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Glite Dictionary
placenta previa

placenta previa

2 7.1
A pregnancy condition where the placenta sits low and can cause heavy bleeding, often needing a C-section
  • noun
  • /pləˈsɛntə ˈpriːviə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : placenta previa
  • After several ultrasounds, it was determined that she had placenta previa, requiring special precautions during her pregnancy.

Our daughter Caroline was a preemie and Juliet had placenta previa.

Examples

  • The doctor confirmed that she had placenta previa, which meant she would need a cesarean delivery.

  • Well, you have what is known as placenta previa.

    Mother and Child (2009)

  • I had a placenta previa and almost bled to death.

    Blog text (13)

  • During our placenta previa scare, I got used to the idea that I would need a c-section.

    Blog text (10)

  • Peyton has aondition Called placenta previa.

    Flourish (2006)

  • During her pregnancy, her mother had suffered placenta previa, a condition where the placenta grows in the lowest part of the womb, and doctors had to perform an emergency C-section.

    Blog text (19)

  • Patients were excluded for the following reasons: (1) placenta previa or unexplained vaginal bleeding, (2) previous uterine surgical procedure, and (3) evidence of chorioamnionitis.

    Academic text (2007)

  • During her pregnancy, she experienced placenta previa, leading to increased monitoring for potential complications.

Surface Forms

placenta previa singular
placenta previas plural

Morphology

placenta + previa

This is a technical, Latin-derived medical term: 'placenta' is transparent but 'previa' is not a common English word and functions as a specialist modifier meaning 'lying before/low'. Together they hint that the placenta is abnormally positioned low in the uterus, but the precise clinical implications (covering the cervix, bleeding, need for cesarean) require medical knowledge, so the meaning is only partially derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Placenta previa comes from the words placenta and previa, with previa meaning 'in front' or 'before'. It paints a simple picture: the placenta sits low and lies in front of the birth opening in the womb, so it can cause bleeding and often needs a planned C-section.