Placenta, Umbilical Cord, and Amniotic Flashcards
*What is the normal thickness of the placenta?
- At 12 weeks, 1.5 - 2 cm
- throughout 2nd and 3rd trimesters, 2-4cm
Possible causes of a thin placenta (placentomalacia)
- diabetes mellitus (long standing)
- IUGR
- placental insufficiency
- polyhydramnios
- preeclampsia
- small-for-dates fetus
Possible causes of a thick placenta (placentamegaly)
- diabetes mellitus
- maternal anemia
- infection
- fetal hydrops
- Rh isoimmunization
- multiple gestation
What is Placental Insufficiency (Uteroplacental Vascular Insufficiency)?
- early placental aging w/ grade 3 placenta late 2nd or early 3rd trimester
- placenta is unable to deliver an adequate supplly of nutrients and oxygen to the fetus and thus cannot fully support the developing baby
- occurs when placenta either doesn’t develop properly or b/c it has been damaged
- can result in IUGR
Causes of placental insufficiency
- diabetes
- post-term pregnancy
- preeclampsia (HTN, Proteinuria, Edema)
- smoking
- alcohol consumption
- drugs/alcohol abuse
What are the Placental Variants?
- Circumvallate Placenta
- Succenturiate lobe
- A bilobed placenta( bipartite placenta)
- Venous lakes (maternal lakes/placental lakes)
What is a circumvallate placenta?
- *a condition in which the chorionic plate is smaller than the basal plate
- is characterized by a loose, redundant ring of chorionic membrane encircling its fetal
- may be predisposed to early separation from the uterine wall and is associated with antepartum bleeding, IUGR, fetal anomalies, placental abruption, and perinatal death
What is succenturiate lobe?
-an accessory lobe of the placenta located away from the main placental body
What is a bilobed placenta (bipartite placenta)?
-a placenta that divided into 2 approximately equal sized lobes
What is venous lakes?
- also known as maternal/placental lakes
- pools of maternal blood within the placental substance
- they will appear as anechoic or hypoechoic areas, and may contain swirling blood. These are of little clinical significance.
What is Placenta Previa?
- *implantation with complete or partial covering of the internal os
- early in pregnancy, the placenta is less localized and often cover the internal os
- as the placenta localized, it usually migrates away from the os
- due to the growth of the uterus, the placenta has the potential to shift away from the cervix with advancing gestation
- even if the placental margin covers the os at 15-17wks, it is likely to migrate away later as the LUS elongates
*When should a patient be evaluated for placenta previa?
-*after 20 wks w/ an empty maternal bladder using a transabdominal approach
When does placenta previa require a c-section?
- when the placenta is visualized 2cm or less from the internal os near term
What are the subtypes of placenta previa
- complete (total) previa: placenta covers the internal os completely
- partial previa: placenta partially covers the internal os
- marginal previa: placenta encroaches on the internal os but does not cover it
- low-lying previa: placental edge extends to within 2cm of the internal os
When is low-lying previa commonly observed?
during 1st and early 2nd trimester
Which previa are often difficult to distinguish sonographically?
marginal and partial placenta previa
What are the causes of false- positive placenta previa?
- Focal myometrial contractions that occur in the LUS
- Overdistended urinary bladder may compress the LUS creating the appearance of previa where is does not exist
*What is a common cause of painless vaginal bleeding in the 2nd and 3rd trimester?
*placenta previa
Placenta previa is more common in women with:
-a history of multiparity, advanced maternal age, previous abortion, and prior c-section
Which scanning is extremely beneficial, esp. with advanced gestation when fetal head or parts obscure the internal os?
Translabial or transperineal
What is the preferred method of delivery for placenta previa and why?
-b/c both the pt and fetus have an increased risk of death
*What is Vasa Previa?
- *when the velamentously inserted cord vessels precede the fetal presenting part and are resting over the internal os of the cervix
- the body of the placenta is away from the os, but the membranes and cord vessels cover the internal os
- these vessels are prone to rupture as the cervix dilates
*What is vasa previa often associated with?
-*velamentous cord insertion
*What is placental abruption (abruptio placentae)?
-it is the premature separation of the normally implanted placenta from the uterine wall before the birth of the fetus, thus causing hemorrhage
What region should the sonographer be concentrating on when assessing for placental abruption?
-*retroplacental space/complex
What is the Retroplacental Complex (RPC)?
- the region behind the placenta and is composed of decidua basalis and portions of myometrium including the maternal veins which drain the placenta
- visualized post 20 wks of gestation
- seen as an echo-poor, subplacental region with linear horizontal echoes representing venous channels
- Doppler flow is noted within the vascular channels
How may the placental abruption be present?
-concealed abruption, partial abruption, marginal abruption, or be defined by its location
What maternal conditions are linked to development of placental abruption?
- hypertension
- preeclampsia
- cocaine use
- cigarette smoking
- poor nutrition
- trauma
What is concealed/complete abruption?
- the hemorrhage is confined to the uterine cavity located between the placenta and the myometrium
- is an emergent situation, leaving the fetus w/o oxygen & nutrients and can cause heavy bleeding and pain in mother
- *is the most severe, often results in the development of a retroplacental hematoma
What is the most severe placental abruption and its result?
- concealed/complete abruption
- can result in development of retroplacental hematoma