Blood clots in the placenta can be caused by thrombophilia or improper formation of the placenta during pregnancy, leading to birth defects, miscarriage, or stillbirth. Thrombophilia can be treated with blood-thinning medications during pregnancy, but other causes may not be discovered until after birth or miscarriage. Women with a history of thrombophilia face increased risks of blood clots in the placenta and placental abruption, which poses serious risks to the fetus and mother. Treatment includes blood-thinning medications during pregnancy and after delivery, but not all pregnant women diagnosed with thrombophilia require treatment. Improper formation of the placenta can also cause blood clots, leading to delayed fetal development, premature delivery, miscarriage, or excessive bleeding during delivery.
Common causes of blood clots in the placenta include thrombophilia, an inherited or acquired blood disorder, or improper formation of the placenta during pregnancy. Both conditions could cause birth defects, miscarriage, or stillbirth. Thrombophilia can be treated with blood-thinning medications during pregnancy, but other causes of clots may not be discovered until after the birth or miscarriage.
There are different forms of thrombophilia, with two types related to genetics. The acquired form represents an autoimmune disease that could cause complications in about five percent of pregnant women. Thrombophilia occurs when the blood produces too much of a specific protein which causes it to clot. The blood might also create too little of another protein that prevents clots from forming. About half of all cases of blood clots in the placenta are related to thrombophilia.
Women with a history of this disease face increased risks of blood clots in the placenta during pregnancy. The disorder could also lead to placental abruption, a condition in which the placenta tears away from the uterine wall. Placental abruption poses serious risks to the fetus and mother. It could cause miscarriage after 10 weeks of gestation and produce a stillborn baby in the second or third trimester of pregnancy.
Some women with thrombophilia are treated with blood-thinning medications during pregnancy and six weeks after delivery. They typically receive heparin injections one or more times a day while carrying a baby. This drug does not cross the placenta into the fetal bloodstream. Doctors typically prescribe low-dose aspirin as part of treatment for blood clots in the placenta.
Once a baby is born, women commonly continue on oral blood-thinning medications. Warfarin is commonly used at this point, with or without continued use of heparin. Not all pregnant women diagnosed with thrombophilia require treatment. Doctors look for previous complications during pregnancy, the severity of the disorder, and family history to determine if medications are needed. The side effects of these drugs could lead to bone loss.
The placenta develops inside the uterus during pregnancy to nourish the fetus as it grows. Part of the placenta attaches to the uterine wall as a conduit for the mother’s blood supply. An umbilical cord connects the baby to the placenta as a source of oxygen and nutrients from the mother’s blood.
Fetal waste material is also carried through the umbilical cord to the mother’s blood for disposal through her kidneys. The nutrients supplied by the placenta also protect the unborn child from infection. Hormones in the tissue also signal when labor should begin. Once a baby is born, the placenta has served its purpose and been expelled. If blood clots form in the placental vessels, they could restrict the flow of oxygen to the fetus, causing birth defects.
Blood clots could also develop in the placenta if the placenta forms incorrectly. It may grow too thin or too thick, or the umbilical cord is attached improperly. Blood clots from these conditions could also cause infection or areas of tissue death. This could lead to delayed fetal development, premature delivery, miscarriage, or excessive bleeding during delivery.
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