Subchorionic WHAT?!?

Howdy.  Time to get back into the swing of things.  Time to start pecking away at the ole keyboard, thanks to the encouragement of a friend.

Yesterday I mentioned that I have a complicated 2nd pregnancy, and have been dealing with a subchorionic hematoma.  What the *bleep* is that you may ask?  Let me share:

A subchorionic hematoma is often referred to by doctors as a blood clot, or the pooling of blood between the placenta and uterus during pregnancy.  Ewwww.  According to my doctor, these are common and occur in 20-30% of patients within the first trimester; and it's one of the main causes for vaginal bleeding at this stage of the pregnancy.  It is thought that the SCH might occur around the time of implantation - when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall.  (When my doc explained it as the egg trying to find a blood source, and tearing away too much of the wall when latching on, I instantly pictured a little alien with teeth chowing down on it's first meal.  Happy to be the host of said little alien though.  Sorry if the alien terminology offends, but it helps me laugh about my situation - and laughing is better than crying.)  For a minute I thought the SCH referred to the actual tear, but again, it is in reference to the clot/collection of blood between the membranes.  How are these SCH diagnosed?  Ultrasound imaging is choice.  I was told that most subchorionic hematomas are small (a couple of centimeters) and clear up on their own... disappearing around 15-20 weeks in pregnancy (either by bleeding out or reabsorbing into the body.)  But hello!  My situation is COMPLICATED.  My clot measured 7.5 cm at my first OB/GYN appointment and has only continued to grow.  I'm 22 weeks pregnant and my clot is now half-way around my placenta.  I continue to bleed vaginally every day, and pass blood clots off and on throughout the passing weeks.  (Doc says the bleeding out is a good sign b/c it's not sitting up there irritating the placenta.) 

I was reassured that I didn't do anything wrong to cause this complication.  No worries, doc; I'm not of that mindset.  What I wanted to know was how do we fix this so I can carry my baby full term and deliver him - YES!  We are having a boy! - safely into this world?  That's when I got the "bad" news.  Well, bad for me anyway.  Nothing could be done to solve my preggo problem.  For those of you that don't know me, I'm a control freak.  I like to take charge and fix things right away.  And I'm not patient... sitting and waiting... well, just doesn't sit well with me.  I teased my doc: I asked if we could shove some duct tape up there, or use some super glue or a laser to cauterize.  He laughed with me, but said we'd "simply" have to wait and see.  Nothing we could do to fix it.  And there wasn't anything we could do to prevent this from getting worse; well, aside from no more intercourse, and no heavy lifting or straining.  At that time, the plan was to carry on about life as usual.  Pelvic rest and bed rest were not initially recommended.  (Due to my growing clot, I've now been on bed rest for approximately 2 months.)

I was curious to know what some of the risks were in association to my situation.  I am at a heightened risk of placental abruption, where the placenta tears away from the uterine wall - putting the health of the fetus in immediate danger.  Of course, the clot itself is an irritant to the uterus (that's why we have periods and shed our lining monthly) and could cause a miscarriage.  In my research, I found that only 1-3% of SCH result in the loss of a pregnancy and are usually associated with larger clots.  YIKES - was my initial thought of my large clot, but I had to give that thought back to God.  Sometimes with the passing of clots, tissue from the placenta is removed which can lead to one's water breaking early.  If the baby remains in the womb after the water breaks, all kinds of infections can occur causing damage to baby's development.  And then there are other risks like elevated blood pressure, etc... bringing on a new set of complications.

Walking from my doctor's office down the hall to the reception desk, I teared up a little.  I said a quick prayer asking God to keep my baby safe.  I set up my next appointment.  Then I walked to the car, lost in a semi-dark cloud of thought.

When I got home, I sat down in the recliner, and decided I needed to talk to God.  I prayed a long, hard prayer.  I mean, this was a serious, in-depth, heart-to-heart prayer - not at all like the quick prayer I sent up in the doctor's office.  I've always known that God has plans for us, plans to prosper us and not harm us.  I told the Lord I understood that if I miscarried it was for His reason and purpose, and that at least I knew my baby would always be protected in Heaven.  But I also told God I was selfish, and that I wanted to welcome this precious baby into my world.  I prayed that either way this goes, I knew it would be best for my baby - and that's what truly matters.  The loss of a child would be devastating, but I know God would get me through it.  I told God right then and there that I would try to keep my focus on Him and His plan, and not my current situation.  Of course, I asked for Him to help me in this endeavour because I know every day is not always an easy day.

Ever since that prayer, I have tried very hard to leave this complication in God's hands and let Him do His work.  I try to focus on all of the positive details of my pregnancy, giving thanks for small victories along the way.  I focus on my baby's healthy/strong heartbeat.  I focus on the fact that he is growing and measuring right on track.  I focus on the fact that he has plenty of amniotic fluid around him.  And I focus on my son's movement.  Every kick, every nudge is a reminder that he is alive and thriving inside my womb.  And again, I give thanks.

Focusing on God, His plan, and all the positives isn't always easy when the negatives are thrown in your face.  I've been in the hospital twice, once for gushing blood and once because they thought I might be anemic and need a blood transfusion.  Fortunately, all turned out well both times, as God continues to carry me through.

I can't pretend to understand everyone's situation.  I only know what I experience and go through.  But I also know, for me, talking about it helps.  So if this helps someone I am glad.  Know that there is an individual - ahem, me - out there who is praying for you.  And however your situation works out, it is all best for baby, because there are things in this world that happen that are beyond our understanding.  Keep your faith.  Keep thinking happy, positive thoughts.  And just take it one day at a time.  That's all we can really do. 



Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional.  Please research subchorionic hematomas for yourself and discuss with your own physician.