Placenta accreta risk factors

A previous Caesarean Section can leave a scar in the womb. If the placenta settles over or near that scar, it may attach more deeply than expected. Other uterine procedures, such as surgery that enters the womb, can also change the surface where the placenta implants.

A placenta that remains low in the womb, including placenta previa, is another finding that prompts closer assessment. Risk is not a diagnosis: many people with these factors do not develop placenta accreta. Your team combines your history with ultrasound findings and the placenta's position rather than relying on one factor alone.

Tell your maternity team about every previous birth, Caesarean Section, miscarriage procedure, fibroid operation, and other womb surgery. Attend recommended scans and ask whether the placenta has moved away from the cervix or lies near a scar. Keep your scan reports available when changing hospitals, and discuss delivery planning early if accreta is suspected.

Get urgent maternity advice for vaginal bleeding, new or persistent pelvic pain, regular contractions, leaking fluid, faintness, or reduced fetal movement. These symptoms can have several causes, but bleeding in pregnancy needs prompt assessment regardless of whether you have known risk factors.

Ask where the placenta is positioned, how it relates to any scar, whether further imaging is needed, and which hospital can provide the required surgical and blood-support services. Ask how a planned Caesarean Section or Hysterectomy might fit into your individual plan.