PLACENTA PREVIA: DEFINITION, CAUSES, RISK-FACTORS AND MANAGEMENT

Placenta Previa

Definition:

This is a condition in which the placenta of the growing baby implants in such a way as to cover the cervix (entrance of the womb). This abnormal location of the placenta could lead to bleeding during pregnancy or delivery as the ideal location where it should implant is the upper part of the womb's inner lining or at the side.

Types Of Placenta Previa

• Complete: The placenta fully overs the cervix and this type hardly resolve on its own.
• Partial: Here, the placenta partially covers the cervix.

Marginal: In this type, just the edge of the placenta gets to the cervix. This type commonly resolves as the pregnancy advances.

Causes Of Placenta Previa

The cause of placenta previa is unknown but there are risk factors.

Risk Factors For Placenta Previa

Below are a few conditions that can pre-dispose a woman to placenta previa

• Advanced maternal age(older than 35years)
• Previous Pregnancy
• Multiple gestation
• Previous placenta previa
• Previous scarring from surgeries eg caesarean section, uterine fibroid surgery.
• Abnormalities of the inner uterine lining.

Symptoms of Placenta

• Painless vaginal bleeding
• Bright-red vaginal bleeding
• Spotting may occur just before the incidence

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of placenta previa is made during an ultrasound examination of a pregnant woman.

The diagnosis is also made when a pregnant woman experiences vaginal bleeding peculiar to placenta previa.

Complications:

• Heamorrhage which can lead to death
• Preterm labour
• Prematurity of the baby.

Management Of Placenta Previa

If a woman experiences the above symptoms in pregnancy she should present immediately at the hospital. This condition is treated as a medical emergency and she is immediately admitted into the labour ward.

Close monitoring is carried out and this includes maternal vitalsigns, foetal heart rate monitoring and blood transfusion to replace blood loss.

Treatment

In some cases, this condition resolves on its own as the placentas position could nove upwards and away from the cervix with the advancement of the pregnancy.

If it does not resolve on its own, a surgical intervention is carried out which is a caesarean section. This is done to save the life of the mother and baby.

After delivery, the baby is managed at the special care baby unit as the baby is question is usually preterm.