What should you know about partial placenta accreta?

The placenta normally separates from the uterine wall after the baby is born. With partial accreta, a section remains firmly attached because placental tissue has grown too deeply into the attachment area. The degree of attachment can be difficult to confirm before birth, so maternity teams plan for different possibilities.

You may have no obvious symptoms before labour. Ultrasound findings, your pregnancy history, and the location of the placenta help specialists assess the situation. The concern is bleeding if the placenta is pulled away or does not separate as expected.

Attend the appointments arranged by your obstetric team and keep your delivery plan accessible. Ask where you should go if bleeding, contractions, or fluid leakage begins. The team may coordinate obstetrics, anaesthesia, blood-bank support, and surgery so care is available at delivery. Do not attempt to remove retained placental tissue yourself.

Contact your maternity unit immediately for vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, regular contractions, faintness, or reduced fetal movement. Call emergency services for heavy bleeding, collapse, severe weakness, or breathing difficulty. Use the emergency plan given by your maternity team, even if bleeding later appears to stop.

Ask how the placenta was identified, where delivery should occur, which warning signs matter for you, whether a planned Caesarean Section is recommended, and how the team would manage a placenta that remains attached.