Ageing Placenta, has anyone had this? Plus Update

Hi Everyone, I went for a check up yesterday and they did another scan to check my Placenta. They found that the Placenta was older than what it should have been. In my scan 2 weeks ago everything was fine.

I have now been put on bed rest. Everything else is normal: blood pressure, no swelling, nothing.

I have also been put on a diet and have been given some aspirin to take.

They may want to induce labour, but they need to wait another 3-4 weeks as I am approx. 32-33 weeks and they want me to wait until at least 36 weeks to ensure that the babies lungs are fully developed.

I am really scared in case I have hurt my baby (due to overeating throughout the pregnancy after having been warned at the beginning). I feel really selfish too.

Has this happened to anyone on here and if so did it all end well?

Thank you all, I really need some advice about this.

[GNicole]

Sorry I do not really know anything about it.  Have you gained alot of weight?  I am 26 weeks and I have gained 30 lbs. already. I wish you the best of luck, sorry I could not help! :)

[mommyluv02]

i had that it around 36 weeks and my son was born at 37 weeks just take it easy nd i am sure everything will work out if your baby was in danger they would take it now so just stay calm and count baby movements.

[Elicam]

I have gained 30lbs in total.  Its ok that you werent able to help, don't let e make you paranoid abou the weight issue though. Everyone else who I have know gained more weight than me and all except one had no complications (the one with the problem experinced HBP).

I am really worried now and so I would advise to watch what you eat. Mind you I was about 5-8lbs overweight.

Thank you and good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

[Elicam]

Thank you. My baby is all over the place, moving around like crazy, he seems to be trying to calm me down and ensure me that everything is ok as he woke up earlier than usual this morning and started dancing around inside of me. Did your doctor say why this happened to you?

[GNicole]

Would overeating cause this?? I have never heard that overeating would cause this.

[Elicam]

I don't know. That is what she has told me. I will be going to speak to my GP tomorrow and get some more info. I was hoping some of you ladies knew more about this, as its all I can think about.

[RockRose]

Elicam,  I don't understand the weight issue.  If you were 5 - 8 pounds overweight to begin with,  and you're 33 weeks pregnant and you've gained 30 pounds.  

That doesn't sound like too much at all.  When you calculate how much overweight you were,  did you take the ideal weight chart for your height,  and you're within 8 pounds of that?  And the doc has warned you about eating too much?  

This kind of doesn't make sense to me.  Is your doctor kind of nutty about weight gain?

[twinsmommy]

Yes, very strange, don't feel guilty. I had GD and was desperately trying to control it with dieting, so I was not eating too much and my placenta was aging as well. If there really is something to it, your Dr. should explain to you how this is possible, is she just trying to make you feel bad?

[apple_blossom]

some doctors have a thing about weight. I was overweight going into this pregnancy, but have gained a normal amount. some of the medical staff still make sure to say I've gained too much, and I think that's insurance to make it my fault if something they can't explain isn't exactly right. anyways, I've been entirely healthy the whole time- no high blood pressure, no glucose problems. It's probably your doctor's easy answer that makes everything your fault and keeps her feeling good about herself.

[anxiousmomtobe?]

You did not cause this.  Do not torture yourself one second longer.  Relax, rest and that baby will be here in a few short weeks.

[anxiousmomtobe?]

You did not cause this.  Do not torture yourself one second longer.  Relax, rest and that baby will be here in a few short weeks.

[Elicam]

Thank you all, you all make me feel much better.

My doctor does tend to stress the eating thing a lot, I suddenly got strect marks and she ws quick with the overeating comment.

Twinsmommy, I have to have that US done on Wednesday. Did you make it to the end of your pregnancy or did they have to induce you?

[peekawho]

Overeating did not cause this.  Sometimes, on ultrasound they can see certain images that suggest the placenta may be beginning to show signs of aging or calcifications.  Sometimes, this can lead to inadequate growth of the fetus or other problems.  Often times, in fact most of the time, everything is fine.
It sounds like your doctors are being wonderfully on top of your care.

Stick to the rest as suggested, eat in a healthy manner (which all pregnant women should in any event), and do what else is prescribed for you.  The rest is out of your hands.

Keep us posted.  

[bkuhnmom]

Don't even consider this to be your fault.  I hate to admit this, buy during my first preg. I gained 122 lbs.  I was on bed rest the last 4 weeks as well for toximia.  I will pray for you.  Play lots of music to your belly to keep baby entertained.
Bkuhnmom

[AnnieBrooke]

My docs got quite concerned about the issue in me, but it was because of my age and not the placenta's age.  I guess it's nice to have a cautious doctor but it drove me nuts.  I had a lot of extra testing and hours and hours of monitoring and none of it showed an aged placenta at all.  Better safe than sorry, I guess.

[twinsmommy]

Sorry, got carried away there so I forgot... Were you sent to a perinatologist? I got a weekly US there and 2 NST's to make sure the baby was OK. During the US they check the bloodflow between placenta and baby (dopplers) and as long as this stays OK, your baby is fine. When the placenta starts to function less the number will get higher (ideally it should be under 3, but they told me you could go to 3.5) I hope this helps.

[tanyamcpherson83]

I am 28 weeks pregnant.. Not only have i been told i have complete placenta previa, and possible placenta acreta. I was just told today my placenta is ageing (aging) to fast as well.... I go back to the doctor thursday and we are gonna talk about starting a steroid of some kind to mature the baby sooner.  I dont know what this all means really, the doctor could tell my a million times and im still in total non understanding...