About 1 in 10 babies born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) are at risk for placental abruption. The condition can be life threatening for both the mother and baby.
The main symptoms of placental abruption are bad abdominal pain and bleeding in the vaginal area. These can come in waves or be constant.
If you have a sudden, bad pain or bleeding in your vagina, it is important to get medical help immediately. You need to call an ambulance on triple zero (000) or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.
Your doctor will do a physical exam and run blood tests to find out what is causing the bleeding and pain. They may also do an ultrasound to see inside your uterus. This is not always possible, but they will be able to check on your developing baby and see where the bleeding is coming from.
A physical exam will also include a pelvic examination, checking for tenderness of the uterus and the frequency and duration of uterine contractions. A pelvic examination is done to rule out other possible causes of vaginal bleeding, such as a scar from a previous surgery or a fibroid where the placenta attaches to the wall of the uterus.
If a physical examination does not show any cause of bleeding, or if the physical exam shows that the placenta is still attached to the uterus, the doctor will do an ultrasound. An ultrasound is a test that uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of your uterus on a monitor.
When the doctor does an ultrasound, he or she looks for signs of a placenta that is pulling away from the uterus too early and tearing. They also look for an area of clotted blood behind the placenta.
Grade 1-3
The grade of the placental separation depends on how severe it is and how much bleeding is happening. The fetal heart rate will also be monitored to check for distress in the baby. The doctor can then decide how to treat you and the baby based on this diagnosis.
Treatment for mild or moderate placental separation is usually rest and monitoring. In severe cases, it is likely that you will need a C-section delivery of the baby.
You will need to be stable and take medications to prevent your blood pressure from getting low. Your doctor will also give you special medicines to help the baby’s lungs mature more quickly before birth.
Your health care provider will do a physical exam and run blood and urine tests to find out what is causing the vaginal bleeding. They will also do an ultrasound to see inside your uterosapartum and check on your developing baby.
This type of blood loss is usually not severe, but can be dangerous for you and your baby if it isn’t treated right away. It can lead to disseminated intravascular coagulation and kidney failure.
You can have a placental abruption at any time in your pregnancy, but it is more common in the third trimester and it can be serious. If you’ve had a placental abruption before, tell your health care provider so they can monitor you closely and suggest ways to reduce your chances of having another one.
