How is it managed?
A placental abruption (also called an 'accidental haemorrhage') is a rare complication (about 0.5% of pregnancies) that happens when the placenta lifts off the wall of the uterus, usually in the middle of the placenta. This allows blood to pool and clot behind the placenta between the placenta, and the wall of the uterus (called a 'retroplacental clot').
The signs of a placental abruption in labour usually include:
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The contractions stopping abruptly. |
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The baby's heart rate dropping abnormally low, and / or |
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Severe, constant abdominal pain or back pain that may be associated with some vaginal bleeding. |
Because much of the blood accumulates behind the placenta, the amount of blood that can be noticed coming away from the vagina may not be that much. If you, or your caregivers, feel the uterus, it is often very tender, or painful to touch.
Placental abruption can also happen during the pregnancy, and is explained in more depth in
bleeding during late pregnancy.
How is it managed?
The size of the blood clot with a placental abruption will often determine how serious the condition is. If the clot is a large, and the woman and / or baby are at risk, then an emergency Caesarean is usually the only alternative.
The following would be done as part of the woman's care: