If you are diagnosed with complete placenta previa, your doctor may advise you to have a caesarean section for the delivery of your baby, usually between weeks 36 and 37 of pregnancy. The condition may be diagnosed by an ultrasound showing the position of the placenta.
If it is detected late in the first or early in the second trimester, often the placenta's location will shift as the uterus enlarges. This can be followed by serial ultrasound. Some women may even remain undiagnosed until delivery, especially in cases of marginal placenta previa.
Painless bleeding from the vagina during the third trimester of pregnancy may also indicate the condition. In many cases, a diagnosis of placenta previa in the early weeks usually before Week 20 may correct itself as the pregnancy progresses. In other cases, placenta previa may be missed if the placenta is located behind the baby's head.
If you have been diagnosed with placenta previa, your doctor will avoid digital which means using the fingers examination of the vagina and the cervix, as this could cause the placenta to tear and lead to heavy bleeding.
In addition to painless vaginal bleeding, other signs that your doctor may look for to confirm a diagnosis of placenta previa include:. Placenta previa is a condition that cannot be prevented. However, if you are at high risk, talk about this with your health care provider to avoid complications.
Placenta previa. E-mail to a friend Please fill in all fields. Please enter a valid e-mail address. Thank you! Your e-mail was sent. Save to my dashboard Sign in or Sign up to save this page.
Saving Just a moment, please. You've saved this page It's been added to your dashboard. In This Topic. What are the symptoms of placenta previa? How is placenta previa diagnosed? How is placenta previa treated? What causes placenta previa? However, you may be at higher risk for placenta previa if: You smoke cigarettes. You use cocaine. If you've had placenta previa before, what are your chances of having it again? How can you reduce your risk for placenta previa? Last reviewed: January, This can even happen after the placenta is delivered because it was implanted in the lower part of the uterus, which doesn't contract as well as the upper part — so postpartum contractions aren't as effective at stopping the bleeding.
Placenta accreta. Women who have placenta previa are also more likely to have a placenta that's implanted too deeply and that doesn't separate easily at delivery. This is called placenta accreta and it can cause massive bleeding and the need for multiple blood transfusions at delivery.
It can be life threatening and may require a hysterectomy to control the bleeding. Premature birth. If you need to deliver before term, your baby will be at risk for complications from premature birth , such as breathing problems and low birth weight. Future preterm birth. 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.
BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals.
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 If bleeding occurs during this time, you should seek medical care as soon as possible. If the C-section needs to be scheduled sooner, your baby may be given corticosteroid injections to speed up their lung growth. During labor, the cervix will open to allow the baby to move into the vaginal canal for birth.
If the placenta is in front of the cervix, it will begin to separate as the cervix opens, causing internal bleeding. This can necessitate an emergency C-section, even if the baby is premature, as the pregnant person could bleed to death if no action is taken. Vaginal birth also poses too many risks for the pregnant person, who could experience severe hemorrhaging during labor , delivery, or after the first few hours of delivery. A placenta previa diagnosis can be alarming for people who are expecting a baby.
Here are some ideas for how to cope with your condition and how to prepare yourself for delivery. Get educated. Get in contact with other people who have been through placenta previa births. Be prepared for your cesarean delivery. Depending on the type of your placenta previa, you might not be able to have a vaginal birth. Pelvic rest is important while you are experiencing this condition. Additionally you should not engage in any strenuous activity or heavy lifting.
You can use the time wisely by catching up on small projects, such as:.
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