Placental Grading?

[kemdupuis]

Hey ladies- just went in for my 24 week appointment (I am 23w3d) and had an U/S to check the growth of my LO and also the status of my placenta. Last appointment, they told me it was "patchy" and didn't really elaborate. This time, I actually got to talk to the U/S tech about it and she explained a bit more.

Basically, my placenta is a grade 1 right now (usually seen in women who are around 30w) and I should be a grade 0. LO is still measuring slightly ahead, and I'm feeling lots of kicks. Fluid is good- I'm at 14 (normal is anywhere between 5 and 20). I am not a smoker. I am just freaking out because the placenta can be an indicator of how things like the lungs and kidneys are forming, and mine has obviously caused some alarm. I'll be getting U/S every 4 weeks now. My question is- is anyone going through this too? Or have they experienced it previously? I feel like I've asked my doc all of the right questions, just looking for someone to relate to.

[beersandweirs]

I'm sorry, I have no experience with this, but I hope everything turns out just fine!

[Widget123]

Ditto PP with no experience. But it sounds like your doctor is being proactive about the situation, so try not to worry too much.

[noeliav]

FX for you and your LO. No experience and I'm glad your doctor seems to be very proactive in this case.

[alayne926]

No experience, but f/x that everything is OK. Glad your dr. is on top of it.

[billyhorrible]

I have a friend that had a "bad placenta" with her first. I think it was similar to what you're going through because she called it an "old placenta" (meaning it was aging faster than it should be and started calcifying at 37ish weeks.) She went in for weekly NSTs, and they were going to induce her at 39 weeks because of the failing placenta (she went into labor herself the night before her scheduled induction)

[kemdupuis]

Feb 24, 2015 13:23:39 GMT -5 billyhorrible said:

I have a friend that had a "bad placenta" with her first. I think it was similar to what you're going through because she called it an "old placenta" (meaning it was aging faster than it should be and started calcifying at 37ish weeks.) She went in for weekly NSTs, and they were going to induce her at 39 weeks because of the failing placenta (she went into labor herself the night before her scheduled induction)

Yes- this sounds similar. Was baby ok? I have like no risk factors- I'm 28 and in good health, not a smoker, eat very healthily... Etc. it's the weirdest thing. Did her Dr. Give her an idea as to why it was happening? Mine really had no explanation.

Thanks everyone- I am glad my Dr is being proactive and is monitoring things too, just really scary to think about. U/S tech was saying that they can see all of LO's internal organs and everything appears to be developing normally, but it doesn't really tell us anything about their functionality. Dr did mention that a pre-term delivery is one of the possible outcomes of all of this (due to the placenta aging too quickly), which just freaked me right out. But, we'll just have to wait and see.

[billyhorrible]

kemdupuis, my friend describes herself as a medical oddity in all respects, so wasn't terribly surprised there was no reason given. I don't know if she'd want me sharing her age, so let's just say she was a little older than you, but not significantly.

The baby was absolutely fine, and thrived once born - he gained weight like a champ and was a little chubbster.

I will say one thing and I've said this to her face, so it's not gossip in case she's lurking......I think she still holds a lot of guilt over the experience. Much like some moms feel like a failure for having a C-section, or like they're "less of a woman" because they couldn't get pregnant without fertility treatments, I think/know she feels like her body failed her baby in not being able to provide a perfect environment for him to grow. It's a ridiculous feeling (the same as the C-section or fertility treatment guilt) and I've told her as much. There are somethings that just aren't within our control. I know you mention you're healthy and your doctor has no explanation, so in advance I'm telling you not to go there. Don't worry about the whys. Don't stress out about whether you could/couldn't have done anything. Just know that you're being monitored and whatever needs to be done for the best interest of you and your child will be.

[trixi282]

No experience, but I agree with the others that it sounds like your doc is on top of it and will be watching you carefully.

Definitely don't think it's anything you did, like billyhorrible said, when it's a medical oddity and docs have no answers, it's nothing you could do or not do to prevent it. It just happens sometimes.

I have had to come to terms with that as well in our situation, it's completely out of my hands, just as this is out of yours. All you can do is keep doing what your doing - keeping yourself healthy to feed and nourish baby.

Good luck with everything, and keep us updated after those ultrasounds!

[leenziepops]

FX that everything is A.OK.

[sordidvolition]

Fx that all goes well! Glad your doc is keeping a close eye