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sad news

hey everyone,

i'm on a placenta previa support group on facebok, and have just been on for the 1st time in ages and found out one of the ladies who also used it, who had previa and precreta (sp?) died following her c-section and hysterectomy - a blood clot formed and went from her ovaries to her lungs and brain or something like that (struggling to uunderstand it) and caused a stroke and she died, she had just turned 27 and leaves 4 children and a hubby. the baby she was carrying was delivered at 31 weeks and is doing well. it's just too sad for words. sorry to burden you all with it but it's really on my mind and i just needed to get it out. i feel so sad for her family, so lucky for me and mine, but also even more terrified for any future pregnancies - if that makes any sence.

thanks for letting me get it out - i've been on the verge of tears since reading it, so it's good to get it out, without upsetting my close family, and i don't like to go on about placenta previa with my friends as i don't want to seem like i haven't got over it.

thanks kate xxx

Replies

  • god that is awful image
    Forgive me as I have no experience of it but I didnt realise placenta previa was that serious?
    I'm off to google now but i thought it was when your placenta covers some of the cervix so blocking babies way out, or am i completely mistaken?
    ok have just been on google, I definitely did not realise it was that serious!

    hugs to you, and that poor woman's family, I cant even imagine their pain right now.
    xx
  • Oh Kate I can understand how much this must be affecting you. You underwent a horrible experience and having your mortality shoved in front of you must be terrifying. It's not a question of "getting over it", when you have a traumatic experience then you will always remember it. I don't worry too much about Abby's birth on a day-to-day basis but if I read a story where someone else loses their baby under the same circumstances then I'm very weepy for days. I know how close I was to losing her and it hurts. :cry:

    Anyway please don't forget that Kym had placenta precreta as well as previa. That is a much more serious condition.

    Biology bit! :roll:
    For those who don't know placenta previa is reasonably common and is where the placenta covers, or partially covers, the cervix. It usually leads to bleeding throughout the pregnancy and bedrest is essential to minimise bleeding and allow baby to get enough oxygen. Birth must be by c-section in order to save the baby's life. Because the placenta is attached to the lower end of the uterus post-natal bleeding is common because that end does not contract very well after delivery. Mums are therefore given injections of oxytocin, antibiotics to prevent infection and, often, a blood transfusion.
    However placenta precreta is a very rare and serious condition where the placenta is embedded deep into the uterus wall. It is sometimes so deeply embedded that it attaches to the intestines on the other side! In most cases the only treatment for this is a hysterectomy as the removal of the placenta is impossible.

    In the case of Kym it sounds like when her placenta stopped doing its job (ie when the baby was delivered) the blood stopped flowing and clotted. Small clots are common and can be treated with blood thinners, however a very large clot formed and bits broke off. One bit travelled to her lungs and prevented blood flow to parts of the lungs (pulmonary embolism), this caused her breathing to be affected and needing to be ventilated. Another clot then broke off and blocked an artery to the brain, unfortunately causing a fatal stroke.

    It's a terrible thing to happen to a young woman and her family but please don't forget that this is a VERY rare condition. It was not the placenta previa that caused her death but the placenta precreta. If discovered early in pregnancy she may have been advised to have a hysterectomy at that stage (including losing the child :cry: ) because it is so serious.

    Lots of supportive hugs from me
    H xx
  • thanks for your replies and your hugs ladies. jessica as h said it's really rare, it just hit me when i read it today.

    h it is so great to have you on here, i love how logical you are and how clearly you explain everything, in such a sympathetic way, thank you xxx

    and i'm glad you don't think i'm dragging it on and should be over it by now, as sometimes i feel like i should be! don't get me wrong, like you, i don't think about it every day, but then something like reading about kym happens and i realise how raw it still is, or even someone tells me they are pregnant and i'm delighted for them but also a bit nervous and worried for them, and (i could never admit this outloud - how come you can write things on this forum you can't say?!?) a bit jealous as they are so over the moon and assume everything's going to be perfect, whereas i know i'll never have a pregnancy where i feel like that.

    biology bit - i know it's extremely rare but is it true that precreta is more likely as i've had a c-section and have scar tissue there? there was only two people in the time i was in hospital who had placenta previa and accreta (is that the same as precreta?) - as you said they both had to have a hysterectomy and made full recoveries and it was both their second baby (maybe that is why i'm so nervous about it?)

    thank you for being so supportive, k xxx
  • jut thought i'd add jessica that i don't think "just" placenta previa is that serious in terms of i never ever thought i was going to die (i don't know if that's right or not, but i always felt in good hands at the hospital), and the last thing i want to do is scare any pregnant biddies, i'm really sorry if posting about this has.

    i honestly was never worried what happened to kym would happen to me, but i was constantly worried over my baby because i bled so frequently and the drs said the next heavy bleed we will have to deliver you. but all the other ladies i was in hospital with all made it to their planned section at 38 weeks, and everything went smoothly, i was the only one who hemorrhaged early, but i made it to 37 weeks, which the doctors thought was really lucky as i'd bled so often and from so early.

    but it meant i had an emergency section, they literally ran with me on my ward bed straight to theatre, put me to sleep and theo was born within 2 minutes! we are so lucky our healthcare is amazing and they took such great care of us and i was in the right place - many women in america are put on bed rest at home, but i was told the time taken to get an ambulance to hospital would have been too long for theo to make it as i lost over half my body's blood (i have never seen anything like it flowing off the bed) and so i think that's why this lady's story really hit me, even though it was the opposite way around.

    but as bf said it's so incredibly rare, that is why it's so shocking and upsetting, and again i hope i haven't upset anyone by posting about this.

    thanks, kate xxx
  • That is such sad and shocking news Kate. And I can totally understand why you are so scared for any future pregnancies, as well as still traumatised by the lead up to and Theo's actual birth. It must have been so scary for you : (
    I'd never heard of placenta precreta, but it sounds like such a serious condition, and my heart goes out to the lady's family at this very sad time xxx
  • Placenta accreta is where the placenta is embedded and includes placenta precreta as its most serious form. The most common forms of accreta can be removed in surgery with medication. There may be biddies who had this - I'm afraid I can't remember - they would have had no symptoms before birth but had to have surgery afterwards. One of my friends had this 2 years ago.

    I'm afraid that previous c-section does mean that both placenta accreta and placenta precreta are more common as the placenta can embed over previous scar tissue. However everyone I know personally who has had a c-section and gone on to have more children have had no problems. :\)

    When you get pregnant again you will be given lots of extra scans to check that everything is going ok. I can't make any promises but there is no particular reason you should have any problems this time.

    With Abby my placenta was low (not previa) and was touching the cervix. It was considered serious enough that I was denied my homebirth but not that I needed intervention. However this time the placenta is high and posterior (Yay!!)
    My friend (a different one) had previa with her first. She didn't need a c-section but bled constantly throughout pregnancy and gave birth at 33 weeks. No2 was born at 39 weeks with no problems at all.

    Obviously no two people are the same but hopefully I've given some examples that no2 can be a lot easier. I hope you are able to relax and enjoy your 2nd pregnancy - although if you could have a bit of sickness than I won't feel too jealous. imageimage

    H xx
  • Gosh that soubds awful hun.....im thinking of you and that ladies family at this sad sad time! I really am not clued up about pregnancies at all i thought complications were really rare but it seems some are common and can be fatal obv.....good lord im just so grateful i managed to get my twins here we really did do truly amazing things bringing these babies into the world....i knew it was amazing but really! I feel blessed beyond words in a weird way! While obv feeling so sad at the loss of a young life that way! Thinking of you too kate and as has been said a traumatic experience is summit you dont 'get over' you judt get on with it and live round it IE my miscarriage im not over it but im living with it if you see my point but if you dont wanna talk to your pals then thats your cal and were all more than happy to support you in whatever you need as always this group is amazing image Dont worry about future pregnancies....you managed it once i know that its not always easier 2nd time but hun im sure it will be ok and if not then we deal with it bas and when try not to worry too much but do allow yourself some down time too....much hugs...love....and prayers for you tonight......xxxxxxx
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