What it is
A low-lying placenta, placenta previa, placenta accreta, an anterior placenta: these come from the 20-week scan and mean very different things. Previa is when the placenta covers the cervix. Low-lying means near but not over. Accreta is when the placenta grows too deeply into the uterus and does not let go after birth. Anterior just means it is on the front wall. That is a location, not a problem.
What's typical
About 1 in 20 pregnancies show a low placenta at 20 weeks. By the third trimester, 9 in 10 have moved up. True previa at term is about 1 in 200. With previa, painless bright red bleeding is the classic sign, and a cesarean is planned around 36 to 37 weeks. An anterior placenta can muffle kicks.
What's known
ACOG and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine guide the timing of scans and birth. With previa, most providers advise nothing in the vagina; ask what applies to you. Accreta is more common after prior cesareans and is managed by a specialist team.
What helps
- Ask what kind you have, how far the edge is from the cervix, and when the follow-up scan is.
- Pack a hospital bag early if you have previa, and know the fastest route in.
- With an anterior placenta, feel for kicks low and at the sides, lying on your side.
When to call someone
- Now, 911 or go in: any bright red bleeding in the second half of pregnancy, with or without pain. Do not drive yourself.
- Nowcontractions or belly pain with a known previa.
- At your next visitquestions about the birth plan, travel, and whether movements feel muffled.
Who helps
Tools: Birth Plan Generator · Due Date Calculator
Related
- Planning a cesareanGetting Ready for Birth
- Prenatal tests and ultrasounds: what each one isPregnancy: Your Body
- Baby moving less: what to doPregnancy: Your Body
- Heavy bleeding after birth (hemorrhage)Birth and the First Days
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Sources
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — Patient FAQ on bleeding during pregnancy
- Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine — Placenta accreta spectrum consult series
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