Disease relevance of Placenta Previa

• In patients with placenta previa and ultrasonographic findings of an abnormally adherent placenta, an unexplained elevation in maternal serum creatine kinase level should alert the clinician to the possibility of placenta increta or placenta percreta, with an attendant increase in maternal morbidity [1].
• Fifty percent of the oocyte recipients experienced multiple gestations, resulting in an increased risk for placenta previa, premature rupture of membranes, preterm labor and delivery, glucose intolerance of pregnancy, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and cesarean delivery [2].
• The association between neonatal mortality and magnesium sulfate was not altered by maternal infection, gender, maternal race or ethnicity, maternal age, level of care, breech presentation, surgical delivery, corticosteroids, abruptio placentae, placenta previa, or bleeding on admission [3].
• Concentrations of histamine and total ascorbic acid (L-ascorbic acid plus dehydroascorbic acid) in the antecubital vein blood of women in abruptio placentae (normally situated placentae) and placenta praevia have been measured [4].
• Thromboembolism treated with low molecular weight heparin in a pregnancy complicated by major placenta praevia: a case report [5].

High impact information on Placenta Previa

• Association between maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein and adverse outcomes in pregnancies with placenta previa [6].
• The association between maternal cocaine use and placenta previa [7].
• Except for placenta previa, which occurred four times in IVF pregnancies and not in the control group, no differences in antenatal events were found [8].
• Among women who smoked 0, 1-9, 10-19, and > or = 20 cigarettes per day during pregnancy, the prevalence of placenta previa at delivery was 3.8, 5.7, 6.3, and 6.7 per 1,000 singleton live births, respectively, in the entire population [9].
• Of the patients with placenta praevia, 52% had serum levels of human placental lactogen above the 95th centile and 25% had 24-h urinary oestriol levels above the 95th centile [10].

Chemical compound and disease context of Placenta Previa

• The potential association of cocaine with placenta previa needs more exploration [11].
• We present a patient with a placenta previa in which we failed to manage conservatively with methotrexate and uterine embolization [12].
• Ritodrine use in placenta previa [13].
• Clinical usefulness of terbutaline in the management of placenta praevia [14].
• Massive haemorrhage due to placenta praevia accreta: a useful role for vasopressin [15].

Biological context of Placenta Previa

• During the years 1974-1977 ultrasonic placentography demonstrated midtrimester placenta previa (MTPP) in 123 women [16].
• OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationship between two maternal exposures, cigarette smoking and cocaine use, and placenta previa [11].
• In a retrospective study of 130 out of 141 consecutive cases of antepartum haemorrhage admitted to the Obstetrics Unit of the Port Moresby General Hospital in the three years 1987 to 1989, 33% had abruptio placentae, 48% had placenta praevia and in 19% the cause of the APH could not be determined [17].

Anatomical context of Placenta Previa

• This may reflect decreased fetal stress since the cord blood cortisol levels were found to be lower in women with placenta previa [18].

Gene context of Placenta Previa

• Marked abnormal PP5 levels were not found in patients with maternal diabetes and placenta previa [19].
• RESULTS: Eleven cases of vasa previa without placenta previa were diagnosed among 33 208 women over an 8-year period [20].
• Comment to a case report in this issue of Acta regarding placenta previa percreta [21].
• CSE is the regional anaesthetic technique of choice for placenta praevia [22].
• Antenatal erythropoietin and intra-operative cell salvage in a Jehovah's Witness with placenta praevia [23].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Placenta Previa

• CONCLUSION: These results suggest that cocaine use, as well as prior cesarean section, prior elective abortion, and parity, are associated with placenta previa [7].
• Over a 5-year period, 41 patients with symptomatic placenta previa were treated, of whom 18 were given magnesium sulfate therapy for tocolysis [24].
• Nine cases (9/13, 69.2%) of vasa previa at delivery had a second-trimester placenta previa as documented by midtrimester ultrasonography, whereas 2 controls (2/52, 3.8%) had a second-trimester placenta previa (P < .000001, OR = 56.3, 95% CI = 8.9-354.1) [25].

References