Transfusion Medicine in a Multidisciplinary Approach to Morbidly Adherent Placenta: Preparing for and Preventing the Worst

The increasing incidence of placenta accreta has paralleled the rise in its greatest risk factor: cesarean delivery. In placenta accreta, the abnormal invasion of the chorionic villi into the myometrium prevents separation of the placenta at delivery, and the myometrium is unable to contract to prevent hemorrhage. Spontaneous uterine rupture and hemoperitoneum may also occur in the setting of placenta percreta. The average blood loss during a delivery complicated by placenta accreta is 2 to 5L, compared to less than 0.5L for a normal spontaneous vaginal delivery and less than 1L for a cesarean delivery.

Source: Transfusion Medicine Reviews - June 27, 2018 Category: Hematology Authors: Robert A. DeSimone, Wendy K. Leung, Joseph Schwartz Source Type: research