What is a low-lying placenta?
I had a low lying placenta with my first baby. It could mean you have placenta previa, which means your placenta touches or covers the opening to your uterus, called your cervix. The placenta can attach anywhere in your uterus. Most women who have a low lying placenta or placenta previa at their 20 week ultrasound have it move out of the way before birth. If it is still touching or covering your cervix by the time you are ready to have the baby, you will have to get a c-section. That’s because as your cervix dilates to let the baby out, the placenta can tear away. For now, your doctor will just monitor it with an ultrasound closer to your due date to see if it’s moved. If you have any bleeding, you should call your doctor right away in case you are starting to dilate and that’s tearing the placenta away. But don’t panic! It’s a relatively common thing, and nearly all women who have it at your stage don’t by the time they are 36 weeks pregnant.
