Hi Ann,

I'm so glad you replied! I'm a little discouraged by the 30% number
(I read numbers on the Internet that varied, but most said about
10% -- but, hey, you can't believe everything you read, right?). I'm
also 35, so that's an added risk, as well.

Congrats on your pregnancy. How far along are you? Are you taking
LMWH and Asprin? What other things are you doing to try to minimize
the risk of another abruption? I hope that your babies survied the
prior trauma to your placentas. How are they doing?

My ob/gyn referred me to a perinatologist, so I'm hoping that they
can help me understand what might have caused the prior chronic
abruption. Unfortunately, I can't see him for another few weeks
because they need to see the first ultrasound, which I can't have
until the 14th, as I'm not far enough along in the pregnancy right
now to see anything. The ob with my last pregnancy didn't
investigate at all and never discussed it with me, and the new ob I
saw today thought there might be some link between my gestational
thrombocytopenia and the abruption. However, she deferred to the
perinatologist. So....another 3 weeks at least until I hopefully
can get some answers. I will talk to him about what you mentioned -
doppler, u/s, aspirin, LMWH.

Did you ever get an answer as to what caused your abruptions?

Thanks again for your reply and good luck!!

-julia

--- In placentaabruption@yahoogroups.com, "Ann" <annbastain@b...>
wrote:
> Hello Julia,
> I am so sorry for what you have been through, I know how scared
you
> must be feeling now.
> There is an increased risk after one abruption they say it
increses
> your risk by about 30%, hay but thats not 100%.
> I have spent alot of hours on Pubmed and Medline and trials are
very
> possitive about treatment with LMWH and Asprin to help prevent
> clotting and keep the placenta healthy.
> I am pregnant with my third child, I have had two severe
abruptions
> and if I didn't think there was hope I wouldn't be taking the risk.
> (still a scaredy pants though)
> Ultra sound scans can sometimes pick up a tear or bleed but not
> always.
> Having a doppler done also checks the blood flow through the
> placenta.
> Checking the babies progress too because nearly all seem to be low
> birth weight, the hope is if they are growing well with good
weight
> the placenta is healthy and feeding them well.
> This will be my third c-section too but they said that was not a
> prob.
> Do they have an idea what caused your abruption have they done any
> tests?
> All in all just relax (yeh right, easy!)it does not mean it will
> necessary hapen again. I hope someone wiil email you with their
good
> experience and reassure you.
>
> Take care,
> Annie.
>
> --- In placentaabruption@yahoogroups.com, "jcrarndt" <arndt@s...>
> wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > It looks like the activity on this board is low, but there are
> over
> > a hundred of you out there, so hopefully you're reading this and
> can
> > respond!! : )
> >
> > I just found out yesterday that I am pregnant (unexpectedly)
with
> my
> > 3rd. I have a mixture of emotions about this, the most prevalent
> of
> > which is fear. You see, my 2nd was born with periventricular
> > leukomalacia (PVL), a brain damage that in her case the doctors
> > believe was due to a chronic placental abruption. I never bled a
> > single drop during my pregnancy, and thought that everything was
> > going very well. However, I bled a lot when I first started
going
> > into labor at 38 weeks and during delivery they found old blood
on
> > the placenta. I delivered both children via c-section, so this
> will
> > be my 3rd c-section, as well.
> >
> > Has anyone out there given birth successfully after having a
> > previous abruption? Any advice you can give? Do prior c-
sections
> > also increase the risk? Are there any diagnostics that a doctor
> can
> > do to monitor if I'm having an abruption? I don't think that
> > bleeding is the only symptom, since I never bled with my last
> > pregnancy.
> >
> > Any help or words of advice or encouragement is greatly
> > appreciated. I am really nervous.
> >
> > Thank you,
> >
> > Julia