Vaginal delivery with placenta previa can be dangerous and lead to hemorrhaging. Still, one small study indicated that an anterior placenta may increase the need for an induction, c-section or manual placenta removal. As for other potential risks, a study indicated a slightly higher incidence of certain pregnancy complications, including:.
The reassuring truth is that having an anterior placenta is considered fairly benign. Now that you understand more about the position of your placenta, you can relax and focus on keeping yourself and baby healthy during your pregnancy. Most doctors would confidently tell you that anterior placenta risks are low. You may just have to wait a bit longer to feel those precious kicks and elbow jabs!
Of course, if you have any concerns, talk to your doctor. Heather Bartos , MD, is an ob-gyn and the medical director of Be. A navy veteran, she spent 12 years serving the women and spouses of the armed forces in Washington, D.
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Baby Products. Bookmark BookmarkTick BookmarkAdd save. But it may affect a few things in your pregnancy. You may feel kicks or punches later than in a typical pregnancy, because the placenta can act as a cushion.
But there is a possibility that the anterior placenta could grow downward instead of upward. This means that your placenta grows toward your cervix. Think of this as a migration pattern where the placenta grows more toward the blood vessel—rich top portion of your uterus. This condition is known as placenta previa.
If the placenta blocks all or a portion of your cervix during labor, a cesarean delivery , commonly known as a C-section, is required. Contact your doctor if you experience the following symptoms, which could indicate a placenta problem:. If you have experienced a fall or other trauma to your stomach, such as a car accident, call your doctor. Your doctor will continue to monitor the placement of your baby as well as the placenta throughout your pregnancy.
Getting regular prenatal care and managing any conditions that may arise throughout your pregnancy can help you deliver a healthy baby. Placenta previa is when the placenta covers the opening of the cervix during the last months of pregnancy. Find out about symptoms and treatment. Placental insufficiency, also known as placental dysfunction or uteroplacental vascular insufficiency, is an uncommon but serious complication of….
During pregnancy, those first flutters might not be that noticeable. Placental abruption occurs during a pregnancy when the placenta detaches from the uterine wall too early. This can cause bleeding and complications…. A standard ultrasound is typically performed at 18 to 22 weeks of pregnancy and can detect an anterior placenta.
Ultrasounds completed in the first trimester are not considered standard because it is too early in the pregnancy to see the full details of how the fetus is developing. Standard ultrasounds provide information such as:.
From a standard ultrasound, your healthcare provider will be able to tell you where the placenta is located. It can attach to any part of the uterus, and it may shift during pregnancy as the uterus and infant grow. The names for the locations in which the placenta can be found include:. The most common locations for the placenta to attach tend to be either toward the top or the back of the uterus.
It's believed that it attaches to the top and back of the uterus more often because there are more blood vessels in those areas, making it easier for it to transport nutrients. An anterior placenta is also a common location for it to attach. It can change your experience at a few stages of your pregnancy, including:.
When you start to feel your baby kick can vary based on:. Most times, women are expected to begin feeling fetal movement between 18 and 24 weeks. For first-time parents, it can take longer to recognize the movements of the fetus compared to women who have been pregnant before, since they know what the kicks feel like. The location of the fetus and the placenta location can also reflect when you start to feel kicks. With an anterior placenta placement, it can take longer to feel these movements because placement provides a little extra cushion and makes it more difficult to recognize.
Often with an anterior placenta, it's later on in the pregnancy, when the baby is larger, that you will begin to feel kicks. Fetal Doppler. With the placenta at the front of your uterus, the test can take a little bit longer than with other placenta locations. Your healthcare provider may need to spend more time searching for your baby's heartbeat because the sound waves can be muffled by the placenta. Physical Exams. Physical exams are completed during the final trimester by your practitioner feeling your abdomen for the position your baby is in.
With an anterior placenta, the extra cushioning can make it a little bit more difficult for your healthcare provider to identify the position and the different body parts of your baby. An amniocentesis is a procedure that removes amniotic fluid from the uterus test for testing or treatments. An anterior placenta can make this procedure a little bit more complicated because the test may need to pass through the placenta.
It may take more attempts or lead to some blood in the fluid. It is not associated with an increased risk for miscarriage in amniocentesis. You will likely still be able to have a vaginal delivery, as long as the placenta is not blocking the cervix and you do not have any pregnancy complications.
If you are having a cesarean section, a low-lying anterior placenta could make it more complicated because the placenta may be where the incision would normally be. Some research shows that avoiding cutting into an anterior placement reduced the risk for mothers needing a blood transfusion—which is used to replace lost blood—following a C-section.
If you need a C-section and have an anterior placenta, your healthcare provider will be able to use an ultrasound to determine the safest location for the incision.
Some research suggests that an anterior placenta location could make it more likely to experience one of these pregnancy complications:. With all pregnancies and placenta locations, you should call your healthcare provider if you experience:.
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