On Ken Binay's Death, Placenta Previa, Bedrest, and Placenta Accreta

After seeing the news about Mayor Jejomar Binay's daughter-in-laws death last Tuesday due to a pregnancy complication, all the more I got scared about my own condition. Ever since I was in the third month of this pregnancy, I was experiencing placenta previa. I even blogged about it here. And now that I'm already on my 7th month, I'm quite sure that the placenta is still there partially covering my cervix because of the spotting that I'm experiencing 'til now.

So, what really caused Ken Binay's death, yup that's the name of Mayor Binay's daughter-in-law? According to news, she died of hemorrhaging. She suffered from profused bleeding after giving birth to her 7-month baby girl via C-section. She had a really difficult pregnancy, on which prior to her death, she had a month of bedrest at the hospital.

Bedrest. Agh, that same word has been a part of my pregnancy as well since I've learned that I had placenta previa totalis. And after my last prenatal checkup, I was told by my OB to already file a leave from the office and have bedrest until I give birth. But then, I don't want to file a leave because that also means no salary for me for months. Good thing, I have a very considerate boss there who allowed me to work from home. So, beginning tomorrow, I'll be hitting two birds with one stone - work from home and bedrest at the same time.

Anyway, enough about me. Now, why did I mention about placenta accreta? It's because in Ken's case, that's what triggered her bleeding according to news. I became very curious about that term after watching TV Patrol, so I immediately searched more information about it. Here, let me share it to you:

What Is Placenta Accreta and How Will It Effect You?

Placenta AccretaMost women don’t really think about the placenta while they are pregnant and many don’t realize just how big a role it plays in the development of your baby. So for the same reason many of you probably wouldn’t have an idea of what happens when the placenta does not function as it should.

During a normal pregnancy the placenta attaches to the uterine wall, however there is a condition which may occur if the placenta attaches itself too deeply into the wall of the uterus. This condition is known as placenta accreta, placenta increta, or placenta percreta - and this usually depends on how severe the and how deep the placenta attaches itself. This itself is not a very common issue in pregnancies though, and usually only occurs 1 in every 2,500 pregnancies.

What are the differences between Accreta, Increta and Percreta?

The difference between the three is determined by how bad the attachment to the uterine wall is.

Placenta Accreta occurs when the placenta attaches too deep in the uterine wall but it does not penetrate the uterine muscle. This is the most common accounting for approximately 75% of all cases.

Placenta Increta occurs when the placenta attaches even deeper into the uterine wall and does penetrate into the uterine muscle. This 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. This is the least common of the three conditions accounting for approximately 5% of all cases.

What Causes Placenta Accreta?

Although no one actually knows what causes it – it can be related to both placenta previa and previous cesarean deliveries.

Placenta accreta is present in 5% to 10% of women with placenta previa and the chances of having placenta accrete increases with each c-section – with multiple cesareans being present in over 60% of placenta accreta cases.

Are There Risks For Your Baby?

In most cases premature delivery and subsequent complications are the primary concerns for your baby with bleeding during the third trimester being an indication that there is a possibility that placenta accreta exists.

There are however risks which you may face if you have this complication. The main concern is hemorrhaging during manual attempts to detach the placenta. Severe hemorrhaging can be life threatening. Other concerns involve damage to the uterus or other organs during removal of the placenta. Hysterectomy is a common intervention, but as I am sure you know this results in the to conceive.

What is the Best Treatment For Placenta Accreta?

Unfortunately there is nothing which can be done to prevent it and there is little that can be done for treatment once placenta accreta has been diagnosed.

If you have been diagnosed with placenta accreta your healthcare provider will monitor your pregnancy with the intent of scheduling a delivery and using a surgery that may spare the uterus. You should discuss this option with your healthcare provider should you choose to have more children down the line.

Unfortunately, placenta accreta may be severe enough that a hysterectomy may be needed. Again, it is important to discuss surgical options with your healthcare provider.

Source: www.pregnancy-calendars.net

If placenta previa already scares me, well this placenta accreta scares me more. So I must admit that the news really affected me so much, and now I'm thinking what if...But erase, I don't want to entertain negative thoughts anymore because that won't do me and my baby any good. For now, I'll focus on my own case, take the bedrest really seriously, and see my OB as frequent as possible.