Blood clots in the placenta can be caused by health problems in the mother, including obesity and inactivity. They can be dangerous for the fetus, causing a lack of nutrients and oxygen. Thrombophilias are the most common cause, and high blood pressure and diabetes can also be factors. Regular prenatal care is important for monitoring health risks.
Blood clots in the placenta have a number of causes, although most often they are the result of health problems in the mother. Obese women and those who are inactive are at a higher risk of forming clots and often a cause cannot be found. Pregnant women are more likely than others to develop blood clots anywhere in the body.
The placenta provides nutrition and oxygen to the fetus and transfers waste products from the baby to the mother’s body for elimination. It also produces hormones that help the mother’s body support the pregnancy and initiate labor. The placenta is delivered soon after the baby is born. Problems with the placenta often mean problems for the baby and sometimes for the mother as well.
Blood clots in the placenta can be dangerous to the fetus. The clots do not allow the proper flow of nutrients and oxygen to the baby and waste from the baby to the mother. There could also be other problems present in the placenta. many times if there is just a small lump, it will go away on its own. Even if a clot doesn’t go away, it may not affect the health or growth of the fetus.
Placental abruption is a possible risk of placental blood clots. A detachment is the partial or total separation of the placenta from the uterus before the baby is born. This can cause vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain, but there may be no symptoms if the gap is small. If the gap is large, both mother and baby could die from blood loss.
A group of bleeding disorders called thrombophilias cause most cases of blood clots in the placenta. The most common forms of thrombophilia are inherited, but there may be no symptoms. There may be a personal or family history of blood clots, such as deep vein thrombosis. Women with these disorders are more likely to experience miscarriage, stillbirth, and intrauterine growth retention (IUGR) caused by blood clots in the placenta. A woman who was diagnosed with a blood clotting disorder in a previous pregnancy will need to take a blood thinner, such as Lovenox or heparin, every day during future pregnancies.
Other possible causes of blood clots in the placenta are high blood pressure and diabetes. These conditions could be present before pregnancy or arise during. The best way to prevent or monitor any health risks during pregnancy is regular prenatal care. The uterus will be measured frequently starting at the 20th week.
IUGR is usually first suspected when the uterus is consistently smaller than it should be. This is often the first sign of blood clots in the placenta, which may not be definitively diagnosed until after birth. Depending on the severity of the growth restriction, your baby may need to be born before your due date.
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