October 3, 2018 at City International Hospital, an Emergency C-section were given to save the baby's life after 37 weeks of pregnancy and the 34-year-old mother from hysterectomy. Case history of patient Nguyen Thi Bich C, living in District 1 (HCMC), who suffered a complete placental abruption. The baby was born prematurely but healthy (2.8 kg in weight), and mother and child are now recovering well. 

October 3, 2018 Patient Nguyen Thi Bich. C, (34 years old from District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) at 32 weeks of gestation with gestational diabetes and high blood pressure, both of which may result in placental abruption, referred to Emergency Room at City International Hospital for delivery while suffering from a severe abdominal pain and mild vaginal bleeding. However, her abdominal pain was very diffuse, with no signs of renal colic. Around 16:10 pm the same day, after getting her blood tested and the unborn baby monitored, clinical symptoms and ultra-sonographic finding revealed placental abruption and her condition continued to worsen. Recognizing thie severity of the abruption was affecting the fetus, Dr. Cuc decided to perform an emergency caesarean section to save the life of both the mother and the baby.

The surgery was successfully completed. After the surgery, the patient continued to be closely monitored and treated with a blood transfusion with a appropriate unit of red blood cells due to heavy maternal bleeding. After 3 days in neonatal intensive care unit, a healthy baby was returned to the mother on 6 October.

The baby was born prematurely but healthy . Both mother and child are now recovering well. 

Placental abruption is a rare and unexpected obstetric emergency. Without prompt medical treatment, placental abruption is a leading cause of death for unborn and newborn babies. This is because the breakage of blood vessels reduces the oxygen supply to the unborn baby.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Cuc, OB/GYN  from City International Hospital - who performed the lifesaving procedure said: “Nguyen Thi Bich C is a baby case because previously she got two fertility treatments but failed both. Clinical complications occurred in her current pregnancy after 37 weeks of gestation. The biggest risk to the mother when the placenta detaches completely is the possibility of hemorrhaging, or excessive internal bleeding. This surgery we’re lucky to have such a high quality and high-responsibility doctor team working together effortlessly to save both mother and baby, as well as being able to keep the uterus for a future pregnancy.”

“For most women, the placenta is a part of pregnancy that doesn’t get much thought. The organ that supports the life of the fetus typically develops alongside it, and then is delivered about 30 minutes after the baby is born. The case the baby was born with a large mass of a blood clot under the placenta, the baby was weak, requiring immediate resuscitation. After a few minutes, the baby started to cry, the team burst into joy. From the emergency room to the operating room, our entire team of surgeons, anesthesiologist, neonatal care team and the maternity care team was beating the time to achieve the best outcome for both mother and baby. We rushed every life-saving minute for mother and baby; any single bit of delay would pose dangers to a mother and her newborn, even result in death.”

Dr. Nguyen Thi Cuc and her happy patients.

October 8, Dr. Cuc visited Patient C and her family. Her baby was born prematurely but healthy (2.8 kg in weight), and mother and child are now doing well. Patient C expressed her deepest gratitude to the hospital: "My family and I are very grateful for all the hard work that Dr. Cuc and the staff of City International Hospital have given to save our lives. We are very lucky to choose this place for my child birth. I have a baseline at pregnancy: hypertension, gestational diabetes, 2 failures in IVF, where all the complications started. We deeply thank City International Hospital for taking back our lives as well as welcoming this new little one. "

It’s also highly recommended by Dr. Cuc to all pregnant women, she expressed: "Although abruptions are rare, it’s important to have any signs of abnormality include vaginal bleeding, a hard or painful uterus, severe abdominal or back pain, and continuous sudden contractions before your baby is full term, ect. In cases of delayed diagnosis and medical treatment, the mortality rate for both the mother and the fetus increases dramatically. The faster you get help, the better your chances of survival and recovery."

Here's what you need to know about Placental Abruption

• Placental Abruption (also referred to as abruptio placentae) refers to partial or complete placental detachment prior to delivery of the fetus.
• There are many blood vessels within the placenta that transfer nutrients from the mother to the unborn baby. If the placenta detaches during pregnancy, these blood vessels break, and thus there is bleeding. The larger the area that detaches, the more bleeding there is. This is because the breakage of blood vessels reduces the oxygen supply to the unborn baby. Placental abruption is also associated with high rates of premature birth and fetal growth restriction.
• Worldwide, the incidence of placental abruption is about 0.5% to 1%. While the exact cause in most cases is unknown, certain factors make a pregnancy more susceptible to placental abruption. Risk factors may include:
  • History of abruption in a previous pregnancy
  • Maternal age 35 years or older
  • Some blood conditions – particularly any condition that affects the blood’s ability to clot.
  • Abdominal trauma from domestic abuse or a motor vehicle accident
  • Uterine defects such as tumors
  • Premature rupture of the amniotic sac, due to breakage or leakage.
  • Collagen vascular disease, blood clotting disorders, uterine fibroids, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, and vascular diseases, may predispose one to Placenta Abruption
  • Multiple pregnancy
  • Short umbilical cord
  • Cigarette smoking/tobacco abuse
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Cocaine use during pregnancy
  • Chronic high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure during pregnancy resulting in preeclampsia or eclampsia
  • Uncontrolled diabetes: Diabetic individuals carry a high percentage of risk.
  • Poor diet

Placenta Abruption can lead to complications, both for the mother and the fetus.

1. Maternal complications include:

• Shock due to blood loss.
• Blood-clotting problems, such as disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
• Blood loss: Uncontrollable blood loss may necessitate a hysterectomy (surgical procedure to remove the uterus)
• Excess loss of blood may sometimes lead to the death of the mother
• Kidney failure; failure of other organs

2. Complications to the fetus::

• Reduced oxygen and nutrient supply required for survival
• Preterm delivery
• Stillbirth

Severe Placental Abruption can cause life-threatening problems for both mother and baby. Monitoring your health is thus an important part of prenatal care. You need to make sure you follow healthy living practices and we can help you get answers about your care. We’ll listen to your experiences, and help you find out what happened during your pregnancy and delivery.

City International Hospital

Operator: (8428) 6280 3333, ext. 8035 or 8036

Or call OB/GYN Department

Patient service: (8428) 6280 3333, ext. 8424 or 8402

?  Address: No. 3, 17A Street, Binh Tri Dong B Ward, Binh Tan Dist. (Next to AEON Mall Binh Tan). Ho Chi Minh City.

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