The placenta is high on the anterior wall. Location of the placenta along the anterior wall of the uterus
The formation of the placenta is observed from the first day of pregnancy of the fairer sex.
At 16 weeks of pregnancy, the placenta is a fully functioning organ. It delivers oxygen and nutrients to the fetus, which ensures its full growth and development. The placenta also removes the baby's waste products.
In most cases, the organ is located on the back walls of the uterus. But sometimes the location of the placenta is the anterior wall of the uterus.
Normally, the placenta of a representative of the fairer sex is located along the rear walls. If a woman's uterus is not pregnant, then it is located behind the bladder. After conception, a woman's uterus moves forward, and the bladder is located behind it. As the child develops and grows, the anterior wall of the uterus stretches while the posterior wall remains practically motionless.
The location of the placenta on the posterior walls of the uterus is characterized by a large number of advantages:
- This arrangement ensures fetal immobility. This is due to the minimal tensile capacity of the posterior wall. Compared to the front wall, it is denser and thicker. During the period of uterine contraction, the organ will be subject to minimal stress, which will eliminate the possibility of expulsion of the placenta.
- When the placenta is located posteriorly, a lower level of trauma is ensured. When the baby moves and kicks, it will affect the placenta much less often than with a different location.
- When the placenta is positioned posteriorly, the risk of detachment is minimized. Premature detachment of the organ in most cases is observed when it is located in the front.
- If located on the back walls of the uterus, this significantly reduces the risks of such phenomena as its growth or attachment.
During pregnancy, the placenta can be located not only on the back, but also on the side walls. It can also be located on the anterior wall of the uterus. This arrangement does not apply to a number of pathologies. Despite this, it leads to various types of risks.
Features of the anterior location of the placenta
If the organ is located on the front walls of the uterus, then it will be quite simple for the doctor to determine this by the external signs of the pregnant woman.
In a representative of the fairer sex, with this location of the placenta in the uterus, the size of the abdomen is larger than normal. This leads to the appearance of a large number of stretch marks.
Many women feel them very little or do not notice them at all. In most cases, fetal movements begin to be felt much later than the established norm.
When a doctor listens to the fetal heartbeat, he hears it remotely. This causes difficulties when examining the child.
The location of the placenta on the anterior wall of the uterus causes a lot of inconvenience during the examination of a representative of a weak hearth. It is a little more difficult for the woman herself to bear a child than with a normal placenta.
Existing risks
When the placenta is located on the anterior wall of the uterus, certain risks arise that can lead to negative consequences.
In most cases, placenta accretion to the uterine wall is observed. This pathological condition occurs in extremely rare cases, but it is necessary to remember about it for those representatives of the fairer sex whose previous births were performed using the method or other operations were observed. The appearance of the pathological condition is explained by the fact that the placenta is attached as tightly as possible to the postoperative scar.
Attachment of the placenta to the anterior wall of the uterus can be observed after abortions in which curettage was used, manual separation of the placenta with damage to the walls of the uterus. Pathology can also be observed against the background of perforation and uterine rupture.
Women may be at risk of placenta previa, which is explained by anatomical features. When the placenta is located on the back walls of the uterus, as it grows, the organ moves upward. These are anatomical changes that eliminate the possibility of development.
When the organ is located on the anterior wall of the uterus, certain complications may arise. If the embryo is positioned low at the initial stage, the placenta will grow quite high.
If the embryo is close to the exit of the uterus, the placenta will move downwards. As a result of this, partial or complete presentation and closure of the anterior pharynx by the organ are observed. In most cases, with this arrangement of the organ, it is observed to be premature.
Most often, this location of the placenta leads to its abruption. If we compare the anterior and posterior walls of the uterus, the first of them is more extensible and thinner. As the fetus grows, there is an increase in pressure on the anterior wall. In addition, the baby in the womb begins to push intensely. At later stages, a high level of sensitivity of the uterus to external influences is observed.
When a woman strokes her belly or feels the baby move, this in most cases leads to training contractions of the uterus. These are not dangerous either for the child or for the fairer sex. When the placenta is located on the anterior wall of the uterus, there may be a risk of premature detachment. If the placenta is attached well and there are no scars on the uterus, the woman’s pregnancy will proceed normally.
The location of the placenta on the anterior wall of the uterus is influenced by a whole group of factors. The most common cause is various surgical interventions and cesarean section.
In order to determine the location of the organ, appropriate diagnostics are carried out. If the doctor has doubts about the location of the placenta, he prescribes an ultrasound examination for the fairer sex.
The location of the placenta on the anterior wall of the uterus is not a pathological process. But the fairer sex needs to be as careful as possible, since such a condition can lead to complications.
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The placenta is formed in the first weeks of pregnancy and acts as a conductor of nutrients and oxygen to the fetus and the removal of waste products, and also serves as a barrier to infections.
There are several options for its attachment in the uterus. One of them is the location on the front wall. Having heard such a verdict from a doctor, it is important for a woman to know how this threatens the normal course of pregnancy and the development of the child.
From a physiological point of view, the most optimal is the attachment of the placenta along the posterior wall. The fact is that during pregnancy the walls of the uterus stretch unevenly. As the child grows, the front wall increases in size and stretches, while the back wall retains its density and stretches much less.
The front wall becomes thinner as it stretches. From here it becomes clear that for the normal functioning of the placenta, a location along the rear wall is more advantageous, since this way it is exposed to a minimum of stress.
Advantages of location on the rear wall
- The placenta is ensured immobility - placenta previa on the posterior wall is extremely rare, the placenta does not descend down and there is no threat to pregnancy.
- Uterine contractions and increased tone will not increase.
- The placenta is less exposed to blows and jolts from the baby when it moves.
- Lower risk of increment.
- There is a lower risk of injury to the placenta due to an accidental blow to the abdomen.
- There is a lower risk of bleeding with a caesarean section.
Causes of anterior placenta previa
However, not everything during pregnancy always goes according to the ideal scenario. Often the placenta is attached in a different place - on the side or in front. At the moment, many doctors consider the attachment of the placenta along the anterior wall as a normal option that requires special monitoring.
There can be many reasons why the placenta is attached to the anterior wall of the uterus. The mechanism of such attachment has not been fully studied, but it has been revealed that it can be provoked by:
- changes in the endometrium of the uterus;
- Features of the development and implantation of the fertilized egg;
- scars and adhesions on the walls of the uterus.
Various inflammatory diseases of the genital area, endometriosis, can lead to changes in the endometrium.
Scar changes on the walls of the uterus appear as a result of operations on the uterus, abortion, and inflammatory diseases. This suggests that multiple abortions and caesarean sections increase the risk of placenta being attached anteriorly.
According to statistics, such attachment rarely occurs during the first pregnancy. But in multiparous and multiparous women, this is a much more common occurrence, which may be explained by changes in the uterus and especially the inner lining.
If for some reason the fertilized egg does not have time to penetrate the endometrium within a certain time, then it is attached to the anterior wall.
Possible complications of the anterior attachment of the placenta to the uterus
Is there any danger in this position of the placenta? It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally.
The fact is that if the placenta is located high on the anterior wall, pregnancy can proceed completely normally and end in a natural birth without pathologies.
At the same time, there are some risks. This is due to the fact that the placenta is an organ that is not capable of stretching. And when the wall on which it is attached begins to stretch too actively, complications are possible.
First of all, this is insufficient functioning of the placenta and impaired delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the fetus. And this in turn can lead to or.
If the distance to the uterine pharynx is reduced to 4 cm, we will talk about such a complication of the anterior location as. Anterior placenta previa can cause dysfunction of the placenta.
In extremely rare cases (if the position is too low), the placenta can completely block the cervix of the uterus, which will exclude the possibility of natural childbirth. More often, this complication develops during repeated pregnancy.
Anterior placenta previa in combination with placental insufficiency can provoke such a serious complication of pregnancy as partial or complete abruption.
In some cases, indirect symptoms are:
- weakly felt fetal movements;
- difficulties with - sometimes the heart sound is completely inaudible in the absence of pathology of the fetal cardiovascular system;
- Large belly size.
Unpleasant symptoms may appear if the placenta begins to descend and becomes previa. In this case, a woman needs to pay attention to:
- heaviness and;
Diagnostic methods
Diagnosis is quite simple and is based on a gynecological examination and ultrasound examination.
Only ultrasound gives a complete picture of how the placenta is located and whether there is a risk of its presentation.
Therefore, you should not refuse to undergo an ultrasound scan on time. The sooner this feature of pregnancy is identified, the easier it will be to prevent possible complications.
Features of pregnancy
The anterior position itself does not cause any trouble to the woman and does not worsen her well-being. Being simply a feature of pregnancy, it does not require treatment. In addition, there is no treatment for it, since it is impossible to influence the location of the placenta, as well as change its position and move it to the back wall.
However, this feature of pregnancy requires constant and close monitoring so as not to miss the possible onset of complications, which are still more likely with an anterior location than with a normal one.
To reduce the risk, pregnant women with this placement are advised to rest more, completely avoid lifting weights (even if it seems that the objects are not heavy at all), and avoid worries, stress, and physical activity.
If, then you should try to touch the stomach as little as possible, so as not to provoke increased tone and placental abruption.
This is especially important in the later stages.
It is important to visit the doctor on time so as not to miss changes in the placenta and its location. This approach will allow you to notice in time that the child’s seat tends to move downwards.
Childbirth with placenta on the anterior wall
In the absence of complications, this placement of the baby's place does not have any effect on the course of labor. Moreover, some women note that childbirth is easier and faster. But this is true when it comes to natural childbirth.
If a woman is indicated for a cesarean section, an anterior position may complicate the operation, increasing the risk of large blood loss. This is due to the fact that the incision is made in the place where the placenta is located.
Therefore, when indicating a cesarean section, doctors must take into account the location of the placenta and adjust the surgical intervention in such a way as to minimize the risk of large blood loss. Naturally, for this, a woman must be regularly monitored and have all the necessary studies.
The anterior position does not have any effect on the health of the born child.
Anterior location is not a pathology, but an individual feature of pregnancy.
Therefore, you should not worry and expect complications - in the vast majority of cases, everything ends in a successful birth without complications. The only peculiarity here is the need for closer monitoring of the course of pregnancy.
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Without the normal functioning of the placenta, it is impossible to imagine the full growth and development of the baby. This article will help you understand what placenta previa on the anterior wall of the uterus means and what it affects.
What is it?
To ensure the vital activity of the chorion, and subsequently the fetus, adequate blood flow is required. The baby can get all the nutrients and oxygen through the uteroplacental artery system. They pass through the placenta in large quantities, ensuring the growth and development of the fetus.
The main function, which is inherent in placental tissue by nature, is to provide the fetus with nutritional components, as well as its protection from external influences. The intrauterine development of the fetus largely depends on how the placenta is located. At a certain stage of pregnancy, fetal movements help determine the intensity of fetal growth.
The intensity of the baby’s intrauterine development also depends on how the placenta is attached. The attachment of placental tissue is determined, in fact, from the first weeks of pregnancy. The location of implantation of the fertilized egg affects where the placental tissue will be located.
The placenta is most often located along the posterior wall of the uterus in the area of its fundus. In some cases, it can be located in the area of the side walls - either right or left. If there is a lot of placental tissue, then it can attach to several uterine walls at once.
This physiological location of the placenta is explained quite simply. The blood supply in the area of the uterine fundus and its posterior wall is quite well expressed. This helps the fetus to grow quickly and intensively.
Obstetricians and gynecologists note that the placenta in some cases can also attach to the anterior wall of the uterus. It should be noted that this is much less common.
The normal attachment of the placenta along the posterior wall is not randomly determined by nature. This arrangement is more beneficial for the intrauterine development of the fetus.
Placental tissue can attach to different parts of the uterus. So, most often it is attached in the bottom area. However, under certain conditions, the laying of placental tissue occurs lower - in the area of the lower segment of the uterus. Too low a location of the placental tissue is fraught with the development of its presentation.
Doctors consider placenta previa to be a pathology when the placental tissue is in close proximity to the internal os of the uterus. Normally, there is a certain distance between them. So, in the 2nd trimester, the placental tissue is normally 5 cm higher than the internal os. If this distance is significantly reduced, then this pathological condition is called presentation.
Doctors distinguish several clinical variants of placental tissue previa. Thus, placenta previa can be central, marginal or lateral. The different clinical variants of this pathology are determined by the wall to which the placental tissue is attached.
Why is this happening?
The placenta is attached to the anterior wall of the uterus from the very early stages of pregnancy. This happens quite simply. For certain reasons, a fertilized egg cannot attach to the fundus of the uterus and begins to sink lower. So it descends almost to the internal pharynx, where its implantation occurs.
Various gynecological diseases can contribute to the development of anterior placenta previa. Chronic inflammation occurring in a woman’s reproductive organs leads to their damage. In this case, the mucous membrane lining the inner surface of the uterus changes. Such changes contribute to the fact that the fertilized egg can attach in the lower sections.
The placenta can be attached to the anterior wall of the uterus even if the woman has undergone a number of gynecological operations. Thus, curettage or the consequences of surgical abortions can contribute to the development of this type of presentation.
Doctors note that the risk of developing placenta previa is slightly higher in multiparous women. If a woman has a complicated obstetric and gynecological history, then the likelihood of anterior presentation of the placental tissue increases several times.
The development of this pathology can also be facilitated by various congenital pathologies of the reproductive organs. Placenta previa can occur in women suffering from uterine hypoplasia. Anatomical defects in the structure of the uterus can also contribute to the development of this pathology.
Features of this location
Attachment of placental tissue along the anterior wall is less physiological. This arrangement of placental tissue has both disadvantages and advantages. There are far fewer pros than cons.
It should also be noted that such a clinical situation requires a certain medical approach. A pregnant woman who has such a location of the placenta requires quite close monitoring by doctors.
Pros
The advantages of anterior placenta previa include the possibility of migration. During the several months of waiting for the baby to be born, the placental tissue may change its position. Doctors note that the placental tissue with anterior placenta previa moves much more easily than with a posterior one.
Cons
It is noted that the placenta is extremely rarely attached to the anterior wall of the uterus. This feature has important biological significance. This is explained quite simply. Placental tissue is very delicate. It can be easily damaged due to various external traumatic influences.
The location of the placenta on the anterior wall of the uterus can be dangerous due to the development of its detachment. In this case, abdominal injuries can contribute to the development of dangerous uterine bleeding. If it is too intense, then in such a situation acute oxygen starvation of the fetus may develop, which means there will be a severe threat to the baby’s life.
Is placenta migration possible?
Migration is a change in the original location of the placenta. Experts believe that a change in the localization of placental tissue during presentation along the anterior wall is possible. Pregnant women and doctors are usually warned about this when consulting them.
If placenta previa is detected to the anterior wall in the early stages of pregnancy, the expectant mother should not panic first of all. There is still quite a long way to go before birth occurs. During this time, the placental tissue can shift and even significantly change its position.
Such changes are assessed through ultrasound. As a rule, to track dynamics, doctors prescribe several sequential ultrasound examinations. When placental tissue previa is present, vaginal examinations should often not be performed. The lower the placenta is, the higher the likelihood of damage. Tracking the dynamics of the location of placental tissue during presentation is very important. It helps doctors timely identify developing complications and take the necessary measures to improve the situation.
It should be noted that in most cases the placental tissue changes its position rather slowly. It is optimal if this process occurs in the female body within 6-10 weeks. In this case, the likelihood that the expectant mother will experience any significant discomfort symptoms is quite low. Typically, migration of placental tissue is completely completed by the middle of the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
If the placental tissue shifts too quickly for some reason, adverse symptoms may occur. The most dangerous of them are the development of bleeding and detachment of placental tissue from the uterine wall. As a rule, adverse symptoms develop if the placenta migrates within 1-2 weeks. The speed of placental migration depends on many factors and reasons, including how high the placental tissue was originally located.
Consequences
During a pregnancy that occurs with the development of anterior placenta previa, you can expect various surprises. Typically, adverse symptoms begin to develop from the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. The course of the 3rd trimester can also be complicated by the development of a number of pathologies.
Expectant mothers should remember that The presence of placenta previa is not a death sentence for the birth of a healthy child. Quite a lot of women have already encountered this pathology and given birth to their healthy, long-awaited babies.
It is important to remember that such a “special” pregnancy requires only a more attentive attitude of the expectant mother to her health, as well as careful monitoring of the course of intrauterine development of the fetus by specialists.
With a low location of the placenta and its presentation, the most dangerous complication is, perhaps, the development of bleeding. If it is strong enough, it does not go unnoticed. In this situation, the woman notices the appearance of blood from the genital tract. The severity of bleeding can vary, the color of the blood ranges from bright red to dark brown. In this situation, the main thing is to remember that when such bleeding appears, women with placenta previa should immediately seek advice from an obstetrician-gynecologist.
Placental abruption is another complication that can develop during such a pregnancy. The severity of the resulting disorders in this case largely depends on how much the placenta has separated from the uterine wall.
If this area is small, then the detachment can only be detected through ultrasound. In this case, the woman may not even experience bleeding from the genital tract, or it will be so insignificant that it will go unnoticed.
If the placental tissue exfoliates quite strongly, then in such a situation it is already possible to suspect this condition based on clinical symptoms. So, the expectant mother begins to feel pretty bad. She experiences severe weakness, pain in the abdomen may develop, and bloody discharge from the genital tract may also appear.
Severe placental abruption is also dangerous because it disrupts the general condition of the fetus. Disruption of oxygen supply leads to the fact that the fetus begins to experience hypoxia - oxygen starvation. This situation, as a rule, contributes to the fact that the clinical parameters of the fetus change. Thus, his heart rate and motor activity change significantly.
If severe placental abruption develops, a pregnant woman must be urgently hospitalized in a hospital. The further algorithm of medical actions will largely depend on the length of pregnancy.
If the threat to the life of the mother or fetus is too high, doctors will be forced to resort to emergency obstetric care. This is carried out according to vital indications.
How is childbirth?
The choice of obstetric care tactics for placenta previa is, as a rule, quite responsible. The life and health of the expectant mother and her baby depend on this.
It should be noted that nowadays, more and more often, obstetricians-gynecologists give their preference to the surgical method of childbirth, choosing a caesarean section. In this situation, the risk of developing birth injuries and damage is much lower. Of course, a caesarean section has certain disadvantages, since it is essentially a surgical operation.
However, with placenta previa, preserving the baby’s life is important.
The placenta is an organ that begins to develop after fertilization of the egg has occurred.
The placenta connects mothers and the fetus; it determines how the pregnancy period will proceed. This organ begins to develop from about 10 weeks of pregnancy, but final formation occurs by 16 weeks. Until this moment, the embryo feeds and develops with the help of the fetal membrane. The condition of the child directly depends on the placenta.
For the normal course of pregnancy, it is very important how it will be formed, as well as its functioning and location. As a rule, during the second trimester, the placenta is attached very high, the distance to the pharynx is about 5 centimeters. During the third trimester, the distance is 7 centimeters. The low location of the above organ is diagnosed when the distance to the pharynx is 3 centimeters.
Correct location
A good place in the uterus for the placenta to attach is the back wall. With the constant development of the child, the uterine muscles begin to stretch, but the distribution of this process begins unevenly. The front wall begins to stretch very well, and the back wall remains practically unchanged. As a result, it turns out that the front wall becomes thin after some time, and the back wall remains the same as it was before the period of conception.
That is why it turns out that it is best when the placenta is attached to the back wall, the stress becomes minimal. Also, do not miss the fact that the fetus can attach to other parts of the uterus. A lateral position may also occur, this is the norm. As a rule, if the placenta is located on the anterior wall, one cannot speak with certainty about the deviation; of course, any other place would be much better. There are a number of positive factors for the placenta being on the posterior wall.
- Lack of mobility. Due to the fact that the back wall of the uterus does not stretch, it is denser and thicker. When the contraction of the above organ occurs, there will be no stress, and accordingly the possibility of placental abruption decreases.
- Minimal injury. When the fetus begins to move and rotate, the process of touching the placenta does not occur.
- Minimum likelihood of occurrence from puff pastry.
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If a pregnant woman has been diagnosed with anterior placenta localization, there is no need to immediately panic and stress yourself out, since there is nothing to worry about. As a rule, even with this diagnosis, a woman can give birth to a baby without complications. The only factor in the above diagnosis is constant monitoring by a leading physician.
What danger could there be?
As previously said, the muscles of the anterior wall have the ability to stretch, and this can cause damage to the placenta from stretch marks, and the functioning of this organ will not be the same as before. In certain situations, placental abruption can occur. Due to the constant growth and stretching of the uterine walls, there is a possibility of the anterior wall drooping down.
It is extremely rare, but it can still happen in second-bearing women that the above organ can descend so much that the cervix of the uterus is blocked, and this is dangerous because the baby’s path to the exit is blocked. If this situation occurs, then the pregnant woman must be operated on (cesarean section), since she will not be able to give birth herself. Also, if the placenta is along the anterior wall, the likelihood of labor starting ahead of schedule increases, and in the first two trimesters the possibility of miscarriage increases.
If the above diagnosis is made, then a pregnant woman may be diagnosed with gestosis, and the baby may be diagnosed with oxygen starvation. This occurs due to the fact that the baby begins to put pressure on the placenta and cuts off the oxygen itself.
Factors influencing the location of the placenta
In addition to the main reason - stretching of the uterine muscles, there are also certain factors that can affect the prolapse of the above organ. Experts identify several types of reasons.
- Deformation of the internal walls of the uterus, which can be affected by any inflammatory process.
- and either an infection.
- Previously undergone surgical interventions, after which adhesions or small scars could form on the uterus.
- Bearing multiple children.
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Also, one of the reasons may be the fact that the fetus attached to the wall at a time when it had already descended to the lower part. According to statistics, women who give birth not for the first time are at risk.
Classifications
According to statistics, placenta of the anterior wall in the third trimester of pregnant women occurs in approximately 3%. During the second trimester, the diagnosis is made after an ultrasound scan, it is discovered that the place where the fetus is located is quite low.
This occurs because the placenta moves as the uterus begins to grow, thereby moving the placenta upward. Two classifications of presentation of the above organ have been recorded, which are determined during the period of bearing a child, as well as in the initial stage of the birth process.
Presentation at the initial stage of labor when the cervix opens.
- Central.
- Regional.
- Lateral.
The result of an ultrasound examination can show the extent to which the placenta is located on the anterior wall.
- First. The organ is localized in the lower part of the uterus at a distance of at least 3 centimeters from the pharynx.
- Second. The above organ is localized near the pharynx, but does not cover it.
- Third. The pharynx is completely covered by the lower part of the placenta, leaving a piece of the baby's place, which is located asymmetrically.
- Fourth. The main part of the placenta completely covers the pharynx, the edges are all symmetrical.
Symptoms of manifestation. Diagnosis.
The expectant mother does not feel the moment when the placenta is attached to the front wall. That is why quite often it is not possible to make a diagnosis on time. In certain cases, a pregnant woman may experience bleeding from the vagina, which may be periodic. This symptom occurs in the first stages of pregnancy.
In cases where a woman is in the last trimester of pregnancy and she has bleeding, this is the main signal that the placenta is premature.
Features of the above diagnosis.
- The baby's heartbeat is remote, it is very difficult to listen to it, sometimes it is not possible at all.
- A pregnant woman's belly can be huge, which can cause stretch marks to appear.
- The baby's movements are felt weaker.
