Summary
This prospective study was conducted to assess the rate of resolution of second trimester placenta previa in women with anterior placenta and posterior placenta, and that in women with and without previous cesarean section. In this study, placenta previa was defined as a placenta lying within 20 mm of the internal cervical os or overlapping it. We recruited 183 women diagnosed with previa between 20+0 weeks and 25+6 weeks. They were grouped according to their placenta location (anterior or posterior) and history of cesarean section. Comparative analysis was performed on demographic data, resolution rate of previa and pregnancy outcomes between anterior group and posterior group, and on those between cesarean section group and non-cesarean section group. Women with an anterior placenta tended to be advanced in parity (P=0.040) and have increased number of dilatation and curettage (P=0.044). The women in cesarean section group were significantly older (P=0.000) and had more parity (P=0.000), gravidity (P=0.000), and dilatation and curettage (P=0.048) than in non-cesarean section group. Resolution of previa at delivery occurred in 87.43% women in this study. Women with a posterior placenta had a higher rate of resolution (P=0.030), while history of cesarean section made no difference. Gestational age at resolution was earlier in posterior group (P=0.002) and non-cesarean section group (P=0.008) than in anterior group and cesarean section group correspondingly. Placenta location and prior cesarean section did not influence obstetric outcomes and neonatal outcomes. This study indicates that it is more likely to have subsequent resolution of the previa when the placenta is posteriorly located for women who are diagnosed with placenta previa in the second trimester.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kollmann M, Gaulhofer J, Lang U, et al. Placenta praevia: incidence, risk factors and outcome. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med, 2016,29(9):1395–1398
Mustafa SA, Brizot ML, Carvalho MH, et al. Transvaginal ultrasonography in predicting placenta previa at delivery: a longitudinal study. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol, 2002,20(4):356–359
Bhide A, Thilaganathan B. Recent advances in the management of placenta previa. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol, 2004,16(6):447–451
Becker RH, Vonk R, Mende BC, et al. The relevance of placental location at 20-23 gestational weeks for prediction of placenta previa at delivery: evaluation of 8650 cases. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol, 2001,17(6):496–501
Ogueh O, Morin L, Usher RH, et al. Obstetric implications of low-lying placentas diagnosed in the second trimester. Int J Gynaecol Obstet, 2003,83(1):11–17
Blouin D, Rioux C. Routine third trimester control ultrasound examination for low-lying or marginal placentas diagnosed at mid-pregnancy: is this indicated? J Obstet Gynaecol Can, 2012,34(5):425–428
Taipale P, Hiilesmaa V, Ylostalo P. Transvaginal ultrasonography at 18-23 weeks in predicting placenta previa at delivery. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol, 1998,12(6):422–425
Heller HT, Mullen KM, Gordon RW, et al. Outcomes of pregnancies with a low-lying placenta diagnosed on second-trimester sonography. J Ultrasound Med, 2014,33(4):691–696
Eichelberger KY, Haeri S, Kessler DC, et al. Placenta previa in the second trimester: sonographic and clinical factors associated with its resolution. Am J Perinatol, 2011,28(9):735–739
Dashe JS, McIntire DD, Ramus RM, et al. Persistence of placenta previa according to gestational age at ultrasound detection. Obstet Gynecol, 2002,99(5 Pt 1):692–697
Oppenheimer L, Holmes P, Simpson N, et al. Diagnosis of low-lying placenta: can migration in the third trimester predict outcome? Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol, 2001,18(2):100–102
Lauria MR, Smith RS, Treadwell MC, et al. The use of second-trimester transvaginal sonography to predict placenta previa. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol, 1996,8(5):337–340
Varma TR. The implication of a low implantation of the placenta detected by ultrasonography in early pregnancy. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand, 1981,60(3):265–268
Magann EF, Evans SF, Newnham JP. Placental implantation at 18 weeks and migration throughout pregnancy. South Med J, 1998,91(11):1025–1027
Naji O, Daemen A, Smith A, et al. Does the presence of a cesarean section scar influence the site of placental implantation and subsequent migration in future pregnancies: a prospective case-control study. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol, 2012,40(5):557–561
Laughon SK, Wolfe HM, Visco AG. Prior cesarean and the risk for placenta previa on second-trimester ultrasonography. Obstet Gynecol, 2005,105(5 Pt 1):962–965
Osmundson SS, Wong AE, Gerber SE. Second-trimester placental location and postpartum hemorrhage. J Ultrasound Med, 2013,32(4):631–636
Robinson AJ, Muller PR, Allan R, et al. Precise mid-trimester placenta localisation: does it predict adverse outcomes? Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol, 2012,52(2):156–160
Magann EF, Doherty DA, Turner K, et al. Second trimester placental location as a predictor of an adverse pregnancy outcome. J Perinatol, 2007,27(1):9–14
Cho JY, Lee YH, Moon MH, et al. Difference in migration of placenta according to the location and type of placenta previa. J Clin Ultrasound, 2008,36(2):79–84
Lavery JP. Placenta previa. Clin Obstet Gynecol, 1990,33(3):414–421
King DL. Placental migration demonstrated by ultrasonography. A hypothesis of dynamic placentation. Radiology, 1973,109(1):167–170
Heifetz SA. The umbilical cord: obstetrically important lesions. Clin Obstet Gynecol, 1996,39(3):571–587
Ghourab S, Al-Jabari A. Placental migration and mode of delivery in placenta previa: transvaginal sonographic assessment during the third trimester. Ann Saudi Med, 2000,20(5–6):382–385
Lal AK, Nyholm J, Wax J, et al. Resolution of complete placenta previa: does prior cesarean delivery matter? J Ultrasound Med, 2012,31(4):577–580
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the staff of the Ultrasound Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medical Records Department of Tongji Hospital.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This project was supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 30672243 and 81200354), Hubei Provincial Population and Family Planning Commission of China (No. JS-20130017), and Huazhong University of Science and Technology (No. 2013YGYL016).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Feng, Y., Li, Xy., Xiao, J. et al. Relationship between placenta location and resolution of second trimester placenta previa. J. Huazhong Univ. Sci. Technol. [Med. Sci.] 37, 390–394 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-017-1745-5
Received:
Revised:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-017-1745-5