Placenta previa should be suspected in any woman beyond 20 weeks of gestation who presents with painless vaginal bleeding. For women who have not had a second trimester ultrasound examination, antepartum bleeding after 20 weeks of gestation should prompt sonographic determination of placental location before digital vaginal examination is performed because palpation of the placenta can cause severe hemorrhage.
Placenta previa refers to the presence of placental tissue that extends over or lies proximate to the internal cervical os. Sequelae include the potential for severe bleeding and preterm birth, as well as the need for cesarean delivery. Pathophysiology placental bleeding is thought to occur when gradual changes in the cervix and lower uterine segment apply shearing forces to the inelastic placental attachment site, resulting in partial detachment. Vaginal examination or coitus can also disrupt the intervillous space and cause bleeding. Bleeding is primarily maternal, but fetal bleeding can occur if a fetal vessel is disrupted.
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