placenta praevia

Noun

placenta praevia

1. A complication of pregnancy in which the placenta is inserted partially or completely in the lower segment of the uterus (above the opening of the cervix).
   • The description of case 2980 leaves it uncertain whether this is a case of placenta praevia, but in the notebook is mentioned: "The afterbirth was in front of the child in the mouth of the womb and stuck very fast. Could not remove it completely".1987, G. J. Kloosterman, Some Obstetric Comments on Vrouw Schrader's Notebook and Memoirs, Hilary Marland (editor), Mother and Child Were Saved: The Memoirs (1693-1740) of the Frisian Midwife...
   • A second trimester low-lying placenta which is posterior or centrally located over the os is more likely to persist as a placenta praevia at term.2007, D. K. Dutta, Dutta's Obstetrics Haemorrhage: Made Easy, page 128