I am pregnant with my 3rd baby. I have two boys, 8 and 3. At 10 weeks, I started bleeding very heavy (no cramps), we went to the ER. After an u/s, they said I had a partial placenta previa. My midwife put me on modified bedrest; I could work 4 hours a day, but do nothing else. At 12 weeks, I went for a checkup and another u/s. At this point, I was still spotting. The u/s showed a subchorionic hematoma. My midwife said the outlook was very dismal and told me it was likely that we'd lose the baby.
At 13.5 weeks, I started bleeding VERY heavy. Expecting the worst, I went to the ER. Once again, the u/s showed a very strong heartbeat and the baby looked fine. The next week I went for another checkup, baby was good for size and appeared to be doing well.
I have been on full bedrest since 12 weeks, but at about 17 weeks I started doing a little bit more (grocery shopping, slow walks 2-3 blocks). About that same time the bleeding/spotting slowed and then stopped. My midwife just let me go back to work on a very limited basis, 4 hours a day every other day, I'm a hairstylist so they are concerned about me being on my feet that long, so I can try that for a while.
I feel very fortunate that things have started to look good, my midwives say they are absolutely amazed at the turn of events. At my last visit she said she had never seen a patient with a SCH that bad, and had things be going as well as they are. So if we make it to viability, then our next hurdle is preterm labor!! Good luck to all!!
~ Meghan
edd January 4, 2002
UPDATE! December 10, 2001
A lot has happened since I last updated. After the hematoma healed, I went back to work a few hours a week- still taking it easy since we don't know what sets off the sch episodes. Then when I was 26 weeks, I was lying in bed and I felt a little gush. I expected it to be blood, but it was clear fluid. I thought my water had broken! I called my midwife. She said if I wasn't contracting, I should just wait until morning and go in then. I never contracted, and the fluid decreased during the night, so by the time I went into the office and they checked me, there was no evidence of amniotic fluid. They said I had a bacterial infection that was most likely causing the extra fluid. So I got a prescription and went on my way. Within hours, I was leaking again. This lasted for 2 1/2 weeks.
I went in for my regular check up and explained that I was still leaking clear fluid. This time she said it was probably urine. I insisted that she check again and we found out that - yes - my water had broken. So I had been walking around for almost 3 weeks like that! I was rushed to the regional center for perinatology, was admitted and spent the rest of my pregnancy there. The first week wasn't bad, just long. Then the second week I began to bleed - the subchorionic hematoma was back!
After another week of bleeding, the doctors decided to do an amniocentisis to check the baby's lungs because I was losing a lot of blood and it was getting risky. They did an excruciating amnio and there was hardly any fluid left and what was there was very bloody. As a result, there were no conclusive lung development results. So the doctor decided to do a c-section (he was breech) that afternoon.
So, on November 5th (at 31 weeks) at 3:01 p.m., I had a baby boy named William John, who came out screaming - thank god! He weighed 3 pounds, 10 oz., and was 16 inches long. He was in the NICU for 3 days without a ventilator, but with oxygen. They anticipated at least 3 weeks in NICU, but in a few days he was moved to the graduate nursery. On November 13, he was transferred to our local hospital (they anticipated 3 weeks in grad nursery too). Then on November 26, Wee Willy got to come home at 4 pounds, 6 ounces!! He was on oxygen for a week at home. Now he's almost 5 weeks old and weighs 5 lbs., 3oz. So everything turned out great after all!! I hope that this might give a little hope to someone with sch problems!! Take care!
Love, Meghan
