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I started to experience brown spotting for several weeks, which turned
to bright red and became quite heavy. I was hospitalized at 17 and a half
weeks and was there for three weeks. During that time, I had severe bleeding,
was diagnosed with a large clot in the base of the placenta, and had a
few contractions. Fortunately, my hemoglobin count came up after a blood
transfusion, and at 20 and a half weeks they are allowing me to be at home.
While the bleeding continues, it is less than it was, and I am modifying
my activities. They say strict bed rest does not really help. Because they
admitted to me that there is nothing they can do at the hospital that I
can't do at home, they've allowed me to be home as long as I come in if
the bleeding increases or there is pain. I've experienced mild cramping
with the bleeding, but nothing extreme. If I continue to bleed after 24
weeks, they told me I'm in until the baby arrives. Does all this sound
consistent with what you know about placenta previa? (6/5/99)
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Update (6/19/99)
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Unfortunately, we've lost the battle. Notwithstanding a successful blood
transfusion and tons of prayers, our daughter, Bronwyn Claire was stillborn
on the 6th of June. They could not stop the labor. She was only 22 weeks
old and a little over a pound, so she didn't stand a chance. The bleeding
was very heavy for several weeks, and finally my body just could not hold
onto our precious girl.
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It is hard for us being here without family, although, since we've lived
here for a little over a year, we've been blessed with some wonderful friends.
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You are more than welcome to share my story on the internet, but it has
such a tragic end, I'm not sure it is what newly diagnosed moms want to
hear. The one thing that is important about my story, however, is the timing.
Apparently, less than 1 percent of pregnant women have bleeding like this
between 15 and 20 weeks. Mine started at 17 and a half, and ended with
Bronwyn's stillbirth at 22 weeks. There was no requirement of strict bedrest
here in NZ, which I shall always question. I was just told to "relax."
Even at the hospital, I was not encouraged to stay in bed. They told me
I was there merely for monitoring. It may have been simply, that there
was nothing that could be done in my case. But, if you have others with
similar questions, I would tell them to have
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complete bedrest, if for their own piece of mine if for nothing else.
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We desperately want to try again once we are able, and once we are assured
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that we won't have to go through this event again.
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If you think my story would help someone else be more prepared than I was,
please do print my story. I know that Steve and I just weren't prepared,
because we only heard positive stories. It may have helped us, had we known
how things could turn out.
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Subsequently, we learned a lot about what should happen with stillbirth.
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Fortunately, our doctor was wonderful, and we held Bronwyn and took her
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picture and took home hand and footprints to remember her. At the time,
it was not something we wanted to do, but now we are so grateful. It would
be good for someone in danger of stillbirth to be prepared for what they
should do to help with the grieving process.
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