2. Definition
Hemorrhage from the vagina after the
24th week of gestation till end of
pregnancy
Blood loss of greater than 300mls
Incidence : 3-5% of all pregnancies
4. Abruptio Placentae
Premature separation of the placenta.
Pathophysiology of placental
abruption:
◦ Bleeding into the decidua basalis layer
◦ Hematoma forms causing further
placental separation
◦ Fetal blood supply is further compromised
◦ Complication - Couvelaire Uterus
(Retroplacental blood goes into the peritoneal cavity)
5. Classification
Clinical classification
Class 0 - Asymptomatic
Class 1 - Mild (represents
approximately 48% of all cases)
Class 2 - Moderate (represents
approximately 27% of all cases)
Class 3 - Severe (represents
approximately 24% of all cases)
6. Placental abruption: types
Placental abruption can be broadly
classified into two types:
◦ Revealed
◦ Concealed
◦ Mixed
7. Presentation
Symptoms
◦ Vaginal bleeding - 80%
◦ Abdominal or back pain and uterine
tenderness - 70%
◦ Fetal distress - 60%
◦ Abnormal uterine contractions
(eg, hypertonic, high frequency) - 35%
◦ Idiopathic premature labor - 25%
◦ Fetal death – 15%
8. Presentation
Physical Examination
◦ Should be done after stabilizing the
patient
◦ Ultrasound should be done first to assess
the location of placenta. Only then should
a digital pelvic exam be conducted
◦ Profuse bleeding in waves
◦ Uterine contraction / Uterine hypertonus
◦ Shock
◦ Absence of fetal heart sounds
◦ Increased fundal height (due to hematoma)
9. Risk factors of Abruptio
Placentae
◦ Maternal hypertension
◦ Maternal trauma
◦ Cigarette smoking
◦ Alcohol consumption
◦ Cocaine use
◦ Short umbilical cord
◦ Maternal age <20 or >35 years
◦ Low socioeconomic status
◦ Elevated second trimester maternal serum
alpha-fetoprotein (associated with up to a 10-
fold increased risk of abruption)
◦ Previous placental abruption
12. Complications of Abruptio placentae –
Fetal
Fetal complications include
◦ Hypoxia or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy
(HIE)
◦ growth retardation
◦ CNS abnormalities
◦ Intra uterine death.
13. Placenta praevia
Implantation of placenta over the internal
cervical os and therefore in front of the
presenting part
Pathophysiology
◦ Delay in implantation of blastocyst so that it
occurs in the lower part of uterus
◦ In third trimester isthmus of uterus thins to form
lower uterine segment
◦ Placental attachment is disrupted as the area
gradually thins in preparation of the onset of
labor
◦ This leads to bleeding from the venus sinuses
15. Grading of placenta previa:
Grade I – The placenta is in the lower
segment, but the lower edge does not reach
the internal os.
Grade II – The lower edge of the low-lying
placenta reaches, but does not cover the
internal os.
Grade III – The placenta covers the internal
os.
Grade IV – The placenta covers and entirely
surrounds the internal os
16. Presentation
Symptoms
◦ Painless vaginal bleeding
◦ Bleeding stops spontaneously and recurs
with labor
◦ Malpresentation (Breech, transverse lie)
Physical Exam
◦ Digital exam is contraindicated
◦ Uterus is soft and non tender
◦ Concurrent contractions with bleeding are
present
17. Placenta previa : Risk factors
Previous placenta previa.
Multiple pregnancies- due to the
placenta occupying a large surface
area.
Cigarette smoking
Increased maternal age
Uterine scar (previous caesarean
section)
Endometritis
19. Abruptio Placentae Placenta Previa
Pain Abdominal pain, low back pain Painless unless in labour
Nontender, soft (unless
Uterus Tender, irritable
contracting)
Not associated with abnormal
Presentation Breech or high presenting part
presentation
Fetal heart tracing abnormal, Fetal tracing not affected since
Fetus
atypical blood is maternal
Shock/anemia out of
Shock/anemia proportionate
Shock proportion to amount of
to blood seen
blood seen
Imaging U/S cannot rule out U/S sensitive
20. Differential Diagnosis
Abruptio Placentae Placenta Previa
Labour with bloody show Abruptio Placentae
Vasa previa Cervicitis
Vaginal trauma Premature rupture of membranes
Vaginitis Vaginitis
Preterm labour Preterm labour
22. Vasa previa:
Vasa previa is a condition when fetal
vessels traverse the fetal membranes over
the internal os.
These vessels course within the
membranes (unsupported by the umbilical
cord or placental tissue) and are at risk of
rupture when the supporting membranes
rupture.
24. Initial management
Assessing the airways:
Assessing the breathing:
Assessing the circulation
Cannula inserted for
◦ Drug adminstration
◦ Blood sampling
◦ IV fluid adminstration
25. Placenta previa
If uncomplicated pregnancy no need of
intervention
Vitamins and Iron supplements should be
taken
If minimal bleeding expected management
may be continued
If needed tocolytics may be considered to
administer antenatal steroids
Before the delivery the following should be
consulted
◦ Obstetric anesthesiologist
◦ Interventional radiologist
◦ General surgeon
◦ Urologist
26. Placenta previa
If placental edge is more than 2cm from
internal cervial os trial of labour can be
offered.
If the distance is less than 2cm cesarian
section is done although an SVD can be
done
Delivery is mostly done at 36-37 weeks
of gestation
Low transverse uterine incision is used
If the patient is at risk of invasive
placentation than informed consent
should be taken for cesarian
hysterectomy
27. Abruptio placentae
Vitamins and Iron supplements should be
taken
Initial management
Transfusion, correction of coagulopathy and
Rh immune globulin if needed
Cesarian section preferable mode of delivery
◦ Vertical incision
◦ Hysterectomy might be needed if severe blood
loss
Tocolytics may be used in case of preterm
delivery only if
◦ Hemodynamically stable
◦ No fetal distress
◦ Preterm fetus may benefit from corticosteroid
therapy
28. Types of tocolytics
Types of Tocolytics
B2 agonist
Calcium channel blockers
Oxytocin antagonist – Atosiban
NSAIDs
29. Uterine rupture-management
It is an emergency
Laprotomy is urgently done
Uterine rupture can be an antepartum
or postpartum event
30. Vasa previa
When vasa previa is diagnosed
antenatally, an elective Caesarean
section should be offered prior to the
onset of labour.
In cases of vasa previa, premature
delivery is most
likely, therefore, consideration should
be given to administration of
corticosteroids at 28 to 32 weeks
31. Antepartum hemorrhage
Massive bleeding
Call for help
Evaluate ABCs
Administer IV fluids
Consider
transfusion
Consider CS
History and Physical Examination
Fetal monitoring
Normal Bloody Severely Uterine pain ?? Inflamed cervix or
show distressed fetus mucopurulent
discharge
Routine Suspect Vasa
No pain or pain only Pain between Probable cervical
Evaluation Previa
with contractions. contractions and infection
Non tender fundus tender fundus
Culture and treat
as appropriate
Suspect Placenta
previa
Consider abruptio
placentae Consider uterine
Immediate rupture
ultrasound
examination if Monitor fetus.
available Supportive mother
care
Urgent Cesarean Cesarean delivery Cesarean if fetal Consider urgent
SVD if fetal death
delivery if in labour distress lapartomy