Placenta accreta

[firstfreakout]

Hi ladies.

I had my first child almost a year ago (Wow!) and after labour I had retained placenta and a haemorrhage, which almost killed me. I was told by the surgeon who removed the placenta that this was down to placenta accreta. I also had an anterior placenta during pregnancy, though I don't know if this is related..

I've now found out I'm pregnant (about 4+2) and am already worrying that this will happen again. My retained placenta wasn't caught for 10 days because of negligence, which is why I am choosing not to have this child at the same hospital as before.

I spoke with my GP who confirmed that I should be consultant led during this pregnancy because of this previous problem.

My question is, is there anyone here who had placenta accreta during one pregnancy/labour who went on to have another normal pregnancy/labour afterwards?

I'm terrified of going through the same experience, or worse. I'm very lucky not to have lost my uterus last time.

Thank you!

 

[Akua]

I haven’t personally had it, but I do know if you have had it before, then it’s much more likely to happen a second time. Which is probably why they’ve referred you to see consultants. Sorry that’s not much help

 

[firstfreakout]

I haven’t personally had it, but I do know if you have had it before, then it’s much more likely to happen a second time. Which is probably why they’ve referred you to see consultants. Sorry that’s not much help

Yes I’ve heard this too I’m absolutely terrified. Thank you for your reply though!

 

[Princess81]

The anterior placenta part shouldn’t be problematic - where is the evidence you’ve found to suggest you would be at higher risk of it happening again? I’m sure it was exceptionally traumatic for you x

 

[firstfreakout]

It was literally the worse experience of my life, the 2 week post labour period. I remember lying next to my baby on the bed going in to shock, my OH calling the paramedics and just looking at my baby knowing I was going to die. I’ve never felt anything like it. It still haunts me to remember I spent days in hospital unable to hold my newborn.

I had therapy to help deal with these issues but really they’ll always be there. So I’m terrified of it happening again because it really ruined the experience of being a new mum for me. I ended up with ptsd and pnd because of it.

I can’t find any links at the moment with evidence it’s more likely to happen again but I have heard it a lot. Something to do with the placenta attaching to scar tissue in the womb. However I had it the first time and I had none of the risk factors that made it more likely to begin with, such as previous births, scars, or age. Weird.

I spoke to my gp about it the other day and she agreed I should be consultant lead purely because of my experience last time. I’ve also chosen a different hospital because the hospitals negligence is also a factor into why I went into shock.

I guess it s a waiting game at the moment. Thanks for the replies x

 

[Princess81]

Consultant led would definitely be best because of your haemorrhage as well. Now they know this has happened to you before they can be extra vigilant at the delivery of the placenta. I looked for research saying it increases the risk of it happening again and couldn’t find any, it was just about scar tissue from Caesarean sections increasing the risk. Have you had the chance to have a debrief with the hospital too? Some ladies find that helps. X

 

[firstfreakout]

Thank you I’ll make sure to go into proper detail about it with a consultant.

I didn’t do a de brief. I was told I could but I was so angry and I felt if they started making excuses For their pure negligence then I would lose it. I was so so angry. I also considered putting in a formal complaint and even going through patient claim line but every time I sat down to writing it I ended up sprialling. In the end I know it’s the state of the nhs to blame more so than the individual doctors / midwives but that isn’t comforting lol
Im learning to accept it as something that happened I just need to try and believe that it wot happen again this time, even if I do end up with placenta issues, because now I know what to do and look for and how to fight for myself instead of taking their word as golden.

I just feel robbed because I had a difficult pregnancy due to pain, had to be induced and couldn’t handle the Labour very well and then didn’t get to hold my newborn very much until he was two weeks old. I don’t want another negative experience when this could be my last child.