From: kapa@cbnewsc.cb.att.com (k.a.perkins)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: placenta abruptia
Keywords: share experiences,
Date: 15 Oct 92 22:20:11 GMT
Article-I.D.: cbnewsc.1992Oct15.222011.17016
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T


Hi,

I would like information and stories from folks who have had a
condition known as "placenta abruptia", where the placenta or a
piece of it detaches from the uterine wall.

My preference as always
is for stories with happy endings (isn't everyone's?) but if your
story should have a sad ending, perhaps you could emphasize how
you knew when things had started to go bad.

My experience:  I was 32 or 33 weeks pregnant, and had just had an ultrasound
indicating that my baby was fine and weighed about 5 pounds.  Actually,
subsequent ultra sounds indicated that measurements put the gestational
age at 34.5 weeks.  The point is that I am carrying a large for its
age baby that is old enough to live if it had to be born early.

I suddenly felt like I was "leaking", and when I checked, I was bleeding,
somewhat heavier than a heavy period.  We went immediately to the hospital.
Of course we were out of state, thinking a weekend before the baby came
in our old hometown would be fun.  Various ultra sounds, baby monitors,
non stress tests, and blood tests indicated that the baby was fine, with
a strong heartbeat, and that her placenta was attached in the correct
position (i.e. this was not placenta previa).  The tests also indicated
that the blood was mine, not the baby's.

I stopped bleeding that evening, and they allowed me to go home the next
day.  At one point, they were talking about having me stay in that
hospital until I delivered, and while being in a hospital at home for 7
weeks is pretty awful to contemplate ( I have a 3 year old as
well as some other obligations ), a 7 week stay in an out of state
hospital would be just impossible.

I saw my own doctor the next day, and he put me on semi-bedrest.  I can
do self care - take a shower, make a simple meal, walk from one end of
the house to another, ride in a car to visit him every week, sit upright
in a chair - but can't
use the stairs, go to work, lift anything, etc.  I am also to call him
if I have any pain, or any more bleeding, or if I don't feel the baby
move a few times an hour.

He also ventured the cheery thought that placenta abruptia is kind of
a diagnosis by default - they ruled out placenta previa and some other
things and were left with this.  The tear doesn't show up on ultra sound.
So I could have something else.  I read in "What to Expect When You're
Expecting" that this condition can be asymptomatic, and my doctor confirmed
that, too.  That means to me that I could get better or worse and not
know it.  Sometimes I feel like I am just sitting around this house waiting
for something bad to happen, like more bleeding or something of that nature.
Of course, I am also waiting around for something good to happen, the baby to
be born.

There's a lot of stuff that scares me - I already feel attached to this
child, and I would be devastated if something happened to her.  Also, we
have been preparing our 3 year old for the new baby, and she is quite
enthused and impatient about having a brother or a sister.  I don't know
what I would ever tell her or how I could explain it to her if something
happened to the baby.

Please reply by email.  I am about 1000 articles behind in this newsgroup,
although now it appears I will have time to catch up on my reading.

Kate Perkins
Newsgroups: misc.kids