Placenta Previa: Questions To Ask?

Wah Wah Wah wah wah WAH WAH wah wah

So I prepared a list of questions to ask my OB on tomorrow at my appointment. I compiled them from Q&A's I found on other blogs and added questions I had as well. I posted them below because I notice a lot of women on forums are asking what to ask too. So I'm sharing. Unless your interested in this sort of thing, the following may be boring. Click here for something more fun.

Questions That Will Likely Go Unanswered By My OB

What type of placenta previa do I have? Is it complete, marginal or partial?

How many CM wide is my cervix?

How many CM of placenta are overlapping my cervix?

How many CM away from the cervix must the placenta be in order to be cleared for vaginal delivery?

Is the placenta centralized over the cervix?

Is the placenta anterior or posterior? Is it leaning to one side? If so, which side?

What are the chances at present that this can resolve on its own?

Is the fetus having any growth abnormalities, deformities or anomalies?

Do I have gestational diabetes or preeclampsia? If so, how does it affect my care and are there any special precautions?

Am I at risk for blood clots or thromboembolism? If so, how is this managed?

Are there any signs of other complications such as placenta accreta, increta, percreta, vasa previa or placenta abruption?

Is the placental cord single, double or presenting any abnormalities?

Can I have a MRI to rule out additional complications?

Can I be referred to a high risk clinic or have a perinatal specialist involved in my care?

What follow-up care will I need for the rest of my pregnancy?

Can I be monitored monthly by ultrasound for placental localization changes?

What exactly are my activity restrictions?

What is the most weight I can lift?

How much housework can I do?

How much walking can I do?

What kind of exercise can I do?

What kind of travel can I do? Car? Boat? Plane?

How much weight gain should I aim for?

Do I need to modify my caloric intake due to any activity restrictions?

What do I do in the event of a yeast infection?

What do I do in the event of constipation?

What can I do to prevent constipation?

How should I respond to BH contractions?

What symptoms should I look out for? Fever? Shortness of breath?

How should I respond to pain or cramping but no blood?

How should I respond to bleeding? When should I go to the ER?

If I start to bleed heavily and am waiting for an ambulance, is there anything I can do to prevent massive blood loss or decrease bleeding?

How should I respond to mucus discharge or signs of cervical shedding?

What bed rest policies are in place? (For instance, if I bleed once will I be put on bed rest? If I bleed more than once, will I be hospitalized?)

Are there any special foods or drugs that are usually safe during pregnancy that I should avoid specifically? Could anything bring on contractions or increase likelihood or severity of bleeding?

If the placenta doesn't clear, does the hospital give steroid shots for fetal lung development? If so, at how many weeks?

If the placenta doesn't clear, will I need to take tocolytics?

If the placenta doesn't clear, does the hospital conduct amniocentesis for fetal lung monitoring? If so, at how many weeks?

If the placenta doesn't clear but there are no other complications, when will a c-section be scheduled?

Are placenta previa c-sections conducted under general or spinal anesthesia?

If placenta is anterior and a c-section is required, will the surgeon do a vertical incision or cut through the placenta?

Can I store my own blood in case of the need for a transfusion? If so, how can I arrange that?

Can I donate my afterbirth to research? If so, how can I arrange that?

What procedures and policies do I need to know about regarding a c-section?

What procedures and policies do I need to know about regarding the NICU?

What local and hospital resources do I have at my disposal?

How can I get the rest of my questions answered, if they were not answered?

That concludes my daily episode of O.C.D.