# "Gritty" Placenta



## brokensemaphore (Aug 30, 2007)

Does anyone have any links or information about a "gritty" placenta? I'm 42 weeks today (the most my dates could be off is 5 days or so), and had an ultrasound this morning. They said that the fluid levels were fine, blood flow to baby was fine, and that the placenta was working fine, but "gritty." I'm planning an HBAC and I've been under pressure to induce since last week.

I have another NST tomorrow morning, then another ultrasound on Thursday morning. I just feel like I need to educate myself on how placenta ages after 42 weeks because these people are using anything and everything to try to get me to c onsent to an induction. Thanks so much in advance.


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## brokensemaphore (Aug 30, 2007)

Does anyone have any info on this?


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## Merilin (May 8, 2006)

I simply googled gritty placenta and found the following explanation in the first link:

"an insuffiecient placenta appears to be gritty on an US". A gritty placenta seems to be an indication, that it does not work as good anymore. Smokers often have gritty placentas.

If your doctor said you are fine, I would trust in her.


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## Romana (Mar 3, 2006)

A gritty placenta, as I understand it, is a sign of placental degradation/placental insufficiency. It means your placenta is not working as well as it should be, though that's probably not a huge surprise at 42 weeks. Being "gritty" refers to calcification on the placenta. A gritty placenta can also be present if you're a smoker.

I don't know how great the risk is, but I would certainly be asking my healthcare provider as it is a sign that the placenta is failing.


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## Romana (Mar 3, 2006)

I'm sorry. I know you don't want an induction or a repeat c/s. But this is not a good sign, and if your HCPs are urging you to have the baby, maybe that is what you need to do. I don't know; I'm not in your shoes. Much love to you and I hope that you have a good birth with a good outcome, no matter what happens.


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## brokensemaphore (Aug 30, 2007)

It's not really as simple as gritty=not working well/failing, though. Placentas age naturally and grittiness is just a way to describe it. I've read many, many birth stories [of healthy babies] that described the placenta as appearing gritty upon examination. I don't have an ounce of trust in these doctors or midwives


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## Romana (Mar 3, 2006)

Well, it sounds like you know more about it than I do. You seem comfortable with the placenta showing signs of degradation (being gritty) and yet asked the question anyway - I don't understand why. Maybe Birth Professionals would be a good place to ask the question, if you're looking for medical opinions, rather than laypeople?

I'm sure there are plenty of healthy babies delivered with gritty placentas. However, a gritty placenta is an indication of placental degradation or insufficiency, meaning that the placenta is not working as well as it should be working, ideally. It seems logical that this indicates some level of risk, which I personally can't assess because I'm not a birth professional and do not have the information or expertise to help you assess it. We know that going post-dates does increase the risk of fetal demise, and we know that the placenta being gritty is a sign of age/insufficiency/degradation. Beyond that, I think you need the opinion of a professional.

My second post was meant simply to be supportive as you are clearly faced with a difficult decision. I'm sorry that you can't trust your healthcare providers. That is an awful position for anyone to be in. You should be able to get a straight answer regarding your situation and the risk posed to your baby without feeling that they're lying to you. Is it possible for you to seek a second opinion?


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## brokensemaphore (Aug 30, 2007)

I've had a bit more time to look more into it now, which is how I know that it's not as cut and dry as gritty=not doing its job. Not to mention that they specifically said the placenta was working well while I was there. My point is that the placenta degrades naturally as your pregnancy progresses.

Since they said that the placenta was functioning well, the baby was getting good blood flow, and my fluid levels were good, I posted to find out if just the description of my placenta as "gritty" was a reason to induce.


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## Full Heart (Apr 27, 2004)

I would fully expect at 42 weeks that there is some calcification. Did you have a bpp and if so what was your score? You can search mdc for placenta posts by pamamidwife she has some great info regarding placentas. If your baby is growing, there is plenty of fluid, blood flow looked good I wouldn't think your placenta is failing (given if thats what they are saying = a healthy placenta).

FWIW, I have had calcifications on all my placentas, all have been post dates. The only problem? Dh has to cut around them when he makes my smoothies lol. Yuck, don't want to eat gritty placenta!

I think calcifications would be more of a concern early on since it would signal early aging. But given your dates I think it would be normal. Can you continue doing fetal kick counts, bpps, etc to make everyone feel better?


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## brokensemaphore (Aug 30, 2007)

I think what they did was the equivalent of a BPP, but they do things differently here in the UK so I'm not totally sure. They wouldn't even let me look at the monitor when they did the ultrasound! I haven't been given any kind of scores-- just passed 3 NSTs and then had the ultrasound today. Good blood pressure, urine, fetal movement, etc. throughout the pregnancy. I'm going to keep going in for the NSTs and ultrasounds and all that for my own peace of mind if nothing else. At this point, I feel pretty confident that nothing has come up to warrant getting the baby out ASAP, so I think we'll just continue waiting it out. Thanks


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## TzippityDoulah (Jun 29, 2005)

some calcification is normal at 42 weeks. the whole gritty/calcified placenta = not workign well is under much scrutiny.

it could also be a coincidence. if you're say... 44 weeks you're placenta is more likely to be calcifed. it's also more likely to be not working as well... but do the two directly have a correlation between one another?

I would be taking other things into consideration too... like how often baby moves, the heartbeat etc. and then maybe it iwll give you a better idea. babies with low functioning placentas are clearly not going to be breathing as well and babies not breathing as well are going to have a lower heartbeat and therfore start moving less and less... etc... you get the idea.

I wouldn't just dismiss it all together though. just try to gather more info to get a btter idea. and maybe another US? b/c one person's gritty placenta with a 10 lb baby is another person's full functioning placenta with an 9lb baby if you know what I mean. UC just aren't all that exact. if ever a problem is suspect it should be reexamined!


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## brokensemaphore (Aug 30, 2007)

I haven't even needed to do kick counts because she's still so active on a regular basis-- I'd get to 10 before 30 minutes was up, haha. They said during the first ultrasound that "the placenta is working well," and that blood flow to the baby is good, fluid levels are good, etc. I've had 4 NSTs and they've all been great as well. Your logic is the same as mine-- if the baby's not getting what she needs, she'd be a bit more lethargic and not do well on at least one of the NSTs.

I'm going in for another ultrasound today and I'm pretty confident that the results will be the same. From my encounters with these people, I get the feeling that they're just dying for a reason to get me to induce or have a hospital birth, since every time they corner me for a lecture, it's about that and me being a VBAC rather than the placenta and NSTs :/


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## Romana (Mar 3, 2006)

I think it's pretty awesome that you can get all that monitoring, be past 42 weeks and still have a homebirth. It wouldn't be possible where I am.


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## brokensemaphore (Aug 30, 2007)

With all the troubles the NHS has given me so far with this pregnancy, I will definitely agree that it's great that they will still attend a homebirth (their midwives are legally obligated to attend a laboring woman no matter where she is). My first son was born in America and lord knows I wouldn't even be getting a VBAC if we were still there!


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