Understanding Placental Abruption

The placenta is a circular organ that is only present in a woman during pregnancy; the main functions of the placenta are to provide oxygen and nutrients to a growing fetus, and remove waste products from a baby’s blood. In a normal labor and deliver, a woman’s body will send a signal to the placenta after the baby is delivered and the umbilical cord is cut, and the placenta will detach and exit the woman’s body through the birth canal. Placental abruption is a serious condition in which the placenta begins detaching from the uterus while the baby is still in utero, which can deprive the baby of vital oxygen and nutrients.

While placental abruption is a very serious and potentially an extremely dangerous or even fatal condition, doctors have not been able to determine why placental abruption occurs in some women. However, several risk factors have been identified that can increase a woman’s chance of experiencing placental abruption:
•Numerous Pregnancies: a woman’s chance of experiencing placental abruption increases the more pregnancies she has.

•High Blood Pressure: whether a woman has chronic high blood pressure or high blood pressure due to pregnancy (preeclampsia), this condition can raise the chance of a placental abruption.

•Smoking While Pregnant: it has been well established that if a woman smokes while pregnant it can cause health problems in a baby, but it may also cause placental abruption.

•Previous Cases of Placental Abruptions: if a woman experiences a placental abruption during one pregnancy, she has a much higher chance of experiencing placental abruption in future pregnancies.

•Using Illegal Drugs While Pregnant: The use of illegal drugs during pregnancy, particularly amphetamines and cocaine, have been shown to increase the risk of placental abruption.

•Premature Rupture of Membranes: if a woman’s water breaks prior to reaching a full term pregnancy (36 weeks), there is a much higher chance of placental abruption occurring.

The problem with placental abruption is the fact that it can be difficult for doctors and health care professionals to pinpoint and diagnose. The symptoms of placental abruption, such as abdominal and back pain, contractions, vaginal bleeding, and irregularities in a baby’s heart beat, can be signs of several different problems or even a typical labor. In some cases, woman will not experience bleeding when there is a placental abruption if the blood pools in the uterus.

Placental abruption is not uncommon; it is estimated that as many as 1 in 20 women have small abruptions that are not detected and do not pose any threat to the mother or baby. Approximately 1 in 120 women have a large placental abruption that can cause complications, and an estimated 1 in 830 women have a placental abruption that is serious enough that it ends in a baby not surviving. Placental abruption can also be dangerous to the mother due to extensive blood loss, but advances in medical care have drastically lowered the mortality rate for women who experience this condition.

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