Caesareans can increase risk of rare condition

CONSULTANT OBSTETRICIAN AND GYNAECOLOGIST

MARISSA’S story is moving, but unfortunately not unheard of.

Abnormal placenta growth can be extremely difficult surgically, so mothers and their families who have been through this need a longer time to recover physically and emotionally, and with skilled support.

The placenta normally attaches to the inside of the uterus and separates after delivery of the baby, but in rare cases it can invade into the wall or through the wall or the uterus.

This most commonly happens if there is an area of the uterus that has had previous surgery, such as in Marissa’s case where she had undergone two caesarean sections.

The most important aspect of care, as with Marissa, is to involve a multi-disciplinary team in a specialist centre.

Almost all placenta abnormalities are picked up at the 20-week scan. However, it is not normal to experience bleeding during the second or third trimester, so should a patient experience this, it needs to be discussed with a doctor and investigated.

The good news is that while Marissa had a hysterectomy, obstetricians have begun to develop new approaches to the surgery, which may avoid this for future patients.