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
Placenta previa is the term for a placenta that implants very low in the uterus. It covers all or part of the internal opening of the cervix. The cervix is the exit route from the uterus through which the baby passes during delivery.

Placenta previa occurs in about 1 in 200 pregnancies. It is more common in women who smoke, use cocaine or are over 35. In some women, the condition is diagnosed during a routine ultrasound examination. More than 90 percent of the time, placenta previa diagnosed in the second trimester corrects itself by the end of the pregnancy. Other women have painless bleeding from their vagina during the second half of pregnancy.

If the placenta previa continues towards the end of the pregnancy, the woman may have to stay in the hospital for monitoring until delivery. A cesarean delivery (c-section) is recommended for nearly all women with placenta previa. This is because there might be severe bleeding if the baby were to pass through the placenta on delivery.

What you can do
Call your health care provider right away if you have any bleeding from your vagina, anytime during your pregnancy. If the bleeding is severe, go to the hospital right way. If you know you have placenta previa and know you are having a c-section, you can learn more about the procedure and prepare for your delivery.

September 2005