound and accurate health advise and not just good willed but not necessarily medically knowledgeable advice.
Be safe, too much is at stake.
Good luck and take care of yourself
Hi, my sister had placenta previa with baby #2 a few years ago. She was not on bed rest, but was restricted from any heavy lifting throughout her pregnancy. Hers was the most severe type, where the placenta was actually growing down into the cervix. Later in the pregnancy, the placenta lifted up so that even though the cervical opening was still completely obstructed, it was no longer IN the cervix and was therefore considered less dangerous. Supposedly in many cases, especially when it is a partial placenta previa, the placenta can shift so that the condition is completely resolved. She did continue to work as a nurse until just a few weeks before her C-section, but tried to keep her feet up and limit activity at home. With baby #3, she did not get the placenta previa again. Good luck!!
I have had two children so far. Each time they have told me that my placenta was too far down. Yes they will have to do a c-section if that is the case. In my case however my placenta has risen so there was never a problem. It is different with everyone. I have also had both of my children in my 30's. I don't think they usually put you on bed rest. It just makes it so you have to have a c-section because your placenta is blocking the babies passage out.
Hello, my name is Julie and I'm 25 weeks pregnant with my first child also. I was diagnosed with placentia previa at my 20 week ultrasound. I just had an ultrasound again at 24 weeks and my placentia is already moving. My doctor explained to me that this is a common condition for first time moms to be and they would monitor it and for me not to worry. I feel great and just keep hoping it will move completely out of the way before labor. I'm sure yous will move too!
Hello Maria Fernanda,
I was reading your info and would like to share my experience with you !!!
I am currently 34 wks pregnant and was diagnosed with placenta previa on my first ultrasound. At first I was worried and sad but then I found out that the only bad part about this is that if worst comes to worst you have to have a C-section (no big deal) then on my second ultrasound (28 wks) the placenta moved up by itself. I hope this might happen to you as well but if not I suggest you get your provider's oppinion (that one is always the best for your peace of mind)... Good luck & hope this info helps... Monica H...
I had it with my first pregnancy, but we didn't know that until I went into labor. I had a midwife, who didn't insist on an ultra sound so I didn't have one. Yes, I ended up having an emergency c-section. She mis-diagnosed me, I was complaining of rib discomfort, my ribs would hurt when I would be sitting, during my last trimester. I was just really uncomfortable, the last few months. Good thing you had an ultra sound. I learned my lesson and got a doctor for my second pregnancy. Just a suggestion, you might want to re- think having a mid-wife. My mid-wife's husband, he's a doctor, ended up giving me the c-section.
Yes, but didnt know until it was time for delivery in which I thought was going to be a natural childbirth. It ended up being an emergency C-section.
I started cramping, lite bleeding to heavy bleeding by the time they figured out what was wrong (placenta previa) so for them to diagnose you early is a blessing, take it easy, but placenta previa means the placenta is breaking away slowly...
That was 10 years ago, my daughter is healthy as a horse and smart as me :-)
I personally, have not had a previa, but I am a certified childbirth educator, doula, midwife's assistant and I teach prenatal yoga. My understanding is that at 21 weeks, it should not even be diagnosed as a previa, since it is likely to move. Imagine you have deflated balloon and you draw a circle on it near the opening. Then when you blow it up, the circle is no longer near the opening, it is somewhere near the middle. Think of your uterus in the same way, as it grows the placenta (or circle) is no longer near the cervix, but more towards the middle side of your uterus (the balloon). I'm not sure what the statistics are exactly, but it is a larger number that move than don't. Don't sweat it at this stage of your pregnancy. (I know- easier said than done.) Good luck to you!
I have three children and with my second pregnancy I was diagnosed with placenta previa. There are different levels of placenta previa. It occurs in the second and third trimesters and the levels are total, partial,marginal and low lying placenta previa. Your concern should lie with which placenta previa you were diagnosed with. I had a partial and I was not on bedrest but there was a risk of bleeding out so I could not travel far from home. I needed to be sure I was close to my Dr. just in case anything happened. My family also has a history of placenta previa but with my aunt it was more serious. She started bleeding and had to be put on bed rest for several months. My cousin was born at 6mos. So with our family history, and the fact that I had an emergency c-section with our first one, I had another c-sect. at 38wks. We thought it better than to risk bleeding out and possibly losing my baby or my myself. But as other women have said, this all varies depending on the person and the type of placenta previa you have. As you will find out with most cases the placenta moves by the end of the pregnancy without any complications. Really abide by the "no heavy lifting" during pregnancy with placenta previa you really don't want to risk it. Congrats on your baby, enjoy every second.
I was diagnosed with placenta previa during my second pregnancy. I don't remember how many weeks I was. My placenta did end up moving out of the way. Your midwife or Dr will be able to tell you if you need bedrest. Try not to worry. Good Luck!!
I am sorry to heat that you have been diagnosed with PP. I had it with my 4th child, and while it can be managed very well it can carry some significant health risks - understanding your condition and keeping a close eye on it are your best chances for a complication free delivery. Here are some facts:
PP is when the placenta adheres across the cervical opening during implantation/development. It can migrate, so keep your hopes up that nothing more than a few more ultrasounds are in your future. My PP was complete, and budged not an inch. laugh
Mothers with PP are at times assigned to bed-rest, but usually you are told to simply keep a lower-than-usual profile with activity, and contact your doctor if you have any signs of bleeding.
Complete PP requires a cesarean for safe delivery of the baby.
I was scheduled for a cesarean at 39wks (PP usually requires a 38wk or even 37wk cesarean) because I wanted my baby to "bake" as long as possible, and with my previous babies I had never gone into early labor. The morning of my scheduled c/s I woke up at 4am hemorrhaging. I was rushed to the hospital where they were able to get my bleeding under control, and deliver my now 3yr old daughter, but I was put under general anesthesia and almost required a blood transfusion. My daughter lost blood as well, and it took us both quite a bit of time to recover from her delivery. The hemorrhaging is painless, and this is where the concern from doctors for an early c/s comes into play. I had recently gotten up to go to the bathroom (for the 100th time wink) and so I was not in a deep sleep. I recognized immediately what was happening. But some women are fast asleep when they begin to bleed out - and when they wake up they have already lost too much time and blood.
If I were to do it over again I would not have pushed my delivery date as far as I did. I thought I had experience as a guide for choosing to wait, but PP is no laughing matter. It need not be anything more than a frustrating condition which keeps you from natural childbirth. There is no strong correlation between PP in one pregnancy and continual PP in subsequent pregnancies (I have not had it in my subsequent pregnancies). But it is serious enough to warrant careful monitoring and observation during your final weeks of pregnancy.
Hi,
My name is Jenni. I was never diagnosed with placenta previa but I did have placenta accreta. You can get that after you give birth and it's not fun. I almost died and had to have 3 blood transfusions and a hystorectomy. All that happend 5 weeks after my daughter was born. I googled Placenta Previa and came to a sight called babycenter you should look it up cause it covered alot. Your realy lucky that they were able to catch it during your pregnancy, they didn't with mine and I know it would have changed a lot of things for me if they would have. Good luck to you and your baby!
This happened to my sister-in-law. She was put on modified bed rest, meaning she couldn't work and had to take it easy at home (but did not have to actually stay in bed). Her placenta ended up moving and she gave birth vaginally to a healthy, full-term baby boy. So don't worry just yet --- just take it easy. Oh and I believe that she couldn't have sex during the remainder of the pregnancy as well.
My last pregnancy I was diagnosed with placenta previa. I was told that you have to think of it like a balloon as the balloon inflates the sides move up. I was very concerned but that is what happened the placenta moved out of the way and I was able to have a normal birth. In fact I had the baby at home. I did make sure that all was in place if I needed to be at the hospital. I had a wonderful OB that shadowed my lay midwife. I didn't have bed rest but took it easy so that I would feel that I had done everything I could to have a great outcome, and I did. Good Luck! If you have a great midwife to work with she will give you great advice and all will be well for you and your baby.
I was diagnosed with Complete Previa with my last pregnancy. It was at 15 weeks thankfully. I was never placed on bedrest but was on modified activity (no lifting anything above 25 pounds and only very light exercise) and pelivc rest (no sex.
I had a ultrasound every 3 weeks to check on the position of the placenta. As you know it usually migrates upwards with the ever growing and expanding uterus.
By 28 weeks my placenta was out of the way of the cervix and I went ahead and had a vaginal delivery.
Do you know what type of previa you have? Complete, partial, marginal?
You dont have to have a c-section unless it is still complete previa at time of labor. Is your care provider planning on monitoring your placenta with u/s? I most certainly wont not go past 37 weeks without getting one more look by U/S to determine the location of the placenta.
If you have any more questions you can email me [email protected]