Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSigns and SymptomsCauses and Risk FactorsDiagnosisPotential ComplicationsTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Signs and Symptoms
Causes and Risk Factors
Diagnosis
Potential Complications
Treatment
Placenta accreta—also known as placenta accreta spectrum and formerly known as morbidly adherent placenta—is a pregnancy complication where theplacentabecomes firmly embedded within the uterine wall. This becomes especially problematic when the placenta does not detach spontaneously after delivery and instead must be removed from theuterussurgically—a procedure that can cause potentially life-threatening bleeding.
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Types of Placenta Accreta
There are three types—also referred to as “grades”—of the placenta accreta spectrum, categorized based on how deeply the placenta is attached to the uterus:
Signs and Symptoms of Placenta Accreta
Part of what makes placenta accreta so difficult to manage is that, in most cases, there are no signs orsymptoms of the condition. There are two exceptions to this:
While there is not, at this point, a single established cause of placenta accreta, those in the medical profession have identified several risk factors. As rates of placenta accreta have increased steadily since the 1970s, researchers have tracked the conditions that appear to correlate with these higher rates and identified the following risk factors:
Like many other conditions, earlier diagnosis of placenta accreta can result in better outcomes for both the pregnant person and the fetus. In most cases, placenta accreta is diagnosed via an ultrasound.
In other cases, placenta accreta is not visible on an ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used instead.
When Is Placenta Accreta Typically Diagnosed?While some features of placenta accreta may be visible using ultrasonography in the first trimester, most diagnoses are made in the second and third trimesters.
When Is Placenta Accreta Typically Diagnosed?
While some features of placenta accreta may be visible using ultrasonography in the first trimester, most diagnoses are made in the second and third trimesters.
If a person is at high risk for the condition, their healthcare team should not only continuously monitor their pregnancy but also make sure that some type of imaging is done.
Placenta accreta has the potential to result in several complications and/or risks for both the pregnant person and the fetus—some of which can be fatal. Possible complications for the fetus can include:
Potential risks and complications for the pregnant individual can include:
Although early diagnosis allows the pregnant person and their medical team to prepare for what could be a complicated labor and delivery, currently, there are no options to treat the condition in utero. In that case, the patient will be closely monitored throughout their pregnancy.
Sometimes, a person’s healthcare provider will recommend that they schedule a C-section a few weeks ahead of their due date in order to decrease the risk of bleeding from contractions or labor.
When the time for delivery arrives, the pregnant person’s medical team will assess their situation—including how difficult it would be to remove the placenta—and then determine the safest option. In some cases, that’s ahysterectomy, because removing the uterus and the placenta together, while they’re still attached, can reduce the risk of hemorrhaging. In others, though, it’s possible to surgically remove the placenta without having to remove the uterus along with it.
A Word From Verywell
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Morlando M, Collins S.Placenta accreta spectrum disorders: challenges, risks, and management strategies.Int J Womens Health. 2020;12:1033-1045. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S224191Cleveland Clinic.Placenta accreta.Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Placenta accreta.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Placenta accreta spectrum.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Morlando M, Collins S.Placenta accreta spectrum disorders: challenges, risks, and management strategies.Int J Womens Health. 2020;12:1033-1045. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S224191Cleveland Clinic.Placenta accreta.Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Placenta accreta.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Placenta accreta spectrum.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Morlando M, Collins S.Placenta accreta spectrum disorders: challenges, risks, and management strategies.Int J Womens Health. 2020;12:1033-1045. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S224191Cleveland Clinic.Placenta accreta.Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Placenta accreta.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Placenta accreta spectrum.
Morlando M, Collins S.Placenta accreta spectrum disorders: challenges, risks, and management strategies.Int J Womens Health. 2020;12:1033-1045. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S224191
Cleveland Clinic.Placenta accreta.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Placenta accreta.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Placenta accreta spectrum.
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