placenta praevia

noun

A complication of pregnancy in which the placenta is inserted partially or completely in the lower segment of the uterus (above the opening of the cervix).

Meanings

noun

alternative placenta previa

  1. medicineA complication of pregnancy in which the placenta is inserted partially or completely in the lower segment of the uterus (above the opening of the cervix).

    If placenta praevia is identified, further imaging should be undertaken to ascertain the presence of placenta accreta.

    2011, David Levy, “8: Obstetric Haemorrhage”, in Ian Johnston, William Harrop-Griffiths, Leslie Gemmell, editors, AAGBI Core Topics in Anaesthesia 2012, page 110
    2 more examples

    1987, G. J. Kloosterman, Some Obstetric Comments on Vrouw Schrader's Notebook and Memoirs, Hilary Marland (editor), Mother and Child Were Saved: The Memoirs (1693-1740) of the Frisian Midwife Catharina Schrader, page 35, The description of case 2980 leaves it uncertain whether this is a case of placenta praevia, but in the notebook is mentioned: "The afterbirth was in front of the child in the mouth of the womb and stuck very fast. Could not remove it completely".

    A second trimester low-lying placenta which is posterior or centrally located over the os is more likely to persist as a placenta praevia at term.

    2007, D. K. Dutta, Dutta's Obstetrics Haemorrhage: Made Easy, page 128

Origin

Translations

Catalan placenta prèvia
  • placenta prèviacomplication of pregnancy
Chinese Mandarin 前置胎盤 /前置胎盘
  • 前置胎盤 /前置胎盘 (qiánzhì tāipán)complication of pregnancy
Finnish etinen istukka
  • etinen istukkacomplication of pregnancy
French placenta praevia
  • placenta praeviacomplication of pregnancy
Japanese 前置胎盤
  • 前置胎盤 (zenchi taiban)complication of pregnancy
Korean 전치태반
  • 전치태반 (jeonchitaeban)complication of pregnancy
Polish łożysko przodujące
  • łożysko przodującecomplication of pregnancy
Portuguese placenta prévia
  • placenta préviacomplication of pregnancy
Romanian placentă previa
  • placentă previacomplication of pregnancy
Spanish placenta previa
  • placenta previacomplication of pregnancy
Vietnamese nhau tiền đạo
  • nhau tiền đạocomplication of pregnancy
Cite this entry
APA

placenta praevia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/placenta%20praevia

MLA

“placenta praevia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/placenta%20praevia. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “placenta praevia,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/placenta%20praevia.

Source: placenta praevia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.