What assessment finding should the nurse expect to find if the patient has a placental abruption?
Placental AbruptionNot what you're looking for? Show
What is placental abruption?Bleeding can happen at any time during pregnancy. Placental abruption can cause bleeding late in pregnancy. This means after about 20 weeks. Placental abruption is when the placenta pulls away from where it's attached to the uterus. The placenta has many blood vessels that bring the nutrients from the mother to the developing baby. If the placenta starts to pull away during pregnancy, these blood vessels bleed. The larger the area that pulls away, the greater the amount of bleeding. What causes placental abruption?A direct blow to the uterus can cause placental abruption. For instance, this could happen during a car crash. Healthcare providers don’t know what causes it in other cases. You may be at higher risk if:
What are the symptoms of placental abruption?The most common symptom of placental abruption is painful, dark red bleeding from the vagina. It happens during the third trimester of pregnancy. It also can occur during labor. Some women may not have vaginal bleeding that can be seen, but there may be bleeding inside the uterus. Symptoms of placental abruption may include:
These symptoms may be caused by other health conditions. Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis. How is placental abruption diagnosed?Your healthcare provider can diagnose placental abruption based on your symptoms. These include the amount of bleeding and pain. You will likely need an ultrasound. This test will show where the bleeding is. The provider will also check on your developing baby. There are 3 grades of placental abruption:
Sometimes placental abruption isn't found until after delivery, when an area of clotted blood is found behind the placenta. How is placental abruption treated?There is no treatment to stop placental abruption or reattach the placenta. Your care depends on how much bleeding you have, how far along your pregnancy is, and how healthy your developing baby is. You may be able to have a vaginal delivery. Or you may need a cesarean section delivery if you have severe bleeding or if you or your baby are in danger. You may need a blood transfusion if you lose a lot of blood. What are possible complications of placental abruption?Placental abruption is dangerous because of the risk of uncontrolled bleeding (hemorrhage). This can mean less oxygen and nutrients going to the developing baby. Severe placental abruption is rare. Other complications may include:
When should I call my healthcare provider?Call your healthcare provider about any bleeding you have while pregnant. Bleeding during pregnancy may not be serious. If the bleeding is medium to severe, or you have pain, contact your healthcare provider right away. Key points about placental abruption
Next stepsTips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:
Medical Reviewer: Irina Burd MD PhD Medical Reviewer: Donna Freeborn PhD CNM FNP Medical Reviewer: Heather M Trevino BSN RNC © 2000-2022 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions. Not what you're looking for? How do you assess placental abruption?If your health care provider suspects placental abruption, he or she will do a physical exam to check for uterine tenderness or rigidity. To help identify possible sources of vaginal bleeding, your provider will likely recommend blood and urine tests and ultrasound.
What are the first signs of placental abruption?What are the symptoms of placental abruption? The main symptom of placental abruption is vaginal bleeding. You also may have pain,contractions, discomfort and tenderness or sudden, ongoing belly or back pain. Sometimes, these symptoms may happen without vaginal bleeding because the blood is trapped behind the placenta.
What assessment finding should the nurse to expect to find if the patient has a placenta abruption?Nursing Assessment
Assess if the bleeding is external or internal. Monitor contractions if separation occurs during labor. Obtain baseline vital signs. Assess for the time the bleeding began, the amount and kind of bleeding, and interventions done when bleeding occurred if it started before admission.
What is the typical presentation for placental abruption?Vaginal bleeding was the most common symptom (70%) of placental abruption, and pain was present in half of the cases. Clear retroplacental blood clot before delivery was detected by ultrasound in only 15% of our cases.
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