Hello and welcome to the Zero to Finals podcast.

My name is Tom and in this episode I'm going to be talking to you about Placenta Previa.

And you can find written notes on this topic at zero to finals.com slash placenta preview

or in the antinatal care section of the Zero to finals obstetrics and gynecology book.

So let's get straight into it.

Placenta previa is when the placenta is attached in the lower portion of the uterus during pregnancy,

in a position lower than the presenting part of the fetus.

Previa directly translates from Latin as going before.

This means the placenta is in the way of the fetus exiting the uterus.

The RCOG guidelines from 2018 recommend the following definitions.

A low-lying placenta is when the placenta is within 20 millimeters of the internal

cervical oce. Placenta Previa is used only when the placenta is over or covering the internal cervical oce.

Placenta Previa occurs in around 1% of pregnancies. It's a notable cause of antipartum hemorrhage

or significant bleeding during pregnancy.

Atom tip for you, the three causes of antipartum hemorrhage to remember are placentoprevia,

placental abruption, and vasoprevia.

These are serious causes with high morbidity and mortality. Causes of spotting or minor bleeding in pregnancy

include cervical ectropion,

infection and vaginal abrasions from intercourse or procedures.

Let's talk about the risks associated with placenta previa.

It's associated with increased morbidity and mortality for both the mother and the fetus.

The risks include antipartum hemorrhage, where there's significant vaginal bleeding during pregnancy,

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