Placenta abruption is a quite rare problem, but it is a really serious one. The placenta is the structure that develops in order to nourish the baby. The problem arises if it peels away from the uterus’ wall before childbirth.
Information about placental abruption
In case the problem occurs, the baby might not receive all the nutrients and oxygen that he or she needs and in the same time the mother could experience heavy bleeding. In the majority of the cases the abruption happens suddenly. If it isn’t treated, it could become dangerous for the mother and the baby.
Symptoms of the abruption of the placenta
The problem usually occurs during the last 12 weeks of pregnancy. The most common signs and symptoms include pain in the abdomen, vaginal bleeding, uterine tenderness, back pain and fast uterine contractions, one following the other.
The back and abdominal pain caused by placenta abruption usually appear suddenly. The amount of bleeding that women experience varies from a woman to the other. Sometimes bleeding has no connection with how much your placenta has separated from the uterus.
It is possible for you to have abruption that is placental and not to notice any bleeding. This happens if the blood is trapped inside the uterus by the placenta. Sometimes the abruption develops slowly. In this case you could notice intermittent and light vaginal bleeding. As a result the baby might not develop as fast as he or she should.
See your doctor
If you notice the classic symptoms of placental abruption you should seek medical attention. These symptoms include vaginal bleeding, severe back pain, abdominal pain and rapid uterine contractions. If you can’t reach your doctor, you should go to the ER.
Causes of abruptio placentae
In many cases the exact origin of the problem is not known. The possible causes include a trauma or injury to the abdomen. This could happen in case of a fall or maybe a car accident, for example. It is also possible for the problem to be caused by the fast loss of the amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby.
Risk factors
There are some factors that make it more likely to be affected by placental abruption. These include previous problems of this kind. If you were affected by it during a previous pregnancy, you are likely to be affected again. Having high blood pressure also makes the appearance of the problem more likely.
As you may already know, the abruption that is placental can also be caused by an abdominal trauma. Substance abuse can affect your pregnancy too. This problem is quite common in case of the women who use cocaine or who smoke during their pregnancy. Blood clotting disorders could have the same results.
By now you may know that placenta abruption is a serious problem and a threat to the baby and if you notice any signs of it, you have to make sure that you see your doctor ASAP.
