Need advice please, have a low lying posterior placenta and am a GBS carrier

[katiejane]

Hi everyone, I really hope someone can help me, I have so many questions my heads spinning. I had a horrible experience when I gave to my baby boy last year and got very poor care. When I found out I was pregnant again I was determined i'd have a lovely home birth and more control. Well true to form life just isn't that simple is it! As I was identified as a GBS carrier after giving birth last time, when I saw MW home birth was quickly ruled out as a option as i would need iv antibiotics twice during labour. I was gutted at the time as I hadn't wanted to be away from my little boy as he'll only be just over 1.

Anyway i've just about got my head round that and today feel like i've been hit by a brick. We went for my 20 week scan feeling positive and hopeful that we'd find out the sex of the baby. The scan lady was very matter of fact and quite abrupt but basically I need another scan at 34 weeks as I have a low lying posterior placenta that is completly obstructing the cervix. She said that although somtimes it does move, it was unlikely due the position and it was most likely i'd need a elective section at 37 weeks.

I've found this very upsetting as I wanted a natural birth, but more than this i'm concerned about the implications on the baby because of the GBS, as antibiotics aren't given until labour started, which for me it won't. So does this mean the risk of the baby getting GBS is higher?

Sorry for the long post, any help or advice would be very much appreciated, thanks for reading xx

 

[megsmeadow]

Hiya Katie,
I'm sorry it didn't go how you had hoped. Excellent news that baby is doing well!! I would think it would be difficult for them to say for certain that your placenta isn't going to move, and maybe it already is on the move. Definately something to discuss with your MW as they may want to scan you before 34 weeks, a sonographer definately isn't a midwife!!
As far as the GBS I think they will still give you IV antibiotics, and because it's more likely to be planned if a c-section is needed then they'll plan the anti-biotics in with it.
I'm sure William will go through a weird time of changing routines and you being in hospital but he'll get over it. Try and think about your birth plan and maybe think beyond the birth to how you introduce the new baby to William. Ask your MW too as I'm sure the policy on bringing children into the post natal ward is different, in that you're not stuck to he strict visiting times. Think about all the things that are important to you and note it in your birth plan. You might want William to visit asap, or you might want time just for you and your OH with the new baby.
There's lots to think about and I'm sure your head won't clear for a good while. You and your baby's safety is the most important thing though!!
You know where I am! xx

 

[amandapanda]

Hiya, I can't comment on GBS as have no idea what it is, but I have had a low lying placenta. It was diagnosed at my 20 week scan and then I was admitted to hospital with bleeding at 25 weeks and again at 27 weeks. I was rescanned and it showed it had dropped further down and was now partially covering the cervix - so I was told I was at a very high risk of my placenta rupturing and may need an emergency c section at any time so I would have to stay in hospital until the baby was born. Best case scenario was a planned c section at 37 weeks - which meant a 10 week stay in hospital!!

Well to cut a long story short, the bleeding stopped and they tentatively discharged me after 16 days in hospital, although I think they reckoned I'd be back!! I've had no more bleeding or problems since and I was at the hospital for my scan today and the placenta has moved 6cm up and is now no longer considered low lying at all!! So after all that doom and gloom and talk of premature labour and early c section I am now being treated as a totally normal delievery

So try not to worry too much - in 9 times out of 10 the placenta does move up as your uterus grows. Even in my case where it dropped down further and caused me problems, it still managed to move up by the end xxx

 

[katiejane]

Thanks you two, Gemma I do indeed know where you are and will continue to bother you lol. Anyway a good friend has promised to write my birth plan for me as she loves lists, so i'm sure she will bear all this in mind ha ha ha

Amanda Panda, thanks so much for that, she said it was completly covering my cervix so I don't know if that means its already very low, like yours dropped to? She didn't explain risks of bleeding etc, but then she only told me what I know so far because I asked. She's written on the report Placenta : Posterior. Then in comments - The posterior placenta is covering the internal os.

So glad all is well with you and baby now and that all is looking normal, sorry you had to spend so long in hospital with all that doom and gloom talk, i'm not sure how i'd cope with that, I bet it was unbearable at the time.

GBS is group B streptococcus. It can be passed during labour to the baby if not treated before hand by antibiotics and is potentially life threatening to the baby, but once its been diagnosed I believe treatment and prevention is pretty good. The baby is at a much higher risk if I deliver before 37 weeks though. x

 

[amandapanda]

I think the fact that it is completely covering (placenta previa) means there is less chance of it moving back up - but it is not impossible - look at mine, now 6cm up!! Unfortunately it is just a waiting game now for you until later in pregnancy when you are rescanned. I guess you should prepare yourself for 'worst case scenario' so if it does happen then you have a plan in place. I fully expected a c section at 37 weeks, was totally mentally prepared for it and never even considered the possibility of a normal birth - and now here I am facing a normal delivery and having to get my head around that!!!I didn't bother going to any ante natal classes as I didn't see the point if I was having a c section!! I also went out and bought small baby clothes because they told me he would be premature....now I'm told he is big and is likely to weigh 9lb!! So now I'm stuck with loads of clothes that he'll probably never fit into - grrrr!! But of course I'm happy that all is well now

I am sure with the GBS they can plan to give you antibiotics before any planned c section if you need it. The two things together must be a worry though!

I hope everything works out for you hun xx

 

[megsmeadow]

That's great news Amanda!! I hadn't forgotten Katie

 

[katiejane]

I'm so pleased things have turned around for you and you can hopefully have a natural birth, which is amazing after what you went through. Shame about the clothes but worth it, i'm sure. I saw a midwife today and she confirmed what was said yesterday really but in a better, more understanding way. If I bleed I must contact the hospital and like you were, would most likely be admitted. I need to be careful, but still enjoy the pregnancy. It seems a c-section is actually good news for the GBS because the risk is much less to the baby as it doesn't pass through the birthing canal, so this made me feel a bit better. Most likely will be changing hospitals but going to have a look around the new one with OH and see what we think. Thanks for taking the time to reply, its good to know they're are people going through similar things who understand x

Gemma make sure you don't forget ha ha ha xx

 

[amandapanda]

All the best hun xx

 

[nadine]

hello hun, awww i know how you feel truely

i dont have GBS but i do have other thing that are simlar that need to be kept a eye on, i also had a horrendus time in labor with my son who is 2, an was so much hoping i could have a vbac (normal birth after section) this time as i too wanted to get home to my lil boy asap,

however on my 20 week scan like you i was told i have a low lying placenta and have to go bk in may for a 32 week scan,

my advise (or what im doing) is just taking each day as it comes, ill go for the scan at 32weeks and then if they say the placenta has moved i will go ahead and plan for my normal labor if its not ill book in for c section, there is very little point in worrying about it as there is nothing you can do till you know at 32 week an i just think i dont want this hanging over my head to spoile my pregnancy as i want to enjoy it as its defo my last

fingers crossed things will be fine, i asked my MW actually yesterday do they normally move and she did say most do, we have another 3 months + for it to shift so times on our side, fingers crossed for us x x x x x

 

[katiejane]

Thanks so much honey, thats really reassuring. I'll be watching and keeping my fingers crossed that your placenta moves. I think you're right, nothing I can do about it really, just watch out for bleeding and hope for the best, trying not to get so wound up about it now and just coming to terms with the fact I might not be getting a natural baby, a healthy baby and healthy me is more important and more use to William and my OH xx

Other than this how are you finding the pregnancy, I bet its lovely to be having a little girl this time, thats what i've been hoping for but I have a private 4d scan booked in a few weeks so hopefully i'll know then, will be asking if any sign of the placenta moving too x

 

[nadine]

Thanks so much honey, thats really reassuring. I'll be watching and keeping my fingers crossed that your placenta moves. I think you're right, nothing I can do about it really, just watch out for bleeding and hope for the best, trying not to get so wound up about it now and just coming to terms with the fact I might not be getting a natural baby, a healthy baby and healthy me is more important and more use to William and my OH xx

Other than this how are you finding the pregnancy, I bet its lovely to be having a little girl this time, thats what i've been hoping for but I have a private 4d scan booked in a few weeks so hopefully i'll know then, will be asking if any sign of the placenta moving too x

sorry hun, didnt see this, yes pregnancy going fab, very diff to first time round with lil lad but cracking on and its going sooooo fast!! i tihnk its coz im busy with my 2 year old or working, but in gen really enjoying it as for me this is last

ill defo keep you posted on if placenta moves, ive got my 32 week scan on 9th may, which im sure will be here in no time the way things are going, alsooooooooo fingers crossed for that lil girl i hope, an 4d scans are great ant they, keep me posted x x