Treatment

If your health care provider suspects placenta accreta, he or she will work with you to develop a plan to safely deliver your baby.

In the case of extensive placenta accreta, a C-section followed by the surgical removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) might be necessary. This procedure, also called a cesarean hysterectomy, helps prevent the potentially life-threatening blood loss that can occur if there's an attempt to separate the placenta.

If you have vaginal bleeding during the third trimester, your health care provider might recommend pelvic rest or hospitalization.

Before surgery

Your health care team will include your obstetrician and gynecologist, subspecialists in pelvic surgery, an anesthesia team, and a pediatric team.

Your health care provider will discuss the risks and potential complications associated with placenta accreta. He or she might also also discuss the possibility of your:

• Having a blood transfusion during or after delivery
• Needing to be admitted to the intensive care unit after delivery if you have life-threatening bleeding

During surgery

During your C-section, your health care provider will deliver your baby through an initial incision in your abdomen and a second incision in your uterus. After the delivery, a member of your health care team will remove your uterus — with the placenta still attached — to prevent severe bleeding.

After a hysterectomy, you no longer can become pregnant. If you had planned additional pregnancies in the future, discuss possible options with your health care provider.

Rarely, the uterus and placenta might be kept intact, allowing the placenta to dissolve over time. However, this approach can have serious complications, including:

• Severe vaginal bleeding
• Infection
• The need for a hysterectomy at a later date

In addition, limited research suggests that women who are able to avoid hysterectomy after having placenta accreta are at risk of complications, including recurrent placenta accreta, with later pregnancies.