While the fetus is growing and developing, the placenta provides it with the oxygen and nutrients it needs in order to survive. Then once the baby is born, the placenta detaches from the uterine lining and exits the mother’s body. This is the typical process that removes the placenta, but in some situations, the placenta will detach from the uterus before the baby is born. This is called placental abruption, and it is very dangerous because it can prevent the fetus from receiving nutrients and it can cause severe bleeding in the mother.
The medical community has researched placental abruption causes because the condition can be disastrous for the health of both the mother and the child, especially if it’s undetected. Unfortunately, there is still very little that is known about placental abruption causes. Though scientists understand some of the factors that will cause placental abruption in some cases, it is not understood exactly what happens to force the placenta to detach or how to prevent it.
Physical Trauma and Injuries
The most understood of placental abruption causes is physical trauma. If a woman suffers a serious injury or impact to their abdomen, it can jostle the uterus and cause the placenta to detach from the uterine wall. This can happen after a serious fall, car accident, or any other type of injury to the mother’s stomach. If a woman suffers this type of physical trauma, she should immediately get the health of her baby and the condition of the placenta checked.
Reduction in Amniotic Fluid
Rapid reduction of amniotic fluid or rupture of the membrane is another one of the most common placental abruption causes. When the amniotic membranes rupture early, a large amount of fluid begins to flow out of the uterus. This causes the uterus to quickly shrink in size and change in shape, and this is what may cause the placenta to fall away from the wall of the uterus. It is unknown if the detaching is caused by the force of the change in size or if it happens because the shrinking sends a signal to the placenta that the baby is coming out. Once the membranes have ruptured, the risk of placental abruption is nine times higher than normal.
Blood Pressure and Bleeding Disorders
The medical community has less knowledge about the placental abruption causes that are related to blood pressure and bleeding disorders. Research has proven that high blood pressure, preeclampsia, anemia, and other blood clotting disorders increase the risk of placental abruption, but no one has discovered why this is. Tiny blood vessels are responsible for attaching the placenta to the uterus and holding it in place. It is possible that the mother’s blood pressure and the ability for the blood to clot affect the ability of the blood vessels to keep the placenta attached.
Placental Abruption Causes Related to Previous Pregnancies
Doctors have also noticed that mothers who have had previous pregnancies, C-sections, miscarriages, and placental abruptions all have a higher risk of having an abruption during their next pregnancy. The exact reason why this causes placental abruption is unknown. Some in the medical community believe that the scarring of the uterine wall may have an effect on the ability of the placenta to stay attached.
Other Placental Abruption Causes
Though seemingly unrelated, studies have proven that maternal smoking and drug use are direct causes of placental abruption. A woman who smokes has an increased risk of placental abruption, about 2.5 times higher than a nonsmoker. In addition, women who do cocaine during the pregnancy have about a ten percent chance of placental abruption, which is much higher than the normal average.
