Pregnancy complications

• Pregnancy complications may need special medical care.
• Common problems include anemia, diabetes and bleeding.
• Ask your provider about the signs of serious complications.

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What you need to know
In a normal pregnancy, the placenta attaches itself to the uterine wall, away from the cervix.

• Placenta accreta is a placenta that attaches itself too deeply and too firmly into the wall of the uterus.
• Placenta increta is a placenta that attaches itself even more deeply into the uterine wall.
• Placenta percreta is a placenta that attaches itself through the uterus, sometimes extending to nearby organs, such as the bladder.

These disorders occur in about 1 in 2,500 pregnancies. They often cause vaginal bleeding in the third trimester and often result in a premature delivery. Since the placenta cannot easily separate from the wall of the uterus after delivery, the placenta usually needs to be surgically removed. Often a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) is necessary, although there are other surgical procedures that can be used to save the uterus.

What you can do
There is little a woman with one of these conditions can do to either treat or prevent it. If placenta accreta is diagnosed before delivery (by ultrasound), the delivery can be planned, and a surgical procedure that can spare the uterus can be considered. This is something to discuss with your health care provider, especially if you would like to have another child in the future. If the condition is severe, however, this may not be possible.

September 2005