If you have a 4cm piece of placenta still attached to uterus 10 days post birth should a D & C be preformed?
I have been told they may just leave it?
Love & light x
In my opinion - YES!
My midwifery training was nearly half a century ago and ideas change, but not the mechanics of delivery. In those days it was said that if any placenta was left behind a D&C was imperative to prevent it from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. One of our most important checks after delivery was to make sure the placenta was complete.
What they say now is anyone's guess - they can't even recognise pre-eclampsia (as I observed in a young lady very recently when her oedema was extreme 😮 - I was horrified! - And, of course, it turned into an emergency to save both the baby and her.
As I see it, the only possible reason to avoid an operation like this is the risk of acquiring a hospital infection - and again standards of basic hygiene seem to have gone out of the window, so infections are rife and one of the main reasons they want patients out of hospital as quickly as possible.
Bring back Florence Nightingale! 😀 A martinet to be sure - but her system worked excellently.
The decision may have to be yours (if it is you that has the problem - and if so congratulations and welcome to the new baby). No-one seems to want to make decisions. Ask about all the risks are of [url]retained placenta[/url].
There are who specialise with cases of retained placentas (doesn't that say it all?)
It may just detach itself naturally. Unless it is an infection risk or leaving it in situ may cause you harm . the risk of a D and C is greater than the risk of leaving it in. Ask you midwife about this - I am sure she can advise you