Placenta abruption during pregnancy can be life threatening. Read on to learn more about the signs and symptoms of placenta abruption and complications related to it.Worried what placenta abruption is all about? Well, here we have attempted to familiarise you with this complication in pregnancy. Read along for more information.
What is Placental Abruption?
Placenta abruption is a major cause for bleeding in late pregnancy. It happens when the placenta peels away from the uterus with associated bleeding between the separated placenta and the uterus. Either the blood may accumulate in the uterus or there may be vaginal bleeding. Other signs include spasms of the uterus, variations in the foetal heartbeat or disappearance of the foetal heart tones.
The mother may also display symptoms of shock due to blood loss like sweating, pallor, light-headedness, clammy skin, etc. In extreme cases, the foetus might die and the mother may go into deep shock because of the blood loss. On the other hand, there may be no vaginal bleeding, the foetal heart rate may remain normal, and the only symptom will be uterine pains. There is no known cause for this condition. It occurs in less than 1% of all pregnancies.
Placenta abruption includes series of complications that actually deprives the unborn baby in the uterus from oxygen and necessary nutrients. This results in heavy bleeding in the pregnant mother.
Placental abruption generally happens suddenly and can be life threatening for the mother as well as the baby.
Symptoms of Placenta Abruption
Complications like placental abruption generally are more common in the
last trimester. Here are some of the signs and symptoms associated with it.
- Tenderness of the uterine
- Pain in back
- Pain in the abdomen
- Bleeding from the vagina
- Uterine contractions
While generally placenta abruption starts suddenly, in some cases the whole process may be slow. In such cases, you shall be able to notice intermittent vaginal bleeding, you may have low amniotic content and your baby might develop too fast.
Causes behind the Complications
While no certain cause can be specified for placenta abruption, the possible causes stated by doctors are injury or trauma to the stomach such as falling from a vehicle. Experts suggest plenty of risk factors that increase chances of placenta abruption. Here are some of them.
- If you have a previous history of placenta abruption. In this case, your chances of experiencing another one follow.
- If you have high blood pressure, you are at high risk.
- If you take cocaine or smoke regularly, you at exposed to the risks of placenta abruption.
- Premature membrane ruptures also increase your chances of an abruption.
- Your baby is cushioned with a membrane filled with fluid. This is the amniotic sac. The chances of a placenta abruption increase, when your sac breaks before you get into labour.
- If your body is impaired of the normal blood clotting ability, you are again exposed to an increased risk.
- Multiple pregnancies include plenty of complications and one such is the placental abruption.
- Chances of an abruption increase when you are pregnant after 40.
Placenta abruption can result in life threatening complications for the mother as well as the baby. Here are some complications generally linked with it. Please take a look below:
Complications for the Mother:- Kidney failure or malfunctioning of other vital organs.
- Shock resulting from loss of blood.
- Requirement for transfusion of blood.
- Problems linked with blood clotting.
Complications for the Baby:- Lack of necessary nutrients and oxygen.
- Stillbirth
- Premature delivery
Bleeding from the placental attachment is common in this case after the baby is born. The uterus may have to be removed if bleeding cannot be arrested anyway.
Coping with Placenta Abruption
Placenta abruption calls for medical emergencies. You will be left with very little time to prepare. However, when you visit your doctor for the regular checkups, he or she shall be able to diagnose you for the early signs. You may be closely monitored or suggested a hospital admission depending on the severity of your complications.
In case you are hospitalised, here are some of the things that you can be prepared for:
- You must pay close attention to your bodily changes. Let your doctor know about any complication or new symptoms that you experience.
- Keeps a list of all medicines including the health supplements that you have taking handy.
In emergency cases, it might get difficult for you to collect all the vital preparations. The chances of you forgetting or missing out on vital information reduce, when you take a planned approach. In order to avoid such complications during pregnancy it is very necessary to take right precautions and follow a healthy lifestyle through the pregnancy period.
What are the causes of placenta abruption? How to prevent the abruption of placenta? What are the complications related to placenta abruption? Discuss here.