When I delivered my son my doctor noticed that my placenta was very calcified. I had him on my supposed due date given to me by a early sonogram. When I asked him about it he said with the next baby we will watch it closly. However I do not drink or take drugs I barley take tylenol, and I do not smoke. What could have caused this to happen and what are the chances of it happening again. My doctor said that it was calcified as though I was a heavy smoker or drinker. If we would have waited until the 41st week the baby might have had a problem.

Unfourtunatly, it doesn't take for someone to drink, smoke, or take drugs to develop a calcified placenta. Calcification is also caused by hypertension on a placenta.

Just as blood vessels can constrict in cardiovascular hypertension, it can obstruct blood flow to the placenta as well when calcified white specks appear on the placenta. This can can decrease the amount of nutrition and oxygen going to the baby.

Maybe this explains why calcification is referred to as a sign of placental aging or pre-mature aging of the placenta. The more calcification, the less placenta is normal tissue for supplying the baby.

Nevertheless, this is not usually much of a concern because there has to be a conciderable amount of calcification before there's really any compromise to the baby. The grading scale of the placenta (Grades 1, 2, and 3) is a fuzzy parameter at best and may help you determine its severity.

Hope this answers your question!