diz_girl
12-09-2010, 07:50 PM
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.
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.