Calcification of placenta?

[tavilin]

I am 34 weeks tomorrow with PIH kept in the high normals/low high numbers with labetalol. Baby is growing well. He is measuring 5lbs6oz, I think the 56 percentile?

Doctor said he thinks 37-38 weeks for induction after an amnio to make sure the lungs are ready.

He mentioned that my placenta is showing some calcification and said that can happen with PIH? I wonder if anyone is familiar with this?
What could this mean for the baby? Anything I can do to remedy this?

Baby has dropped into position and I did lose part of my mucus plug last night...he said induction might be a moot point. I'll see my OB next week (Thursday) and we'll know from there if I am dialating.

Something tells me that these last few weeks will soar by.

Debby

[tracey]

Hi there,
In my second pregnancy, they started to notice calcification of the placenta at around 32 weeks, I seem to remember. It was basically explained to me that that means the placenta is "aging", as I guess they all do, but mine was aging a little prematurely. I remember my doctor saying then he hoped we would get at least 3 or 4 more weeks (we got 5 and made it to 37!). I also remember a number of people (as I had frequent ultrasounds) asking if I was a smoker (which I am not -- and have never smoked a cigarette in my life), as apparently, they see these types of things far more frequently in smokers. I believe it is due to the high blood pressure (though incidentally, mine was higher than usual and kept creeping up, but never high enough to warrant medication). I was never told there was anything I could do to remedy it, and I'm sure if there was, I would have been told, as my doctor and nurses were very thorough. Nevertheless, it never hurts to ask your doctor -- perhaps there is something that may help in your case.
It sounds like it will be a few short weeks at most for you! How exciting! And you're right -- they will fly by! Best of luck and keep us updated!

[tracey]

Debby,
I just did a quick search for my old post, mentioned above. Here it is, if you are interested.

www.preeclampsia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7450

I should also mention that when I WAS induced at 37 weeks, (due to the fact that my bp had started to rise and stay and some protein spilling inmy urine), they did tell us the placenta upon delivery did not look quite as bad as they suspected it would in seeing it through ultrasound.

Now of course, keep a close watch for any other symptoms, as I'm sure I don't need to tell you anyway. [;)]

Hope this helps.

[caryn]

That sounds like a pretty good appointment!

Yes, calcification is common in hypertensive pregnancies. It means the placenta is aging prematurely, and that there are parts of it to which the blood is no longer flowing -- they're hardened, like hardened arteries.

I don't know of anything you can do about it. I wish I did -- it would probably be a treatment for PE, and we'd all like one of those!

[annbaby3]

Yes, this is what happened to me in my last pregnancy. Along with low amniotic fluid was the main reason I was induced early. How is your fluid level? Not sure if the two normal go hand in hand. Good luck with your final weeks of pregnancy. You'll have your baby before you know it!

[ileana]

It happened to me as well. At 35w my placenta looked as if it were a 41w placenta or as if I smoked a pack of cigarettes each day of the pregnancy (they got me there LOL [:p]). After finding that out, my doctors were in a big hurry to deliver me while I was still healthy.

They told me that there's nothing you can do to stop the process. But the baby was doing great on NSTs and is now a big guy without any health issues. Also the amnio showed the lungs were mature at 35w 5d, so they went ahead and induced me.