Prevention of undiagnosed placenta previa

[Thefixitabba]

Let me preface this to say that I am not a nurse, just looking for some advice.

When I was pregnant with my first child, at my 20 week u/s, I was diagnosed with a marginal placenta previa. I went to two routine checkups, and as per usual it moved. However, despite having been determined to be resolved, at 37 weeks 6 days, I began a heavy bleed. While in examination at the maternity ward, my placenta fell out, and I was, naturally, 'hosing blood,' as one of the nurses later stated. I was rushed to a c-section, and luckily managed to get out very quickly, without need for a transfusion.

In my 6-week postpartum checkup, when trying to figure out what happened, my ob said, essentially that this just happened sometimes.

While I understand that it is impossible to have perfect care, I still feel like there must be *something,* so I have come here to see if there are any suggestions any of you might have on how testing might be improved, or who I might be able to talk to. Of course I cannot actually decide on this, as I am neither a nurse or an M.D., but I am hoping to bring this up with my OB the next time I see her, and would rather be prepared with some ideas for her, rather than just saying 'there has to be something' and leaving it at that.

A note: while they did measure distance from placenta to cervix, as well as cervical length, I do not recall them measuring thickness or angle of the placenta, which, from what I can understand, was written to be an indicator of bleeds in the third trimester or at term, according to and expert review in JOGC. Of course, distance is still the biggest indicator for an early caesarean, and I understand that.

I don't know. I just feel like giving up on something so potentially life threatening as inevitable and not trying to improve protocols to at least *improve* is tragic, and I feel like it will prevent improvement from happening as quickly as it could. Maybe I'm looking at this wrong and should move on, and of course if when I talk to her she says that there isn't anything to be done I will listen - again, I am not the professional here.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

As per the Terms of Service of the site we do not allow medical advice. This is something that should be discussed with your physician or Obstetric provider.

Closing thread