How common is placenta previa?
2 Answers
Placenta Previa are common in the 20th week of most pregnancies, but sometimes it can happen during later times in pregnancies.
Placenta previa affects about 1 in 200 women in the third trimester of pregnancy.
Explanation:
Placenta previa is a condition in which the placenta is lying unusually low in the uterus, next to or covering the cervix.
Only about 1 in 200 women who have a low-lying placenta detected before 20 weeks still have it when they deliver their baby.
However, a placenta that completely covers the cervix is likely to stay that way.
When it's time to deliver, the woman will need a C-section, because the placenta blocks the baby's way out.
Even if the placenta is only bordering the cervix, a C-section will be necessary in most cases because the placenta can bleed profusely as the cervix dilates.
