Wednesday, June 29, 2011

The Great Placenta Scare of 2010

My pregnancy with Vala sucked.  There is no other way to put it.  I had SEVERE morning sickness, which I really think was Hyperemesis.  I lost 25 pounds, because I couldn't even keep water down. 

When we went in for the 20 week ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby we heard what no parents want to hear at any ultrasound.  "You need to have a level 2 ultrasound, because there is a heterogenous area on your placenta."  Um, what??  What does that even mean?  The midwife didn't even know, because it is a very uncommon thing.  So I googled.  I know that one should never do that for any medical abnormality, but I did it.  And I wished that I hadn't. 

Basically, a heterogenous area on a placenta is an area that is gel-like and thick.  It doesn't function like the rest of the placenta.  If the area gets bigger or spreads, it can keep a baby from getting the nutrients it needs via the placenta.  I didn't find much when I googled, but what I did find was scary and disheartening.  It many cases the baby didn't get enough nutrients because the placenta wasn't working and they died.  In other cases, they were born extremely early and died of complications from that.  In other cases, the baby and the mom died.  I was terrified.

I had to have an ultrasound every 4 weeks until she was born.  I prayed like I never have before.  Lots of other people prayed too.  Miraculously, the spot never spread or got any bigger.  I think that is a true testament to the power of prayer and the goodness of God!

No comments:

Post a Comment