Placenta accreta is a serious pregnancy complication that can cause preterm birth and put you at risk during delivery. Penn Medicine's Placenta Accreta Spectrum Center of Excellence provides high-quality, coordinated care to treat pregnant people with placenta accreta spectrum disorders.
While the condition is rare, it requires specialized treatment and can be life-threatening. Our multi-disciplinary, coordinated team of experts in maternal-fetal medicine, gynecologic oncology, obstetrics and gynecology, perinatal nursing, obstetric anesthesia, neonatology, transfusion medicine, and radiology work together to ensure the best possible outcome for you and your baby.
Placenta accreta can occur in anyone, and may impact the timing and location of delivery. Because of that, our skilled team is prepared to care for you at any time, day or night.
Learn more about placenta accreta, its risk factors and complications
Treatment in the Placenta Accreta Spectrum Center of Excellence
Comprehensive planning is a vital part of treatment of placenta accreta. The Penn Placenta Accreta Spectrum Center of Excellence is comprised of a team of experts who create individualized plans for before, during, and after your delivery. This helps ensure the best possible outcomes for you and your baby.
In order to take a controlled approach to your care, we often recommend a planned delivery in the late preterm period, which can be between 34 to 36 weeks of pregnancy. If we cannot safely remove the placenta following delivery of your baby, you may need a hysterectomy, which is a surgical procedure to remove your uterus (womb).
Of course, we understand that not every delivery occurs when it is scheduled, and our team is available whenever you need us.
The Placenta Accreta Spectrum Center of Excellence ensures that our experienced surgeons who specialize in maternal-fetal medicine and gynecologic oncology are always available. We also have a supply of donor blood for transfusions, and use cell saver when possible. Cell saver is a device used in surgery that lessens the need for donor blood. It collects the blood you lose, cleans it and returns it back to your body. This can decrease the number of blood transfusions you need.
Learn how our maternal fetal medicine specialists treat high-risk pregnancies