What is it like to have a pregnancy with placenta previa and what care
4 min read
In my first pregnancy, and during the ultrasound at 20 weeks , the doctor diagnosed me with placenta previa . I suppose that like the vast majority of new mothers, she was unaware of the term: it is an abnormal implantation of the placenta on the internal cervical opening , in the lower part of the uterus (when it is normal for it to do so towards one of the walls of the uterus). uterus). At that moment I found out that I had a high probability of needing a caesarean section and that I would have to take things very calmly, since this situation could cause complications for both the baby and me.
What is the placenta and why can it be implanted poorly?
The placenta is the only temporary organ that forms during pregnancy and occurs at the same time as the implantation of the embryo in the uterine wall. Its main function is to transmit nutrients, oxygen and hormones to the baby , although it is also responsible for her waste, which the mother will later eliminate through her urine.
What is it like to have a pregnancy with placenta previa?
When the doctor diagnosed me with placenta previa (which was also totally occlusive), he was blunt in his indications: I could lead a relatively normal life, but with a lot of rest, no running, jumping or having sex . Taking into account how much it cost me to get pregnant the first time, my life was reduced to teleworking, resting and taking very short walks close to home.
As the belly grew and my baby began to move, things got a little more complicated despite barely leaving the house: at week twenty-eight I started to feel contractions and one day I had a small hemorrhage that took me five days entered without being able to move . During the first day I could not eat anything in case they had to do an emergency caesarean section (fortunately not), and after that time I was able to return home with the indication of relative rest.
At that time I was already teleworking, so I was able to continue doing so but taking breaks throughout the day because the pressure in the lower part of the abdomen did not allow me to sit for more than half an hour , not even on the sofa. Cooked and cleaned the house a bit, but the constant pressure made me feel the need to lie down and rest. Some days I actually couldn’t get out of bed due to Braxton-Hicks contractions , so there were days when I self-imposed bed rest as a precaution. The truth is that considering the amount of things that accumulate when you work at that pace, plus the preparations you have to make before the arrival of a baby , make that situation a bit frustrating.
When a hemorrhage causes an emergency caesarean section
After discharge, I had some small bleeding that did not require hospitalization. They had already warned me at the hospital that if this happened, it was small and it stopped, resting at home was enough. However, during the early hours of week 35, I had a very large hemorrhage that would not stop . I cannot deny that the moment was quite impressive and that I was quite scared until I got to the hospital and they told me that my baby was fine. While there I had a second hemorrhage, also quite large, and the doctors decided that they would wait a bit to decide what to do next. An hour or so later, the bleeding stopped and I went into surgery for a C- section .. The doctor considered the best time to do it because performing it at the very moment of continuous bleeding can put the life of the mother at risk.
Half an hour later my baby was born , very small but in perfect condition. I spent about five hours in resuscitation and then I went to the floor where I was finally able to be with her and her father.
When they ask me about my first pregnancy, I always say that I didn’t enjoy it. For me it was a time of continuous anxiety because it was an unknown world that I was facing after years of waiting, so I felt enormous pressure not to do anything that could put my little girl’s life at risk . My advice to someone who has been diagnosed with placenta previa is to arm yourself with patience, to listen to your body every day, to see it as an opportunity to rest , to put your ideas in order, to think about future projects and to take care of yourself. and don’t worry because doctors are prepared to deal with these situations. It’s true… surely this is not the dream pregnancy, but the result is even more wonderful than you expect.
