placental dysfunction

[aabarnett]

I am at 25 weeks (Due Oct 21) and  have spotted and passed clots throughout the pregnancy.  This pregnancy has been troublesome from the start and I have been in bed so long that I am afraid that when I'm allowed up there is going to be a peminant dip in the matress.  Needless to say, I don't think that I've had an appt yet (either with my regular OB or the Specialist) that didn't deliver something else to worry over.  I have had a slew of problems including spotting, clotting, randomly fainting (which is embarassing when it happens at an inoppertune time or place but apparently not that uncommen) a small abruption (scary but as of yesterday it isn't getting any worse), a sinal tear, I'm not really gaining any weight (which sounds good for me but not really for the baby), I'm RH- but that doesn't really mean anything other than it was something else that caused concern at the time, and I've started randomly contracting.  So anyways, I just found out yesterday that I have placental dysfunction.  What is this??? How scary is it??  I was kinda hoping that someone might have gone through some or all of this and could give me some advice.  What I am really concerned about is the placental dysfunction (or placental insufficiency) and the contractions.  It seems like as long as I'm in bed the bleeding is kept at a minimum and the abruption or tearing isn't getting any worse so that isn't my major concern at this time.  What I am worried about it that my last ultrasound appt was four weeks ago and she was normal size but now she is 2 1/2 weeks behind in her growth.  Is this something that is going to continue to get worse?  Will she be okay?  What are my chances of having a healthy baby?  What are her chances of having a long healthy life?  What kind of challenges am I looking at in the future both during the pregnancy and after she is born and I'm raising her?  What can I do?  What causes this?  Can anyone answer any of this?  I go back to the specialist next Thurs but when I asked her all these questions all she could say was she didn't know and that all they can do is monitor the progress and let the baby tell them when it's time to deliver.  So my next question would be WHAT????  What does that mean?  Why can't she give me a better answer or a this is what to expect kind of answer?  What is going on?  

In advance, thank you for any answers you can give me.  Also thank you for any concerns and comments.

[mj_mommy_manda]

I can't really give you MY advice because I don't know anything about this.. But I am going to give you my prayers.. Im so sorry that your pregnancy is going badly for you. I hope that things start to get better.. But this is what i found on Healthopedia.  Hope it helps.

Placental insufficiency is the failure of the placenta to supply nutrients to the fetus and remove toxic wastes.

What is going on in the body?
When the placenta fails to develop or function properly, the fetus cannot grow and develop normally. The earlier in the pregnancy that this occurs, the more severe the problems. If placental insufficiency occurs for a long time during the pregnancy, it may lead to intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR).

What are the causes and risks of the condition?
Between 3 to 7% of all pregnancies are complicated by IUGR due to placental insufficiency. A low birth weight may be suspected if the size of the woman's uterus is smaller than what is expected for each week of pregnancy. The woman has a higher risk of having a child with IUGR if the following are present:

defects of the placental membranes
defects of the umbilical cord
abnormal implantation of the placenta in the uterus
a break in the placental membrane that causes the baby's blood to mix with the mother's blood
Rh incompatibility, a condition in which the mother's blood is not compatible with the baby's blood
being pregnant with twins or triplets
previous low-birth-weight infant
long-term high blood pressure
diabetes
severe kidney disease
heavy smoking
insufficient weight gain by the mother during pregnancy, defined as less than 10 pounds
preeclampsia or eclampsia, conditions which raise the mother's blood pressure
high altitude
drug addiction, such as addiction to cocaine
blood thinners such as warfarin
immunosuppressive medications
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the mother
alcohol abuse
infection with cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, rubella, or syphilis, known collectively as TORCH infections
poor nutrition of the mother
infant with known birth defects or chromosome abnormalities
frequent vaginal bleeding due to placenta previa, a condition in which the placenta is attached to the uterus over or near the cervix
certain blood disorders in the mother, such as sickle cell anemia or thalassemia
premature placental separation, known as placental abruption

[Marcus's Mommy]

I can't not answer any of your questions either but I will offer you and your child my prayers.  If I were you I would keep pushing for more and more answers.  I would also stay in bed as much as possible. Have someone bring you food and drink and lay on your left side.  The longer you can postpone delivery the better.  I would still think they would have to go in there early if they baby isn't getting the nutrients.  The post by mj above is very scary and I hope your situation is more on the minor than the major side.

Try to keep positive and prayer can help.

God bless you and your little one.

http://www.pediatricweb.com/kidsaurora/article.asp?ArticleID=838&ArticleType=9

You can also look at this link for information regarding premature babies.  The longer you baby can survive in you the better but this is something to look at since you are already 25 weeks.

[whitlack]

It sounds like some good info listed above.  However I dont know the answers either.  If I were you I would write down all of these questions and ask your doctor.  My prayers and thoughts are with you.  Please keep us updated and let us know how things go.  God bless your family.