Can lower placenta covering the OS be dangerous to the baby?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am 14 weeks pregnant and everything is good for now but I have a posterior lower placenta covering internally at OS 1.6 centimeters. This sounds as if I will be facing a bad or difficult pregnancy or not because the doctor saw it early. I have the following questions:

What can happen with my pregnancy in such a situation?
Can you tell me more about such a situation?
Can you also guide me on how my pregnancy can turn out to be good?
What can I expect to see in the Os numbers during my next consultation that is about to happen in a week?
What can I expect at week 20 of my pregnancy?
Can I travel in week 16 of my pregnancy by airplane?
What can you advise me on how to protect my baby?
What should I avoid doing to protect my baby?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and understand your concern.

I do not think you have any reason to worry. At this early gestation of 14 weeks, the position of the placenta is not important at all. The baby grows faster than the placenta. Placental size is almost the same size. As the baby grows it will pull the placenta up and by 28 to 30 weeks it will be far away from your cervical os and you should have a normal delivery. A few good points to be noted are given in the following -

1. The placenta will be adherent in the lower segment if you had a scar from a previous cesarean or any surgery and the placenta was in the anterior wall, not the posterior as in your case.

2. Had the placenta been central, I mean completely over the os, then the chances of the placenta staying back in the lower segment would have been high. In your case I am almost sure it will go up.

I do scans in pregnancies and almost 50 % to 60 % of placentae are in the lower segment, they get corrected over time and most of them have a normal delivery. You can definitely travel by flight for 16 weeks.

Hope I have clarified your query. Do write back if you have any more queries.

All the best.