# Retained Placenta pieces and Calcification on uterus



## wilsonmommy (May 31, 2013)

I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar experience and what they did/do about it. Just as a warning, there is probably TMI in some parts and a lot of talk of bleeding. My doctor never marked anything as a "follow up" even though I went back countless times for the same issue, and now I have no insurance and a ton of bills to pay...Just hoping to find something close to an answer or a solution...

So after giving birth (vaginally) I hemorrhaged bad. A couple times per hour, for just over 9 hours, the nurse would come in and push down on my stomach really hard to pump out a softball sized blood clot. I was going through several of their giant pads every hour and went through tons of sheets and gowns. I was in the hospital for 5 days, being pushed around in a wheelchair because I was too weak to stand or even hold my baby for more than a few minutes at a time.

I bled heaviest the first week, then stopped within the next.

I was unable to breastfeed because I had absolutely no supply from the start.

About 2 months later, I had a horrible 2 week, gushing hemorrhaging-like period. I could literally feel "gushes" and "chunks" leaving my body. With the severe ones, I would get extremely dizzy. If I got up too fast, moved too quickly, or stood for too long, I would get dizzy and almost pass out. I couldn't trust myself to even hold my baby because that would tire me out within minutes and a few times I almost fell while carrying him. After 5 days I called my doctor. I had to call back 3 times to get them to understand something was not normal and that this was not a normal period. By the time I was seen I was in week 2 of the bloody massacre. My doctor thought it had just started that day and was surprised I bled so much for so long. He wanted to ignore it and wait for the next period to come along. Just told me to "take it easy."

He scheduled me blood tests and an ultrasound after my second one came around 3 weeks later just as bad as the first. All tests were in the "normal" range, but close to the "abnormal" ranges (if that makes sense). He claimed I had major calcification on my uterus, which he said was "extremely rare and strange for vaginal deliveries", but decided to "ignore it and see if it causes problems later."

It has been just over 6 months since I have given birth. Every now and then I swear I feel my uterus contract really hard, and its painful. When it does this a lot, I randomly bleed. I usually have about 2 random bleeds between periods. My periods are still heavy, long and I pass a lot of grape sized chunks. I've been on birth control pills for about 4 months.

Is it possible that there could still be placenta pieces in my uterus? Or that having them in there as long as i did caused something else to take longer to heal?

And has anyone ever had "Calcification" on their uterus? My doctor really didn't tell me anything other than its extremely rare and strange for a vaginal delivery and that he just wanted to wait to see if it caused problems.

Sorry to write you a book and thank you in advance to those who try to help/answer/share. <3


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## Vermillion (Mar 12, 2005)

Eeeek! First off, new Dr! His "ignore it and wait to see" approach is scary when you're clearly already having problems!

Your symptoms definitely sound like retained tissue. I had the same ones when I had retained placenta 2 weeks after a 17 week loss & delivery. I ended up bleeding out a ton and ended up in the e.r. and needed a d&c. Also, after the d&c my milk came in!

6 months sounds crazy, but I googled it, and found several posts of woman having retained tissue for months, one even a year later!!!

I would definitely get a second opinion and soon.

Good thoughts~~


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## LLQ1011 (Mar 28, 2012)

calcification is when your ody does not expel the placenta entirely and tries to deal with it by encasing it in bone. Get a new dr and send all of your bills to your old one.


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## mummamilk (Jul 15, 2003)

I would not be paying the bills. I might even consider an attorney. I have only heard of calcification because pieces of the placenta are left behind. It is more common in c-sec for placenta pieces to be left behind.

A week after giving birth to my second. I ended up in the hospital with a septic infection and blood loss. I had a normal vaginal delivery and the placenta appeared to be delivered intact. My milk came in abundant supply and nursing a baby kept my cycle away. I have never experienced getting my period back for more than a year after birth.

What you are describing does not sound normal or healthy. I know it is hard to be an advocate for yourself when you are not feeling well.

I would write down everything you can remember from the past 6 months and go visit a new doctor.


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## Bonnygirl (Apr 30, 2018)

I agree, new doctor! I had the same exact experience in terms of symptoms but they were taken care of right away! 

Had an emergency D&C a few hours after birth due to hemorrhaging . Ended up being retained placenta. 9 weeks later, had extremely heavy bleeding that would come and go, over 2 days, almost like something burst and blood would be everywhere, like someone died all over the floor! Called the Dr. And they had me go to the emergency room.

Had another emergency D&C due to calcified placenta piece. They said it was very rare that long after pregnancy and a vaginal birth. I never had any pain, just the bleeding. However, apparently if they do a D&C right after birth they can't see if anything is still left behind. 

My understanding is that if it is not removed, the bleeding will continue indefinitely. I am very lucky to have amazing Dr.s who were quick to act in both situations. They told me both times that this type of bleeding can lead to death and to come in immediately if it happens again!


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