The treatment for placenta previa is usually aimed at minimizing symptoms and ensuring the pregnancy completes 36 weeks. The goal of this treatment is safe delivery of the fetus as close to term as possible by caesarean section. The treatment will therefore depend on answers to the following questions:. Once placenta previa has been diagnosed, further bleeding and complications may be avoided by ensuring the mother has complete bed rest, sometimes in the hospital.
Also, pelvic examinations or any sexual activity that may lead to irritation of the cervix or the uterine walls should be avoided. Once the pregnancy comes to term, or if the bleeding is excessive, the baby will be delivered by caesarean section, especially in cases of complete placenta previa. Vaginal delivery for women with placenta previa might result in placental tear and hemorrhage, putting the mother and the baby at risk.
Vaginal delivery may be possible for a woman with a low-lying placenta. With early and more accurate diagnosis of placenta previa, this condition is no longer as big a threat to the mother and the baby as it historically was. The biggest danger remains premature delivery of the baby because of the heavy bleeding.
All material copyright MediResource Inc. Terms and conditions of use. If they are, your provider may recommend an immediate c-section to avoid risks of future bleeding. At any stage of pregnancy, a c-section may be necessary if you have dangerously heavy bleeding or if you and your baby are having problems. However, you may be at higher risk for placenta previa if:.
But you may be able to reduce your risk by not smoking and not using cocaine. The more c-sections you have, the greater your risk of placenta previa. Get expert tips and resources from March of Dimes and CDC to increase your chance of having a healthy, fully-term pregnancy and baby.
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Baby Caring for your baby Feeding your baby. Ambassadors Ambassadors Celebrity Advocate Council. The most important symptom in placenta previa is painless vaginal bleeding after 20 weeks. However, there are causes of vaginal bleeding other than placenta previa. All bleeding during pregnancy should be reported to your doctor for prompt investigation and treatment. During the later stages of pregnancy, the bottom part of the uterus thins and spreads to accommodate the growing baby.
If the placenta is anchored to the bottom of the uterus as occurs with placenta previa , this thinning and spreading separates the placenta and causes bleeding. Sexual intercourse can also cause bleeding from the placenta previa in later pregnancy. During labour, the cervix thins and dilates, which would normally allow the baby to exit into the vagina. In placenta previa, the dilation of the cervix further tears the placenta and causes bleeding.
A pregnant woman who experiences any vaginal bleeding should be admitted to hospital and tested. Some of the tests used to diagnose placenta previa include:. It is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between placenta previa and placental abruption. Placental abruption is a condition where the placenta separates from the uterine wall. Both conditions are flagged by heavy bleeding of bright red blood. A vaginal examination is often used to help diagnose placental abruption, but could trigger heavier bleeding in the case of placenta previa.
An ultrasound scan should always be taken first, and digital finger vaginal examinations strictly avoided in the case of placenta previa. The doctor may do a speculum vaginal examination very gently to make sure the bleeding is not coming from the cervix or vagina. Once the diagnosis is made, the pregnancy needs to be very carefully monitored. There's also some evidence that women with placenta previa who deliver preterm especially before 34 weeks are at increased risk for preterm birth in future deliveries.
Most women who develop placenta previa have no apparent risk factors. But if any of the following apply to you, you're more likely to have it:. In vasa previa, some of the fetal blood vessels are exposed and cross over the cervical opening, instead of being contained in the umbilical cord.
When contractions happen, these blood vessels stretch and may rupture, resulting in catastrophic fetal blood loss and fetal distress. This is a very serious condition and may require prolonged monitoring in the hospital.
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We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Anderson-Bagga FM et al.
Placenta previa. StatPearls Publishing. Jauniaux ERM et al. Placenta praevia and placenta accrete: Diagnosis and management. Mayo Clinic. Merck Manual Vasa previa. Consumer Version. Management of bleeding in the late preterm period. Placenta previa: Epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis, morbidity and mortality. Placenta previa: Management. Join now to personalize. Photo credit: BabyCenter. What is placenta previa?
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