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Placenta Previa: Is Placenta Movable? Part 1by Any Safarodiyah The placenta is the organ that nourishes the developing fetus. It supplies the fetus with the blood supply and nutrients necessary for survival. It grows along with the pregnancy. During pregnancy, placenta repositions itself as the womb (uterus) stretches and grows. In early pregnancy, a low-lying placenta is very common. But as the pregnancy progresses, the placenta is moving toward the top of the uterus. By the third trimester, the placenta should be near the top of the uterus, leaving the opening of the cervix clear for the delivery. If it still stays in the lowest part of the uterus and may cover the cervix, this is what we called placenta previa. Causes of Placenta Previa Placenta previa occurs in 3-6 out of 1000 pregnancies. The exact cause of this complication is still unknown, but its frequency rises in women who have: Hereditary abnormal shape of the uterus Uterine fibroids or surgery to remove fibroids Scarring of the uterine wall caused by previous pregnancies, cesareans, uterine surgery, or abortions Multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets, etc.) History of placenta previa of previous pregnancies Women who smoke or have their first gestation at an older age (above 35) may also have an increased risk. Possible causes of placenta previa include: Abnormal formation of the placenta Abnormal uterus Large placenta Scarred lining of the uterus (endometrium) Diagnosis of Placenta Previa The diagnosis of placenta previa is confirmed at the third trimester (7 months or 28 weeks). Before it, the situation is not significant because the placenta is normally there. By the end of second trimester or early third trimester, the low segment of the uterus is formed. This formation causes the pulling of the placenta toward the top as explained above. This segment is larger but also thinner. The muscle of this part cannot contract well if there is a placenta previa. The enlargement of low segment of uterus and opening of the cervix sometimes causes the uterine sinus tears. It may cause vaginal bleeding, the main symptom of placenta previa. The bleeding is sudden, painless, and often heavy. The bleeding may stop on its own but can start again days or weeks later. Usually, the second bleeding is heavier than the first; the third is more severe than the second, and so on. There may be uterine cramping with the bleeding. Labor sometimes starts within several days after heavy vaginal bleeding. However, in some cases, bleeding may not occur until after labor starts. If a pregnant woman experiences those symptoms, the doctor will conduct an ultrasound examination to confirm the diagnosis. The optimum assessment of course should be taken close to the labor, to make sure where the position of the placenta is. That is way the decision in which way the labor will be conducted can be change in the last minutes. And thus, dont judge that diagnosis of placenta previa in early pregnancy is false positive, because you know how it can be happen by reading this article. Types of Placenta Previa There are four types of placenta previa, according to the covering of the opening cervix: Complete placenta previa: The placenta completely covers the cervical opening. In this situation, a normal labor can not be conducted. It may cause severe bleeding and leads to death. Partial placenta previa: The placenta covers part of the cervical opening. It still has high risk of bleeding during labor, so a woman in this condition most likely to have cesarean delivery. Marginal placenta previa: The placenta is located near the edge of the cervix but does not block it. The labor can be normal, but the risk of bleeding is still high. You should be very careful. Low-lying placenta (also known as lateral placenta or dangerous placenta): The placenta is located at the low part of the uterus a few millimeters or centimeters from the cervix. You can deliver the baby normally, but you must be careful because there is still a risk of bleeding, but less than other type. |
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