That the normal-inserted placenta is detached, that is, the placenta is partially or totally separated from the uterus, it is a serious but very rare complication. It happens to only 1% of pregnant women, and although it can happen at any time during pregnancy, statistics say that is more common in the third trimester, from week 20.
In this article you will be able to know what are the most common causes, risk factors, their symptoms, the options for the delivery to arrive, even if it is prematurely or by cesarean section.
Why is it serious for the placenta to detach?
As we explained to you, the detachment of the normoinserted placenta, abrupt placenta or placental separation, occurs very rarely, but it is serious, because the fetus stops receiving nutrients from the mother. Here You have an article to know what the functions of the placenta are.
The placenta is on one side attached to the mother, through her uterus, and on the other side through the umbilical cord to the baby. It is through the placenta where it feeds, so if the separation with the uterus (partially or totally) occurs, the baby will stop receiving food. When this separation occurs the mother bleeds profusely, so there you have one of its main symptoms, but later we will explain others.
Separation of the placenta leads to vaginal bleeding, however, the blood may be trapped between the wall of the uterus and the placenta, and you may not see any external symptoms. These are the most serious cases, because the separation is taking place slowly, and does not “face” so that the problem is already detected when there is danger for the mother and the baby, because the blood that has been lost is more than you see in bleeding. This is the most serious, as a general rule there is obvious vaginal spotting or bleeding.
Causes or risk factors that can lead to shedding
Still the causes are not very clear leading to premature detachment of the placenta, which is normally expelled after delivery. Following the data, only 9% of detachments are due to blows or abdominal trauma.
Some of the risk factors are:
- Hypertension
- Preeclampsia or eclampsia.
- Use of cocaine or other narcotics.
- Smoking mothers.
- Having already had a premature detachment in another pregnancy.
- Early breakage of the water bag.
- Pregnancies in which the mother is over 40 years old.
- Blood clotting disorders.
- Amniocentesis
- Twin pregnancy
Consequences for mother and baby
The detachment of the placenta can have important consequences for both the pregnant woman and her son or daughter.
The mother may suffer a circulatory shock due to blood loss, with severe anemia requiring blood transfusion, kidney and other organ failure. In the most serious cases, when the bleeding has not been controlled after the baby is born, it is necessary to surgically remove the uterus, but this is in the most serious cases.
For the baby, placental abruption leads to oxygen and nutrient deprivation, where he has lost the connection with his mother, which causes fetal suffering. If the fetus is more than 34 weeks old, there is usually a premature birth, even if there are no signs of suffering, because small detachments can suddenly turn into large detachments.
If the fetus does not reach 34 weeks, but He has no suffering, neither he nor the mother, the usual thing is that the pregnant woman is hospitalized, corticosteroids are given to accelerate maturation of the fetal lung and other organs and cause premature labor.
We want to end this article by remembering what we said at the beginning, it is a serious problem, there is no denying it, but it is rare, hence it is important that you go to your medical check-ups.