10/14/2026
Told you have placenta accreta spectrum, and not sure how that is different from the previa you already knew about?
Placenta accreta spectrum means your placenta attached more deeply than it should have into your uterine wall. There are three depths: accreta, increta, and percreta, each describing how far it has grown in.
This is a different diagnosis than previa, but the two are closely connected. More than 80% of accreta spectrum cases also involve previa, and the single biggest risk factor is having previa combined with one or more prior cesareans.
The risk climbs with each prior cesarean, when previa is also present:
1. One prior cesarean: about 3%
2. Two: about 11%
3. Three: about 40%
4. Four: about 61%
5. Five or more: about 67%
Ultrasound is how this is usually found, though a normal scan does not fully rule it out if your risk factors are high. That is why your surgical history matters just as much as the images.
Here is the part worth holding onto: being diagnosed before delivery changes the entire plan. It means a scheduled cesarean, typically between 34 and almost 36 weeks, at a hospital with real experience in this exact situation, with a full team and blood products ready before you are ever on the table. Planned care, built specifically around this diagnosis, is what changes the outcome, not surprise.
Comment SUPPORT to join my free high risk pregnancy support group. Comment MIDWIFE to learn about working with me one on one.
Have you been diagnosed with placenta accreta spectrum? What has your care team’s plan looked like? Share in the comments.
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