women s health issues
Placenta Accreta
Introduction
Placenta accreta is a placenta with an abnormally firm attachment to the uterus. Having had a Cesarean Delivery , having If a woman has risk factors for placenta accreta, doctors do ultrasonography periodically during the pregnancy to check for this complication. If the risk of placenta accreta is high, doctors may talk with a pregnant woman about planning a cesarean delivery with a hysterectomy (removing the uterus) a few weeks before the due date. After delivery of the baby, the placenta usually detaches from the uterus, and a woman can push the placenta out by herself or with help from a doctor or midwife. When the placenta is too firmly attached, parts of the placenta may remain in the uterus after delivery. In these cases, delivery of the placenta is delayed, and the risks of bleeding and infection in the uterus are increased. Bleeding may be life threatening. In the United States, rates of cesarean delivery have increased, and therefore rates of placenta accreta has also been increasing. 