Pregnancy and placenta insufficiency

Pregnancy and placenta insufficiency

Author
Discussion

Equilibrium25

Original Poster:

653 posts

134 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Posting here to see what the PH health experts may have to say. As the wife's post on mumsnet has elicited bugger all comment!

My wife went for a consultant appointment re. her blood levels yesterday at 35wks 4 days. Reassuringly they had improved since her last check but the hospital also performed a growth scan.

This apparently showed "intermittent end diastolic flow" and that growth has slowed (AC down from 57th centile at 20wks to 19th centile now) AC is now 286. HC still looks normal. Weight is 2142g, when i had a private scan at 29+3 it was 1410g.

It seemed at first that they would keep her in yesterday and perform a cesarean within a day or two. But the baby's heart monitored very well in follow up tests at 3pm and 10pm - all perfect according to the midwives. Movement throughout the day was as normal as it's always been, regular and strong.

She's going for another heart rate monitoring now, and then a scan with a senior consultant to check placental flow again. PI was 1.33 yesterday.
Has anyone else had this sort of thing and what outcomes did you have?

Edited by Equilibrium25 on Wednesday 22 March 15:21

Griffwick888

45 posts

200 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Our little one showing very slow growth from about 30 weeks, they estimated her birth weight to be 5lb 4oz. Due to the slow growth my partner was induced about a week early. Eventually they performed a caesarean and her weight was only 4lb 5oz which put her in the 0.4 percentile. The surgeon explained to us that my partners placenta showed some abniormalities. She was fit and healthy but did have to stay in a couple of extra days due to her blood sugar.

She was 7 months yesterday and is now bang on the 50th percentile. She has caught up excellently.

Not sure if this helps but at the time we we're worried but now everything is perfect.


Equilibrium25

Original Poster:

653 posts

134 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Thank you Griffwick, what a helpful post. It brought a smile and a tear to both our faces.

What a beautiful little girl and such a cute picture. So glad that she is healthy and grew so much well.

We're having the scan this afternoon, so fingers crossed that they don't force us into an early delivery as we are just 8 days away from being called full term. 4lbs 11 and kicking like a good 'un with a perfect heart trace measured three times over the last 24 hours...

Equilibrium25

Original Poster:

653 posts

134 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Just to update this. The scan today showed again that the placenta is not functioning perfectly (too much resistance), but the blood flow didn't show the problem of yesterday. There will be another scan next Monday and they still think an early c-section is likely, but this is a way better outcome than seemed the case yesterday afternoon.

Thanks again Griffwick888 for your post, it's a story and picture that will stick with us in the days and weeks ahead if/when hard times arise.

Griffwick888

45 posts

200 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
I'm sure everything will be fine. All the hospital staff were absoulitely brilliant I couldn't have asked for anymore from them.
Wish you all the best. Try and get as much rest as you can before the big day comes! You will need it!!

Crumpet

3,894 posts

180 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
If you're worried about the prematurity, don't be! Our daughter was born at 26 weeks last year by emergency C-section and was pretty much off the bottom of the weight charts at 740g. She's now up around the 75th centile (Nutri-Prem 2 milk has helped with that) and doing grand! They can work miracles these days and the monitoring equipment is incredible so I'm sure you're in safe hands. All the best!

rustyuk

4,578 posts

211 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
We (well the Mrs) had an emergency c-section too. My lad turns ten this year!

Huntsman

8,054 posts

250 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Sounds like you are in a good place at 35 weeks.

Out little man came along at 30 weeks. Emergency C section.

At 16 months he's now a rambunctious 99th percentile height, 104th percentile weight, walking talking shouting laughing jumping running gigantasaurus!

(Its my fault, I'm a big oaf)

Equilibrium25

Original Poster:

653 posts

134 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
Thanks all for your very encouraging replies, every one of them was so good to read and reassuring for my wife as well.

When you're in the situation, you know that other people have been through similar (and others a lot worse, of course), but it's reassuring to read what real people have to say about it.

Thanks again chaps beer

Equilibrium25

Original Poster:

653 posts

134 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
Posting updates here as someone may stumble across this thread in the future and find it useful.

We've had further scans on Monday and Thursday this week (so that's four scans in all, over 10 days). The intermittent absent EDF has never resurfaced, so that's looking more and more like a dodgy result in the first scan. Placental resistance has never gone away though, it has been a concern at each scan. Measurement increases and weight gains have been made, now estimated at a few grams short of 2.5kg, but still very short of the curve that was indicated by the 20 weeks scan. Amniotic fluid is normal, which is also a concern as it's not what is expected given the other indicators.

The consultant remains concerned about the placenta and growth restriction (IUGR); we've taken his advice (as you would!) to induce now that the bay is officially term. My wife is 37 weeks pregnant today and she's booked for an induction beginning next Monday. A good time to deliver and not too small if the scans are approximately accurate (I was born at 4lbs 15oz, so it could/should be that she's already ahead of my birthweight), hopefully all is well with her otherwise.


BoRED S2upid

19,698 posts

240 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
Crumpet said:
If you're worried about the prematurity, don't be! Our daughter was born at 26 weeks last year by emergency C-section and was pretty much off the bottom of the weight charts at 740g. She's now up around the 75th centile (Nutri-Prem 2 milk has helped with that) and doing grand! They can work miracles these days and the monitoring equipment is incredible so I'm sure you're in safe hands. All the best!
Wow 26weeks is early glad she's doing well. Our son was 33 weeks the OP is past both of these so shouldn't worry if his arrived tomorrow.

FredClogs

14,041 posts

161 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
I don't know about the medical technicals in your post OP but our lad was born at 34weeks just a tad over 2kg and he's been absolutely fine - well he's a pain in the arse actually and playing rugby for the U7s.

Huntsman

8,054 posts

250 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
Equilibrium25 said:
Posting updates here as someone may stumble across this thread in the future and find it useful.

We've had further scans on Monday and Thursday this week (so that's four scans in all, over 10 days). The intermittent absent EDF has never resurfaced, so that's looking more and more like a dodgy result in the first scan. Placental resistance has never gone away though, it has been a concern at each scan. Measurement increases and weight gains have been made, now estimated at a few grams short of 2.5kg, but still very short of the curve that was indicated by the 20 weeks scan. Amniotic fluid is normal, which is also a concern as it's not what is expected given the other indicators.

The consultant remains concerned about the placenta and growth restriction (IUGR); we've taken his advice (as you would!) to induce now that the bay is officially term. My wife is 37 weeks pregnant today and she's booked for an induction beginning next Monday. A good time to deliver and not too small if the scans are approximately accurate (I was born at 4lbs 15oz, so it could/should be that she's already ahead of my birthweight), hopefully all is well with her otherwise.
That's sounds ok. Keep us posted.

Equilibrium25

Original Poster:

653 posts

134 months

Friday 31st March 2017
quotequote all
Huntsman said:
That's sounds ok. Keep us posted.
Thanks mate, will do. And thanks for your previous post, it made us chuckle!

sjj84

2,390 posts

219 months

Saturday 1st April 2017
quotequote all
Hope it all goes well for you, do you know what you're having yet? Is it your first baby? We had our first in October, my only advice is get some sleep whilst you still can!

dazwalsh

6,095 posts

141 months

Saturday 1st April 2017
quotequote all
Good luck, try not to be worried, the midwifes do a superb job and the wee one will be in good hands throughout

Equilibrium25

Original Poster:

653 posts

134 months

Sunday 2nd April 2017
quotequote all
sjj84 said:
Hope it all goes well for you, do you know what you're having yet? Is it your first baby? We had our first in October, my only advice is get some sleep whilst you still can!
Yes, we're having a little girl. Very excited (and full of trepidation of course!). Doing our best to catch-up on sleep as we know that luxury will be gone after tonight!

Huntsman

8,054 posts

250 months

Wednesday 5th April 2017
quotequote all
Any news?

rustyuk

4,578 posts

211 months

Wednesday 5th April 2017
quotequote all
Hope everything went well today! I remember our emergency c-section well as it was like a scene out of Alien!

Equilibrium25

Original Poster:

653 posts

134 months

Friday 14th April 2017
quotequote all
Apologies for the slow update...a very busy week last week and then my laptop wouldn't boot once we got home.

Everything went well! My wife was induced last Monday and gave birth in the early hours of Wednesday. Our little girl was beautiful and (as expected) on the small side at 2.4kg. Initially she was fine, but then had problems with glucose levels and a suspected infection. She was admitted to the hospital's specialist NICU unit for a few days, but took well to breast feeding from Thursday PM onwards. On Sunday, she was allowed home a day ahead of schedule.

We had to complete a course of oral antibiotics for her, and her weight was a little down when checked by the midwfie on Wednesday, but I suspect this was down to the drugs affected her digestion. Since she finished the drug on Tuesday evening, she's been doing well and seems more settled in her digestion.

Her only awkwardness is an insistence on being wide awake and cluster feeding from 10pm to 2am every night!!

Apart from being a little skinny, no ill affects at all from the placental issues.