What is placenta praevia? The placenta is normally attached to the posterior, anterior or lateral wall of the uterine body. If the placenta is attached to the lower part of the uterus or covers the inner cervical os and is lower than the fetal previa, it is called placenta praevia. Placenta praevia is one of the main causes of late pregnancy bleeding and is a serious complication of pregnancy. According to the position of the placenta covering the uterus, there are 4 types of placenta praevia: 1. complete placenta praevia placenta completely covers the cervical os. 2. partial placenta praevia placenta. 2. Partial placenta praevia placenta covers part of the cervical os. 3, marginal placenta praevia placenta’s edge just reaches the inner cervical opening. 4.Low placenta placenta is located in the lower part of the uterus. In addition, the placenta praevia can also occur in mothers-to-be who have smoked. However, as the uterus grows, the placenta usually moves up, and only some people maintain the status of “placenta praevia” at the end of pregnancy. Who is most at risk for placenta praevia? Most women with placenta praevia have no significant risk factors. However, you are more likely to have placenta praevia if any of the following conditions are present: 1. You had placenta praevia in a previous pregnancy. 2. 2. You have two or more babies in your belly with this pregnancy. 3. you have had a previous cesarean section (the more cesarean sections you have had before, the greater the risk) 4, You have had other previous uterine surgery (such as diagnostic scraping of the uterine cavity or myomectomy, abortion scraping, etc.). 5, You smoke. 6.You have inflammation of the endometrium of the uterus. 7.You use cocaine. 8, Also, the more children you have and the older you are, the greater the risk of having placenta praevia. Common symptoms of placenta praevia Recurrent painless bleeding in late pregnancy is the most important symptom of placenta praevia. The first bleeding of complete placenta praevia occurs earlier, with frequent and heavy recurrent bleeding; the first bleeding of marginal placenta praevia occurs later, mostly at 37-40 weeks of gestation or just before or after delivery, and the amount is also smaller; the first bleeding of partial placenta praevia occurs at a time and amount in between. Placenta praevia without vaginal bleeding can also be seen. What should I do if I have placenta praevia during pregnancy? If you are found to have placenta praevia during an ultrasound in the middle of your pregnancy, you should not be nervous. It is possible that the placenta will gradually “drift” away from the cervical opening as the pregnancy progresses and this will not matter. Since the placenta is an organ attached to the uterus, it is not really able to “drift”, it just moves away from the cervical opening as the uterus expands in size and the lower part of the uterus stretches. As the placenta itself grows, it is likely to grow towards the upper part of the uterus where the blood supply is more abundant. Even if placenta praevia is detected later in pregnancy, it is still possible for the placenta to leave the cervical opening, although the later it is detected, the less likely it is. Your doctor will tell you to have a repeat ultrasound at the beginning of your late pregnancy (the last 3 months of pregnancy) to check the position of the placenta. If you have vaginal bleeding at this stage, you should have an ultrasound right away to find out the cause.