Diseases and Conditions
Placental abruption
Overview
Symptoms
Causes
Risk factors
Complications
Prevention
Diagnosis
Treatment
Preparing for an appointment
Risk factors
Factors that can increase the risk of placental abruption include:
- Placental abruption in a previous pregnancy that wasn't caused by abdominal trauma
- Chronic high blood pressure (hypertension)
- Hypertension-related problems during pregnancy, including preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome or eclampsia
- A fall or other type of blow to the abdomen
- Smoking
- Cocaine use during pregnancy
- Early rupture of membranes, which causes leaking amniotic fluid before the end of pregnancy
- Infection inside of the uterus during pregnancy (chorioamnionitis)
- Being older, especially older than 40