Retained Placenta After Cesarean: What to Know

After a cesarean, the placenta is normally removed during the operation. Retained tissue can be suspected when bleeding continues or increases, the uterus does not contract as expected, or symptoms develop later during recovery. A scan, examination, and review of your bleeding and temperature may help guide care.

The placenta is the organ that supports the pregnancy and is removed after the baby is born. Retained placental tissue may be attached to the uterine wall or may remain as a small fragment. It can prevent the uterus from tightening fully, which can contribute to ongoing postpartum bleeding.

Symptoms can appear soon after birth or during the days and weeks that follow. Possible signs include heavy or persistent vaginal bleeding, passing clots, pelvic pain, tenderness, fever, chills, dizziness, or an unpleasant-smelling discharge. These symptoms can have other causes, so they do not confirm retained placenta by themselves.

Contact your maternity unit, obstetrician, or emergency service if you have symptoms after a cesarean. Tell them when the bleeding started, whether it is getting heavier, whether you have pain or fever, and which medicines you are taking. Do not drive yourself if you feel faint or weak.

Your clinician may examine you, check your blood pressure and pulse, order blood tests, and arrange ultrasound imaging. Treatment depends on the amount of tissue, bleeding, infection, and your overall condition. It may involve medicine, antibiotics when infection is suspected, or a procedure to remove tissue. Follow-up helps confirm that bleeding and symptoms are settling.

Seek emergency help for bleeding that is rapidly soaking pads, repeated large clots, fainting, severe weakness, shortness of breath, a racing heartbeat, severe or worsening abdominal pain, or confusion. These signs can indicate significant blood loss or another postpartum emergency.

Prompt assessment is also needed for fever, chills, increasing pelvic tenderness, or foul-smelling discharge, which may point to infection. Keep any discharge paperwork available and tell the team that you recently had a cesarean birth.

You could ask: What findings suggest retained tissue? Do I need an ultrasound or blood tests? What treatment do you recommend and why? How will you monitor bleeding, infection, and recovery? Which symptoms mean I should return immediately?