This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Abruption of the placenta

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Pathological separation of the placenta from its uterine attachment results in a maternal bleed from the opened sinuses.

Initially, the decidua basalis splits, leaving a thin layer adherent to the myometrium. A decidual haematoma is formed with destruction of adjacent placenta.

There is a spectrum of presentation:

  • concealed - no actual bleeding is seen - it remains in the uterus
  • revealed - blood tracks between the membranes and the uterus and escapes vaginally
  • mixed - most usual

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page