When you have placenta previa do you only bleed when it's time for your period or do you bleed all through your pregnancy? What happens?
2 Answers
Patients with placenta previa often experience painless, bright red vaginal bleeding around 32 weeks of gestation.
Explanation:
Placenta previa is a pregnancy complication in which placenta overlies or is proximate to the internal opening of the mother's cervix and may cause excessive bleeding during any stage of pregnancy. Placenta previa is mostly suspected if there is bleeding after 24 weeks of gestation.
Bleeding is usually mild in the beginning, and may increase with increase of placental separation.
The major complication which can occur is severe bleeding which is a life threatening danger and can lead to haemorrhage, shock or even death. Babies are usually delivered early because of dangerous amounts of bleeding. Fetal complications may include hypoxia and death.
The greatest risk of placenta previa is at delivery The placenta separates from the Uterus leaving the baby without Oxygen.
Explanation:
While some bleeding occurs late in the pregnancy this is usually not serious. Sometimes the woman is confined to bed rest to reduce the risk of a premature delivery.
During delivery the placenta being over the birth canal is torn loose from the Uterus. This means that the placenta is no longer able to receive Oxygen from the mother or transfer the Oxygen to the baby. Placenta previa creates a major risk to the life and health of the baby.
Because the placenta is located over the birth canal the placenta is not as securely attached to the Uterus. Because of the risk of the placenta separating early (privia previous to) before the birth of the baby, a C section is often recommended. In a normal delivery the placenta is the after birth. By removing the baby surgically the risks of baby being without Oxygen during delivery is avoided.
