When we were in Greece, I noticed some bleeding one night when I went to the bathroom. I was 29 weeks and I've never had bleeding before except for my miscarriage. I didn't know who to call or what to do. I hadn't seen my doctor in Bahrain for 3 months, I had seen an OB in Dubai recently but only once and both of their offices were closed. I didn't feel like I had enough of a recent or long enough history with either of them to call them during the night. So I ended up calling Generations in Michigan, whom I had seen for my miscarriage last summer.
The nurse there recommended I go to the hospital right away because bleeding at 29 weeks is not normal and is concerning. I pushed back a bit and when I told her it had stopped she said I could wait until morning to get it checked out unless it started up again. Luckily it didn't but I was worried all night.
The next morning the wonderful manager of the villa found a doctor for me, made an appointment, brought Dave and I there, translated when needed and then took us to the pharmacy afterward.
The doctor was very thorough, giving me a non-stress test, physical exam and ultrasound. He was able to confirm that everything was okay with the baby but never gave me a reason as to why I was bleeding. He was also very through in answering his phone. His cell phone rang so many times and he always answered it. He even answered it while I was lying there in stirrups and left me there for several minutes waiting while he spoke!!
When I returned to Bahrain I went to my doctor who informed me that my placenta was low and that was why I was bleeding. Luckily I still hadn't had any more bleeding episodes but she advised me to stop exercising and put me on pelvic rest, though not using that term. She informed me that I would have to have a c-section if the placenta didn't move. When I expressed my concern (I'm so afraid of going under the knife!) she told me not to worry about anything, but that when I get to Abu Dhabi, I'd better see a doctor immediately. Quite a mixed message.
She didn't ever say the words "placenta previa" but when I googled it, that is exactly what she had described. Its a pretty serious condition with lots of risk involved. I wasn't happy with the little bit of information she had given me and the mixed message she gave me as her parting words. From my reading, I found that a low placenta in early pregnancy will often move out of the way but that at 31 weeks as I now was, it pretty much will never move.
I was so worried, almost making myself sick with stress and worry. I was questioning my decision to have the baby in Abu Dhabi, thinking that if I were going to have a c-section that I shouldn't be doing it in a new city/country where I knew no one and Dave wouldn't be with me most of the time. I wanted to go home and have my mommy there to take care of me! But so much had already been done to arrange our stay in Abu Dhabi and we would have to be away from Dave for so long...
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