Placenta Previa in Pregnancy
What is Placenta Previa?
When you conceive, the embryo attaches itself to your uterus with a yolk sac. As your pregnancy progresses, a placenta is formed to take over the job of nurturing your growing fetus. The placenta will attach itself to the wall of your uterus and will grow as your fetus and uterus does. Sometimes the placenta will attach too close to the cervix and as the placenta gets larger, it covers the cervix.
As you can probably guess, if a placenta covers the cervix, it blocks the way out for your baby. It can also cause complications such as bleeding towards the end of your pregnancy. You will need to have a c-section since a vaginal delivery is not possible.
Can the Placenta Move During Pregnancy?
YES! If your U/S tech tells you that your placenta is too close to the cervix, the tech will usually have you come in for additional ultrasounds to monitor the progression of the placenta. Usually, as the uterus grows up your placenta will move along with it away from the cervix. This is great news for anyone who is worried about his or her placenta's position.
I'm Worried - What Do I Do?
Try to stay calm and just see what happens. Women who find out about the placenta being too close to the cervix do so at around 20 weeks. That means there is still a lot of time for it to move out of the way before your delivery date. Try to hold off worrying until you know for sure there is no chance that the placenta will move. If you are concerned, talk to you doctor about it. Your doctor will be able to explain it further for you and maybe even give you another ultrasound to see if there has been any movement since the last time you had an ultrasound.
Want to Find Out More about Placenta Previa?
The Internet has a ton of information on the subject of this pregnancy issue. Visit some of these sites to find more on Placenta Previa in pregnancy.
Published by M
- Recurrent Placenta Previa a Risk for Pregnancy of MultiplesFor women pregnant with multiples, and a prior history of placenta previa, there is a marked increase for recurrent placenta previa complications.
- Bleeding During Pregnancy: My Story of Placenta Previa and Getting Through a High-...Unlike many women, I bled very single day of my pregnancy. Bleeding during pregnancy is not uncommon. So when is it time to consult a doctor and what are the risks and warning signs of potential complications of place...
Pregnancy Week 20: Ultrasound, Uterus Size, and Baby's HiccupsDuring the twentieth week of pregnancy you will be scheduled for an ultrasound and you have to decide if you want to know the gender of your baby before he or she is born.
Delaying Conception: What Are The Risks?An overview of the risks associated with delaying conception until a woman is in her 30s and 40s, including reasons women want to wait, the risk of various abnormalities and ill...- Elevated AFP Tests Indicative of Planceta Previa in PregnancyFor women who suffer from complications of placenta previa, the first indicator may come with an elevated AFP, alpha-fetoprotein, test result.
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