Vasa Previa - please read

[diz_girl]

Hi there! I’m writing this from my hospital room and I wanted to share with you why I’m here. If you could take a few minutes to read this, it can potentially spare someone close to you the pain that could come with losing a baby that, thankfully, I am also spared because the doctors detected my condition before delivery.

Vasa Previa is a rare pregnancy complication that can happen to anyone, but few outside the medical community have ever heard of it. It happens in about one in every 2,500-3,000 deliveries and is so rare that a doctor can go their entire career without seeing a single case of this. In a normal pregnancy, the fetal blood vessels (those that connect the baby and the placenta) are inside the umbilical cord and are well-protected. However, in Vasa Previa, one or more of the blood vessels are not protected by the umbilical cord and run along the amniotic sac membranes AND those exposed blood vessels actually cross over or near the cervix. When a woman goes into labor, her water ‘breaks’ on its own or sometimes by a doctor and this is where the problem lies with Vasa Previa. In a woman with Vasa Previa, when her water breaks, the amniotic sac membranes tear and can tear those exposed blood vessels. If the exposed blood vessels were to tear, this could cause rapid fetal blood loss, resulting in fetal death or severe brain damage due to lack of oxygen. Another thing that can happen with Vasa Previa is that even if the blood vessel doesn’t tear when a woman’s water breaks, the baby’s head can press down on the exposed blood vessels, cutting off blood flow, and possibly result in fetal death or brain damage.

Only in the past 10 years or so has the medical community been able to diagnose this problem via ultrasound. 50 or 30 or 20 years ago, this condition would have most likely resulted in a stillbirth. While a doctor can suspect this condition via a regular ultrasound, it can only really be confirmed via a color Doppler ultrasound where the blood flow of the fetal blood vessels can be seen. When this problem is not identified before delivery, there is a fetal mortality rate of 50-90%. However, when Vasa Previa is identified via ultrasound before delivery and properly managed, successful deliveries approach 100%, the same as the rest of the population. In my case, this condition was identified during my Level 2 ultrasound with a perinatologist (high-risk doc). My regular doctor sends her patients to the perinatologist for the triple-screen to detect the risk for Down’s, Trisomy 18, etc.

While there are some medical conditions that carry a higher risk of Vasa Previa, such as carrying multiples, conceiving via IVF, and previous uterine surgery like a D&C or c-section, this condition can happen in any pregnancy. So please spread the word to anyone you know (wife, friend, daughter, sister, etc.) who might be expecting now or in the future so that they can be screened for this at their Level 2 ultrasound. If they won’t be able to see a perinatologist, at least urge them to get a Level 2 ultrasound with color Doppler and have them make sure that the doctor has checked for and ruled out this condition. Like I mentioned, the condition of Vasa Previa is pretty rare, so rare that it isn’t even mentioned in the ‘What to Expect’ book.

I consider myself very lucky that this problem was identified. I’m lucky that the technology is available and that my doctors have seen cases like this before and know how to properly manage the condition. Basically, managing the condition means that during regular visits to the perinatologist before hospitalization, you get an ultrasound to measure fetal growth and to make sure that the cervix is not shortening too much, which can be a precursor to labor. I entered the hospital at the end of my 31st week and I am scheduled to deliver via c-section at the end of my 35th week. Here in the hospital, the main purpose is to watch for any signs of pre-term labor and try to halt it if it happens, as well as continuing to monitor fetal growth and cervical length. The main thing to manage is the prevention of labor and having my water break. While my son will be born 5 weeks premature and may need to spend some time in the NICU, he will go home healthy and that’s all I want.

As for me, I’m doing fine and Bubba is perfect. My dad calls the baby Bubba because his name isn’t finalized and he doesn’t know what else to call him. I’m here for 4 weeks prior to delivery, and I’ve been here for about 1½ weeks so far. Thankfully, I get walking privileges, so I’m not bedridden, and I have plenty to keep me busy, like catching up on the Intercot Insider Podcasts. The delivery is scheduled for December 26th, so I’ll be here for another 2 ½ weeks and then I get to meet Bubba. Hopefully, if I’m not too swamped with caring for a preemie newborn, I’ll post his birth announcement on Intercot shortly after he arrives.

Thanks for taking the time to read this long post.

Amanda



P.S. To the moderators - I kept this out of the moms-to-be forum so the topic could get maximum exposure. I hope that's OK.

[faline]

Amanda, I'm so glad this isue was found and you have a wonderful addition to your family as a result!

Thank you for sharing information with others.

[SBETigg]

Amanda, I have heard of this and I am so glad they have better detection techniques now. It's good to know, and thank you for sharing. Best wishes to you, Bubba, and your family.

[Joannelet]

Thank you for this information!!!
I hope the next couple of weeks go by fast for you!!! Enjoy the arrival of your little one

[garymacd]

I'm glad to hear that you and your baby are doing well. It must have been very scary for you to go through that. Take care of yourself and Bubba

[jodijo]

Good luck to both of you. I am so glad to hear that you are getting excellent medical care.

[Melanie]

Wow! How scary. I have never heard of this, and I've even worked in OB/GYN offices. I'm glad yours was detected early and you are getting the best treatment. Good luck to you, your family and baby Bubba (I love it!).

[PirateLover]

Amanda, Thank you so much for sharing. I'm glad that the issue was detected and that you and "Bubba" are doing OK and I hope you have a safe delivery. I can imagine no better Christmas gift than a healthy child.

[pianobabe]

I'm very familiar with this and I'm glad yours was found before you went into labor. With my SIL's last pregnancy she was found to have a vasa previa when she started bleeding so heavily as she started going into labor. Between my MIL who has spent her entire nursing career in OB (40 years) and the doctors they had never been a part of this situation. As soon as the doctor's made the diagnosis my SIL was rushed in for an Emergency C-Section. My nephew is almost 4 years old now and I can't imagine what we would do if he wasn't around. There are walks to help raise awareness of this and the Vasa Previa Foundation is a good place to get information.

[diz_girl]

Thank you for your well wishes. I'm still here in the hospital literally watching trains go by as I write this, since my room overlooks a train station/rail yard. An oceanview room would have been nice, but the the wing I'm in doesn't have any rooms on that side of the building, but you can't see anything at night anyway with an ocean view. On a good note, I was able to see the lunar eclipse from my room.

Bubba is doing very well. He's about 6 pounds, which means that if he went to term (and didn't have this problem) that he would be at least 9, but probably closer to 10 pounds. My first was 9 pounds. Bubba's name still isn't finalized and delivery is still scheduled for Sunday. As one son will have a birthday the day after Christmas and the other's is the day after Independence Day, I don't ever plan to take them to WDW on their birthdays.

Rhonda - It's great to know that your nephew is doing so well after having an undetected vasa previa. I have already been on the Vasa Previa Foundation's Website and learned a lot there.

I'll keep you all posted when Bubba arrives.

[Jeri Lynn]

Amanda,
Very glad to hear that this condition was detected for you. Thank you for sharing this valuable information.

I am well past having children, (my youngest is 18) but I will keep this in mind for the people I know who are or will be expecting in the future.

I'm sure being in the hospital is not fun, but I can tell you have a positive attitude and are looking forward to holding Bubba.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family.

[MNNHFLTX]

Thanks for the update, Amanda. I will be thinking of you tomorrow, welcoming Bubba into your family.

[diz_girl]

Great news!

Samuel Martin Nowicki (aka Bubba) arrived on December 26, 2010 at 6:21 a.m., weighing 5 lbs. 9 oz. and measuring 18". Since Sam was born 5 weeks premature, he needed a little extra care and is spending a little time in the NICU. He is doing extremely well and we hope to take him home tomorrow. All in all, he is a cute little bugger.

Yes, he was born the day of the big blizzard and we live in the hardest hit area of New Jersey, the part with all of the cars abandoned everywhere. My husband went home on Sunday around dinnertime to look in on our eldest son and couldn't get back to the hospital for two days. We live about three miles from the hospital, which should tell you how bad it was here.

I got released today and after basically living in the hospital for a month, I've gotten very used to it here and am saddened to leave because all of the staff here are wonderful, especially the nurses in the Antepartum unit who are all wonderful.

I'll probably post another thread to the water cooler, just to let everyone know who hasn't checked this thread.

[faline]

I did just see your other post. I'm so glad everything turned out so well for you and Samuel!