ANTERIOR PLACENTA IN PREGNANCY AND WHAT IT MEANS

Problems with your placenta can be a worry when you are pregnant – both for you as a mum and the medical team looking after you, who will monitor the position of your placenta as you progress through your pregnancy. One thing that monitoring may reveal is an anterior placenta.

But, although you may have heard of anterior placenta, you may have many questions about it, such as - what causes an anterior placenta? What are the signs of an anterior placenta? When will I find out if I have an anterior placenta? Is there anything that I need to do if I have an anterior placenta?

To help you understand the condition and how it can affect you, here’s the lowdown on anterior placenta...

What is a placenta?  

The placenta is the organ that passes nutrients, antibodies and oxygen to your baby during your pregnancy. So, it’s vital for your unborn child’s growth and development. It also takes away waste products – your baby’s poo and wee – from your womb, so your body can get rid of them. The placenta is attached to the lining of your womb and connects to your baby through the umbilical cord.

What is an anterior placenta?

Your placenta starts to develop in the early stages of pregnancy, and grows wherever the fertilised egg has embedded itself, whether that be on the top, front, back or sides of the uterus. When the placenta develops on the front of your uterus, this is called an anterior placenta.

How do I know if I have an anterior placenta?

If you have an anterior placenta, it will be spotted when you go into hospital for your second scan, which takes place when you are between 18 and 21 weeks pregnant.

Can an anterior placenta cause problems during my pregnancy?

An anterior placenta is usually no cause for concern – it is not a medical problem as such, as it is not uncommon for the placenta to implant on the front wall of the uterus. Your placenta will do its job of nourishing your baby and normally won’t cause any problems. But there are a few possible issues that you should be aware of relating to an anterior placenta.

An anterior placenta can make it a bit harder for you to feel your baby moving, as the placenta is in front of the womb and so will cushion his or her movements. But you should still be able to feel the movements, they’ll just be a little fainter. It’s really important not to disregard a lack of movement as being due to your placenta. Always be on the safe side and contact your maternity unit or midwife immediately if you think your baby’s movements have changed, slowed down or stopped. It’s best to get checked out as soon as possible and nobody will blame you for being over cautious if it turns out there is no problem.

Another possible issue with having an anterior placenta is that it can make it more difficult to perform tests, like an amniocentesis. This is a test for certain conditions, such as Down’s Syndrome, that is offered to some pregnant women. During the procedure, a doctor will insert a long, thin needle to collect a sample of cells from the amniotic sac that surrounds the developing baby, which are then tested. But if you have an anterior placenta then it can get in the way of the path of the needle. But if this is the case, then an ultrasound scanner will be used to guide the needle, to ensure your placenta is avoided during the procedure.  

A low-lying anterior placenta may make a caesarean section more complicated as your placenta could be lying where the surgeon would normally make their incision. If you are in this situation then ultrasound will be used to find a better position to make the cut.

Is there any link between anterior placenta and gender?

You may have heard this, as there has been a study that suggests there is a link between the position of the placenta and the gender of a child. But there is no solid evidence of this and more research is needed to determine any link between anterior placenta and gender.