Placenta localisation

Assessing the position of the placenta

You had the structural ultrasound examination around the 19th pregnancy week. In a number of pregnant women this examination shows that the placenta is (partly) covering the cervix. It is, therefore, important to check that the cervix is free from placental tissue later on in the pregnancy. This is important as a low-lying placenta can hinder a natural delivery.

When does the placenta localisation take place?

The best time to carry out the placenta localisation is around week 32 of your pregnancy. We use both external and internal ultrasound methods for this purpose. This will allow us to see exactly where and how low the placenta is located. We recommend coming to your appointment with a full bladder and not accompanied by any children. This will make the appointment a great deal calmer for you and the sonographer. You can find more tips for your appointment at our ultrasound centre.

What do we look for during the placenta localisation?

If the 20 week ultrasound scan showed that your placenta is near to or covering the cervix, we will take another look at this once you are in your 32nd week of pregnancy. We refer to this as the placenta localisation. The placenta will have moved up naturally in most cases. It is, however, important for the midwife or gynaecologist to know that this is indeed the case. We will therefore look at the following:

where the placenta is located
how big the baby is
how much amniotic fluid there is

We will discuss the results with you and your midwife or gynaecologist after the examination.

Costs and reimbursement for the placenta localisation

There are no costs associated with the placenta localisation if there is a medical indication for this procedure. This means a referral is required. This ultrasound will subsequently be covered by the health insurer from within your basic health care package. The placenta localisation is in 2D and takes approximately 15 minutes. You will be given 2 black/white photographs at the end of your appointment. Would you like to see your little one in 3D/4D? Then do take a moment to read all about our non-medical, private ultrasounds.