The Quest: Surviving A Deadly Pregnancy

Pregnancy may seem like an ordinary medical condition, but there are cases when problems occur that can lead not only to preterm birth but also to death. Experts have identified one of these problems as placenta accreta which exists in up to 10% of pregnant women who also suffer from a condition called placenta previa.

Wall Street Journal said women who have undergone cesarean delivery have more chances of getting placenta accreta in future pregnancies considering that more than 60% of cases with placenta accreta mostly involved multiple cesarean births. A woman with placenta accreta is faced with complications in her bladder which could require a risky delivery.

Typically, the placenta is attached to the wall of the uterus, but with this condition, the placenta gets deeply attached to the uterine wall depending on the severity of the case. American Pregnancy said the severity of the condition could be further classified as placenta increta where the placenta does not only attach deeply both into the uterine wall and muscle while placenta percreta does not only attach to the entire wall of the uterus but also to another organ usually the bladder.

Placenta accreta accounts for 75% of these cases while placenta increta accounts for 15% and placenta accounts for only 5% of these cases. This pregnancy complication can be life-threatening and can lead to premature birth, failure of the organs, blood clotting, and vaginal bleeding. Pregnant women should undergo regular check-ups especially if they have this condition so it can be correctly diagnosed and the appropriate treatment such as cesarean delivery or hysterectomy can be resorted to.

Healthline said when the placenta attaches itself firmly to the wall of the uterus during childbirth, it can lead to severe bleeding. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) said this is however not a common pregnancy complication since only one out of 533 women in the United States experience this every year.