Q&A

What is the difference between placenta accreta Increta and Percreta?

What is the difference between placenta accreta Increta and Percreta?

Placenta increta accounts for approximately 15% of all cases. Placenta Percreta occurs when the placenta penetrates through the entire uterine wall and attaches to another organ such as the bladder. Placenta percreta is the least common of the three conditions accounting for approximately 5% of all cases.

What are the causes of placenta accreta?

Placenta accreta occurs when the placenta grows too deeply into the uterine wall during pregnancy. Scarring in the uterus from a prior C-section or other uterine surgery may play a role in developing this condition.

Can you survive placenta accreta?

And even in the most expert hands, maternal death is a possibility. Some 7 percent of women with placenta accreta have died during or immediately after giving birth. Those who do survive often require a hysterectomy.

Can placenta accreta go undetected?

This condition is usually diagnosed during a routine prenatal ultrasound. If undetected and not properly treated, placenta accreta can cause severe hemorrhages, which can pose a serious health threat to both mother and child.

Which is the most common type of placenta accreta?

There are three types of placenta accreta spectrum, determined by how deep the placenta has grown: Placenta accreta —the placenta grows into the lining of the uterus. This is the most common type, occurring in 75 percent of cases. Placenta increta —the placenta grows into the wall of the uterus.

What happens if you have placenta accreta after delivery?

With placenta accreta, part or all of the placenta remains attached. This can cause severe blood loss after delivery. It’s also possible for the placenta to invade the muscles of the uterus (placenta increta) or grow through the uterine wall (placenta percreta).

Can a MRI be used to diagnose placenta accreta?

Obstetricians seek to make a specific diagnosis of accreta, increta or percreta before delivery using ultrasound and MRI imaging, but this is not always possible. Who is at Risk for Placenta Accreta? Placenta accreta, often referred to as simply “accreta,” occurs in about 0.2 percent of all pregnancies.

Can a fibroid removal cause placenta accreta?

History of fibroid removal: If the woman has had a fibroid (a not cancerous growth or tumor of the uterine muscle) removed, the scarring could lead to placenta accreta. How is placenta accreta diagnosed? Placenta accreta is typically diagnosed prior to delivery with an ultrasound. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be useful in some cases.