Pregnancy is an important stage in a woman’s life where every trimester has to be continuously monitored. Your gynecologist or health care provider will do this with the help of tests and scans. The most important one, as you must be all aware of, is an ultrasound. This test is done in the second trimester aiming to find out the position of the placenta. As this mainly determines whether the delivery will be normal or a C-section. How? Read more on What Is Placenta Posterior – Everything A Mom Needs To Know

What is Placenta – and it’s importance

A placenta is a disc shaped organ that attaches to the mother’s uterus during pregnancy. It is spread within the uterus occupying a fairly wide area.  It carries out the most crucial responsibility of delivering nutrients and oxygen from the mother’s blood to the blood of the baby. An umbilical cord connects the placenta to the baby. Even after delivery, the umbilical cord is attached to the baby, your doctor will carefully examine it before detaching it. Somewhere in the 20^th week of pregnancy, during the second trimester, an anamoly ultrasound will be taken which gives a clear idea to your gynecologist as to the current position of the placenta.  Which thereby determines the growth and development of the baby.

Read on Cephalic Presentation Of The Baby

What Is Placenta Posterior

The placenta organ could align itself anywhere within the walls of the uterus. Throughout the Pregnancy it has the ability to continuously change it’s position. Let us understand some important positions of the placenta – and the most important being Placenta Posterior. In normal terms, “anterior” means front and “posterior” means back. If the placenta of a pregnant woman attaches itself to the uterus towards the back wall then it is termed a posterior placenta. This occurs when the fertilized egg travels via the fallopian tubes and attaches itself to the walls of the uterus.

Implications of a Placenta Posterior

Irrespective of the fact that which position the placenta is situated in, it is more important for you to understand  the fact that if the lower portion of the placenta slides too down into the cervix towards the birth canal, then it is considered to be a cause of worry. In other words,  the placenta positions itself in the vertical position to the uterus. This is called Placenta Posterior. When the placenta is on the back wall towards the upper part of the uterus it is called as placenta posterior fundal. Scientifically, this is considered to the most ideal position of the placenta.  Otherwise, an “anterior” or a “posterior” positioning – both are normal.

Is Posterior Placenta normal?

In majority of the cases, a placenta posterior is absolutely normal and does not cause any harm to the mother or the baby. Infact Placenta Posterior  is considered to be beneficial for the reason that the mother can clearly detect the baby’s kicks. One more benefit being that the baby can achieve maximum growth and also help align itself properly in the birth canal before labor, thus paving way for a normal vaginal birth. The position of the placenta doesn’t remain fixed; it keeps changing throughout the pregnancy.

Until the second trimester, the placenta occupies almost half the space in the uterus. As the baby grows it keeps shifting upwards gradually. In the latter stages of pregnancy, the placenta occupies lesser room in the uterus as the baby prepares it’s descent down to the pelvis area. The lower portion of the uterus beings to thin out as the pressure of the baby’s head causes this happening. Thus allowing the birth canal to become wider in preparation of birth.

What positions could be worrisome?

A situation wherein the placenta grows downwards in the direction of the cervix could be a cause of concern. This position is termed as placenta previa. In simple terms it means that the cervix has become obstructed and the baby may not be born vaginally. Which means your gynecologist will opt for a Cesarean birth. The symptoms could be premature labor and excessive bleeding during delivery. Usually there is not a cause of great worry, as your gynecologist would have detected this with the help of sonography and keep you well informed about it. However, there are chances of the placenta to shift it’s position during the pregnancy.

For all you mothers-to-be do not panic or be disturbed  by these medical terminologies. Keep trust in your gynecologist as they would be carefully monitoring the position of the placenta and the baby throughout your pregnancy. Wishing you a safe and healthy delivery!

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