Placental abruption is the partial or total detachment of the normally positioned placenta from the uterine wall after 20 weeks of gestation or during labor before the fetus is delivered. Placental abruption at 40 weeks of pregnancy may be due to high blood pressure complicating late pregnancy, or abdominal trauma occurring late in pregnancy.
Pregnant women suffering from hypertension complicating late pregnancy, especially severe preeclampsia, due to spasm or hardening of the small uterine arteries, causing capillary degeneration, necrosis or even rupture and bleeding, the blood forms a hematoma between the uterus and the placenta, which results in the separation of the placenta from the wall of the uterus. Abdominal trauma or direct impact can also induce placental abruption.
Placental abruption is mainly characterized by abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, and can lead to shock in severe cases. If the pregnant woman is combined with high blood pressure, she needs to monitor her blood pressure regularly to avoid excessive fluctuations, as well as to monitor for signs of placental abruption. Pregnant women who experience abdominal trauma in late pregnancy should be monitored for persistent abdominal pain and seek prompt medical attention and treatment if necessary.