What is placenta?
It is a temporary organ which develops during pregnancy and delivered after the baby is born.
All the nutrients and oxygen supply from mother to baby is passed through this organ.
The umbilical cord from placenta is attached to baby's (fetus) navel.
Placenta is most important part of pregnancy and plays a crucial role as the waste blood from baby's body is also removed through this organ.
What is Placental abruption?
Abruption means breaking of part from whole.
Placental abruption means breaking of placenta from the womb.
Breaking means cutoff to the supply of oxygen and nutrients from mother to baby.
How it causes?
- Smoking, alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
- Abdominal injury(Falling on abdomen during pregnancy).
- Previous pregnancy placental abruption.
- High Blood pressure.
- Rare cases(1 out of 100), no reason.
- Irregular diet and sleep patterns
- Hypertension.
- Symptoms of placental abruption:
- Tightening of abdomen with pain(sometimes severe).
- No or less baby movements.
- Severe vomiting.
- Internal or external bleeding.
Note:
If you have external bleeding then doctor will suggest an ultrasound and complete Bed rest will be suggested. If baby is ready for delivery then C-section will be suggested.
If you have internal bleeding then ultrasound will find it and then accordingly doctor will recommend either bed rest or delivery.
In any of the above cases do not ignore any thing. Always go for your routine check ups and ultrasound. An extra ultrasound will always benefit you.
Can it be prevented?
- Yes, if you had previous placental abruption then chances of facing again is more. But it can be prevented by taking extra care.
- Regular checkups and frequent ultrasounds are must.
- Complete Bed rest.
My story
In my first Pregnancy I had placental abruption.
I want to share my story not to scare but to make aware of things which we sometimes don't know are possible. So, take care of yourself.
It was my end of 2nd month, I tried to push the gas cylinder (empty), only 1 cm I pushed and then suddenly realised Iam pregnant and stopped.
In afternoon I had spotting, I got scared. I thought of telling someone but then Google and found about implantation bleeding(Got some relief).
At around 6 in evening, I again had spotting with mild pain. I thought "no" I should not take chance I need to talk and so, my mother-in-law and I went to hospital.
Doctor suggested ultrasound.
In ultrasound there was nothing serious. Baby was so tiny (only a blood spot). I first time heard the heartbeats of my baby(tears rolled with joy🥰). Everything was perfect.
All the ultrasounds and monthly checkups where fine. I had nausea with severe vomiting but nothing was serious.
I complained to my doctor about tightening of tummy but she said it's normal. As the ultrasound had nothing to worry so we did not paid attention to tightening and mild pain.
I was in my last month, I started feeling watery but the discharge was thick. I went to my gynaecologist, she examined me. She took the belt test to check the heartbeats of baby(everything was perfect even my doctor said,"This baby is happy")
Till now nothing was serious but had to wait as my cervix was open and delivery had to happen anytime in 24-48 hours.
My doctor took me to labour room everything was fine. As soon as she tried to examine me internally all of a sudden heavy blood clots (like a tap water) started coming and she was shocked and immediately suggested for cesarean as according to her it might cause harm to baby if waited for normal delivery.
My Baby girl was born but was still( baby did not cry on birth) , it was a bad sign but we were hopeful. I asked my doctor "can I see my baby?". They were taking her to another hospital as they had no NICU.
It was the first and last time I saw her. I could not touch her. Only thing I have is the "feeling".
My doctor's explained me about placental abruption. They showed me my placenta(how abrupt it was). She told me about symptoms. I asked her, I had no symptoms like this and even I don't smoke, drink or had high and low blood pressure. She said 0.1 out of 100 pregnancies are asymptomatic placental abruption and I was that Unlucky one.
The reason behind telling this is only please take care of yourself. Be alert. Don't ignore even small thing. I don't want you to be afraid but be ALERT.
Be positive.
Eat healthy, stay healthy.
Do what you feel good for you and your baby. Stay away from people who make you unhappy or stressed.
I had no exact symptoms, nothing ever came in my ultrasounds. I still today think where I went wrong. Is it only that I was careless about myself or I was having less knowledge?
We cannot change what happened but we can make a better future. Today I am a mother of a beautiful 18 months daughter❤️🥰
Every pregnancy is different and so the symptoms will also be. So, don't ever think my mother had like this then I will also have that. Some things happen for the first time. So please TAKE CARE and be ALERT.
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