During the pregnancy test, pregnant mothers sometimes see the words low placenta after the B-ultrasound. Sometimes the doctor will tell you not to worry, it will grow up later, but sometimes the doctor will tell you that this is very dangerous, so you must protect the pregnancy, or even have an early cesarean section.
Why are there two completely different interventions? To solve this doubt, we must first understand what is low placenta? What causes low lying placenta?
A low-lying placenta occurs during pregnancy when the placenta attaches to the lower segment of the uterus and the edge is less than 2 cm from the internal cervical os.
The following factors can lead to a low-lying placenta:
Endometrial damage is the main cause of poor endometrial development and insufficient blood supply. The endometrial dysplasia, insufficient blood supply is very prone to placenta low lying at the time of conception.
The following 6 groups of people are prone to damage to the endometrium, which makes placenta low:
In the first case, there has been a history of multiple miscarriages, multiple uterine operations, uterine surgery, or previous puerperal infection or pelvic inflammatory disease.
Second, if the implantation position is relatively low, it may also lead to a low-lying placenta.
Third, if the placenta itself is large and thin, the edge of the placenta reaches the lower uterine segment or even the cervix, especially in twin pregnancy.
In the fourth case, during assisted reproduction, due to the use of hormones, the development of the endometrium and the embryo is not synchronized, and uterine contractions are induced when the embryo is implanted, thereby causing the implantation position. Low.
The fifth situation is that pregnant women of advanced age are also very likely to cause low placenta. According to statistics, pregnant women over the age of 34 are three times more likely to have a low-lying placenta than those between the ages of 20 and 33.
Sixth case, pregnant women who smoke, have a 2.6-4.4-fold increased risk of developing a low-lying placenta.
What should I do if I have a low-lying placenta?
If the placenta is low in the first trimester, you don’t need to worry too much, just do regular obstetric examinations. Because as the gestational age increases, the uterus will gradually increase, and the position of the placenta will gradually move upward. According to statistics, about 80% of pregnant women with low placenta in the first trimester can gradually normalize the position of the placenta as the gestational age increases.
Many pregnant women with low-lying placenta with a small amount of bleeding in the first trimester usually take bed rest to prevent re-bleeding. In fact, this approach is completely unnecessary. Prolonged bed rest during pregnancy can aggravate the formation of blood clots.
So the placenta in the first trimester can work and live normally as long as there is no active bleeding. However, if there is active bleeding, be careful not to exercise vigorously or have sex, and go to the hospital for regular check-ups.
If, after 28 weeks of pregnancy, the placenta is still low, even covering the internal cervical opening, this should be taken seriously, and should be observed at any time. If the bleeding is heavy, you need to go to the hospital immediately.
In the first trimester, a low-lying placenta may cause painless vaginal bleeding that usually doesn’t exceed your menstrual flow.
There are some pregnant women who don’t bleed when they lie down, and only have a small amount of bleeding when walking or urinating.
A low-lying placenta is very rare in the second trimester. If the placenta is located close to the internal cervical os at this time and even later in pregnancy, it may cause antepartum hemorrhage.
Therefore, painless vaginal bleeding in the second trimester should be treated immediately.
So, can a low-lying placenta still deliver?
If you are in good physical condition and there is not much bleeding, you can still give birth naturally. However, if the labor progresses slowly, the labor cannot be completed in a short time, or there is a lot of vaginal bleeding during the vaginal delivery, it is necessary to stop the vaginal delivery immediately and perform a cesarean section.
Can low placenta be prevented?
Lower placenta cannot be completely prevented, but taking some steps can reduce the chance of it happening.
First, develop good habits, quit smoking like smokingSuch bad habits, reasonable diet, appropriate exercise, to ensure physical and mental health.
Secondly, make a good birth plan to avoid the damage to the endometrium caused by labor induction and miscarriage. Pay attention to personal hygiene to avoid infection.
Finally, strengthen health care during pregnancy and conduct regular pregnancy tests.