Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get StartedRisk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffPlacenta previa is more common among women who:
- Have already delivered at least one baby
- Had a previous C-section
- Had placenta previa with a previous pregnancy
- Are age 35 or older
- Are Asian
- Smoke
- Are carrying twins, triplets or other multiples
- Have had a previous uterine surgery, such as myomectomy to remove uterine fibroids or dilation and curettage (D and C) to scrape the uterine lining
References
- Lockwood CJ, et al. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of placenta previa. http://www.uptodate.com/hom. Accessed April 17, 2009.
- Sakornbut E, et al. Late pregnancy bleeding. American Family Physician. 2007;75:1199.
- Zeltzer JS. Vaginal bleeding in late pregnancy. In: Rakel RE, et al. Conn's Current Therapy 2008. 60th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/132444171-3/831220627/1621/508.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4435-2..50256-9_4080. Accessed April 17, 2009.
- Lockwood CJ, et al. Management of placenta previa. http://www.uptodate.com/hom. Accessed April 17, 2009.