Prognosis

The prognosis for placental abruption depends on the severity of the abruption and the gestational age at which it occurs. (1) Managed correctly, the maternal mortality associated with placental abruption is minimal. With the advent of rapid emergency medical transport, the incidence of placental haemorrhage that is fatal to the foetus can be as low as 1 in 850. However, better antenatal and postpartum care has meant that, in relative terms, abruption has become a more important cause of stillbirths compared to other disorders of pregnancy.

Subsequent pregnancies have a risk of separation at any time and must be treated as high risk. (2) One study found a placental abruption recurrence rate of 5.8% in the next pregnancy. (3)

References

1. Oyelese Y, Ananth CV. Placental abruption. Obstet Gynecol. 2006 Oct;108(4):1005-16.
2. Furuhashi M, Kurauchi O, Suganuma N. Pregnancy following placental abruption. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2002 Nov;267(1):11-3.
3. Ruiter L, Ravelli AC, de Graaf IM, et al. Incidence and recurrence rate of placental abruption: a longitudinal linked national cohort study in the Netherlands. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2015 Oct;213(4):573.e1-8.