The placenta grows in the uterus to supply nutrients and oxygen to the fetus during pregnancy. It removes waste and carbon dioxide from the baby’s blood. A placenta typically grows on the side or top of the uterine wall during pregnancy. However, in some pregnant women, it grows in the front, making it hard to feel the baby’s heartbeat and kicks. This blog explores what anterior placenta is, why it is caused, its risks, and treatment.
The placenta grows during pregnancy in the uterus to nourish the fetus through the umbilical cord with nutrients and oxygen. It removes carbon dioxide and waste from the baby’s blood. In summary, the placenta plays a key role in the baby’s lungs, liver and kidneys until birth. It grows where the fertilised egg implants into the uterus wall, and the fetus’s umbilical cord grows from it. As the baby and the uterus grow, the placenta location may change and can happen until 32 weeks of pregnancy, after which there will be no change. There are some positions for the placenta.
● Lateral placenta: Right or left uterine wall
● Fundal placenta: Uterine top
● Posterior placenta: Rear of the uterine wall
● Anterior placenta: Front of the uterine wall
When the placenta forms near the abdomen and in front of the uterus, it is called an anterior placenta. This is not an uncommon condition as it can be formed anywhere in the uterus. It usually doesn’t cause any complications to the baby or the mother, and in most cases, no effects are noticed.
An anterior placenta does not typically interfere with pregnancy or delivery. However, it is best to know if you have it so that you are prepared to take action in case of any complications. While in most cases it goes unnoticed, some common symptoms of anterior placenta are:
● The healthcare provider may find it hard to detect the baby’s heartbeat with a Doppler.
● Typically you can feel the baby’s movements by 18 weeks of pregnancy. When you have an anterior placenta, fetal movement sensation is not felt until much later, and it is not strong.
There is no known reason why the fertilised egg implants into the front portion of the uterus instead of elsewhere. But this part of the uterus is a good location for the egg to latch. However, the placental location does not impact the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the fetus.
While the anterior placenta does not cause any harm to the child or the mother, here are some risks associated with the placenta forming in the anterior of the uterine wall.
If you have an anterior placenta, the baby may be in the OP (occiput posterior) position. The baby’s head is placed lower in the placenta than the body, and the face is turned forward rather than the back. If your baby is in this position, there is a possibility of rotation during labour so that the head is down in the pelvis but facing your back, and this is called the OA (Occpiut anterior) position. This makes delivery tough and may cause prolonged labour.
Typically, the placenta is at the bottom of the uterus and moves up as the baby fetus grows, and this happens in the last trimester. In placenta previa, the placenta does not move up and completely or partially covers the cervix (uterus opening). This may lead to vaginal bleeding, which can be moderate to heavy and also cause other problems.
If the cervix is blocked by the anterior placental position, the baby cannot come through the vagina. When this happens, normal delivery may not be possible, and doctors may suggest a C-Section.
In rare cases, anterior placenta can also cause
● Pregnancy hypertension
● Gestational diabetes
● Placental abruption
● Intrauterine growth restriction
● Intrauterine fetal death
The ultrasound test that is usually done between weeks 18 and 21 of pregnancy is the best way to diagnose the anterior placenta. During this scan, the healthcare provider checks the placenta and fetus for abnormalities. Sometimes, additional ultrasounds may be recommended as the due date gets close. This may be to check the placental location and to make sure that the cervix is not covered. If the placenta covers the cervix, the doctor may recommend an ultrasound again to check for any complications.
The placenta position does not impact the fetus or affect pregnancy until it blocks the cervix and causes placenta previa. In such cases, the expectant mother needs to be monitored in a hospital and is likely to deliver via a C-section.
If the expectant mother needs an amniocentesis (test to analyse the amniotic fluid for abnormalities), carrying out tests may be slightly difficult with the anterior placenta.
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There is no treatment for this as it may not lead to any complications. Treatment is done only if there are any pregnancy complications or placenta previa.
The main challenge in the anterior placenta is not feeling fetal movements. The expectant mother may feel anxious and wonder why she can’t feel kicks as strong as expected. Sometimes the anterior placenta may resolve on its own by moving to a different location as the pregnancy progresses.
There is not much you can do to reduce the risk or prevent anterior placenta. The placenta usually grows where the fertilised eggs implant in the uterine wall. You should contact your doctor when you have severe stomach or back pain, contractions, vaginal bleeding, or when the baby’s movement is less.
An anterior placenta is when the placenta grows in the anterior of the uterus wall. It typically does not affect pregnancy but makes it difficult to hear the baby’s heartbeat and feel the baby’s movements. Regular prenatal care helps manage potential complications, if any.
The anterior placenta does not affect fetal movement, but it makes it hard for the expectant mother to feel these movements.
In general, the anterior placenta causes no complications. While rare, it may cause low-lying placenta or placenta previa.
Prolonged labour, the possibility of a C-section, placenta previa, gestational diabetes, and gestational hypertension are some of the risks associated with anterior placenta.
The anterior placenta is diagnosed during a prenatal ultrasound done between weeks 18 and 21 of pregnancy.
