S4 Ep5. Stuck: A story of invasive placenta accreta and caesarean-hysterectomy

Leonie’s son Max was growing small and was in a breech presentation throughout her entire first pregnancy. When his heart rate dropped during monitoring at the 35 week mark, Leonie was whisked into an emergency caesarean birth. Leonie hoped for a vaginal birth after caesarean for her second son, but it wasn’t to be. After two caesarean births and an operation to treat a uterine septum and secondary infertility, Leonie was thrilled to be pregnant with her third son. But at the 20 week mark, her placenta was found to be low-lying, and was beginning to invade into the muscle of her uterus, at the site of her previous caesarean scars. Leonie was diagnosed with a condition called placenta accreta. This began an incredibly challenging and emotional journey that culminated in a combined caesarean birth and hysterectomy at the age of 34.