Having an anterior placenta shouldn’t cause you or your baby any problems.
Your placenta develops wherever the
fertilised egg embeds in your uterus (womb). An anterior placenta is positioned on the front wall of your uterus, on your belly side. Just over half of mums-to-be have an anterior placenta.
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During your
anomaly scan (at around 20 weeks), the person doing the scan (sonographer) checks where the placenta is lying. The position will be described as one of the following:
- anterior (on the front wall of your uterus)
- posterior (on the back wall of your uterus)
- fundal (on the top wall of your uterus)
- right or left lateral (on the right or left side of your uterus)
These are all normal places for the placenta to implant and develop.
Sometimes the sonographer can’t get a good view of where the placenta is by doing the scan via your belly. If that’s the case, she’ll ask your permission to carry out a scan via your vagina.
Having an anterior placenta can cushion your
baby’s movements, so it may take you longer notice those first kicks and wriggles. But as your baby grows, you'll get to know his pattern of movements.
Although having an anterior placenta can soften your baby's movements, always call your midwife or doctor if you think he's moving around less. Don't rely on a
hand-held Doppler or fetal monitoring app, as these may give you a false impression of your baby's wellbeing.
If you have an anterior placenta that’s low in your uterus, a
caesarean section may be a bit more complicated. You may have a higher risk of bleeding, for two reasons:
- The placenta may be lying just where your obstetrician would usually to make an incision in your belly. In this case, she'll need to make a cut higher up. You’ll be offered an ultrasound scan to find the best position for the incision.
- If you’ve had a caesarean before, the placenta may have grown over your old scar. This can cause the placenta to grow into, and through, the wall of your uterus (placenta accreta). This is a rare condition, but it’s more likely to happen if you've had a caesarean. Scans can help to diagnose this in good time, so your doctor can plan a safe caesarean birth.
In the unlikely event there’s a problem with bleeding during your caesarean, you'll be in the
operating theatre, and can be treated immediately with a blood transfusion.
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If the placenta is found to extend over your cervix at your anomaly scan, you’ll need
another scan at 36 weeks. This will apply whether the placenta is low-lying at the front, back or side of your uterus.
Most of the time, as your baby grows and your uterus expands, the placenta moves away from your cervix. If your placenta is still too low towards the end of your pregnancy, it’s called
placenta praevia. This is unusual and may mean you won't be able to give birth vaginally. Your doctor will discuss with you whether it may be better to have a caesarean.
Find out more about
scans to check the position of the placenta.
Reviewed for BabyCenter Australia by Hannah Dahlen, midwife
