If the placenta, or pieces of the placenta, stay inside your uterus,
you can develop an infection
. A retained placenta
How do I know if I have retained placenta?
The main symptom of retained placenta is
that the placenta doesn’t completely come out of the uterus after the baby is born
. Another symptom can be bleeding before the placenta comes out. If a piece of placenta is left behind, you may develop symptoms days or weeks after the birth.
Can retained placenta come out on its own?
“If the placenta or a part of the placenta does not spontaneously deliver within 30 minutes after the baby has delivered, a retained placenta is diagnosed. Normally the
placenta will separate and deliver from the uterus on its own once the baby has been born
,” explains Sherry Ross, MD, OB-GYN.
How long can a retained placenta last?
The placenta is supposed to stay in place for
40 weeks
. As a result, premature labor may lead to a retained placenta. Doctors do everything in their power to prevent a retained placenta by taking actions that hasten complete delivery of the placenta after the birth of the baby.
Who is at risk for retained placenta?
Risk factors for retained placenta parallel those
for uterine atony and PAS
and include prolonged oxytocin use, high parity, preterm delivery, history of uterine surgery, and IVF conceptions. History of a prior retained placenta and congenital uterine anomalies also appear to be risk factors.
How common is a retained placenta?
It’s not very common. A
retained placenta happens in about 3% of vaginal deliveries
. It can also sometimes happen after a caesarean section. Certain things increase the risk of having a retained placenta.
What are the three ways a retained placenta occurs?
- Placenta Adherens. Placenta adherens is the most common type of retained placenta. …
- Trapped Placenta. A trapped placenta occurs when the placenta detaches from the uterus but doesn’t leave the body. …
- Placenta Accreta.
Can some placenta be left inside?
Delivering the placenta usually occurs within five to 30 minutes of delivery, whether vaginally or by C-section. Sometimes, however,
part or all of the placenta can be retained inside the womb
because a portion has grown through the uterine muscle or is “caught” inside a corner of the uterus as it contracts down.
How do you manage retained placenta?
Uterine exploration and removal under anesthesia
is the definitive treatment of retained placenta. Uterine exploration can be done either manually or with currettage under ultrasound guidance.
What is manual removal of placenta?
Gently use an up and down motion to establish a
cleavage plane
and then sweep behind the placenta and separate it from the wall of the uterus. Move carefully and sequentially from one side to the other around the back of the placenta, until it falls into your hand.
What are the chances of having a retained placenta again?
Your chance of having a subsequent birth complicated by retained placenta and haemorrhage is
1 in 4
. We recommend that you birth your baby in a hospital setting (Delivery Suite or midwifery-led unit as at the RBH), and have the third stage of labour managed with an oxytocic drug.
Is retained placenta medical negligence?
Examples of medical malpractice in relation to retention of a placenta complications include the following:
Failing to recognize that not all of the placenta was removed
.
Failing to initiate oxytocin
to initiate contractions to expel the placenta. Failing to perform an ultrasound to diagnose retained placenta.
Can misoprostol remove retained placenta?
Results. Manual removal of retained placenta was performed in 50% of the women who received misoprostol and in 55% who received placebo (relative risk 0.91, 95% confidence interval 0.62–1.34). No difference in the amount of blood loss (970 vs. 1120 mL; p = 0.34) was observed between the two groups.
How can placental expulsion be a concern for the mother’s health?
Retained placenta is a major concern because the
uterus must clamp back down after giving birth
. Tightening the uterus helps the blood vessels inside to stop bleeding. If the placenta is retained, a woman can experience bleeding or infection.
Where does the placenta go after birth?
Typically, the placenta detaches
from the uterine wall
after childbirth. With placenta accreta, part or all of the placenta remains firmly attached to the uterus. This condition occurs when the blood vessels and other parts of the placenta grow too deeply into the uterine wall.
Can a retained placenta cause infertility?
If those previous pregnancies came with complications, such as a Caesarean section that caused uterine adhesions or a retained placenta that caused scarring, a woman can
experience secondary infertility
as a result.
