Any pregnant woman is terrified to hear these four words said together: “gestational sac detachment.” The gestational sac is the place where the baby grows, is protected, and is usually the first visible structure of pregnancy. The sac forms even before the embryo can be seen on an ultrasound, generally in the fourth or fifth week of pregnancy. Its detachment is serious, since it is a fundamental part of a healthy pregnancy. The gestational sac must remain attached to the uterine wall for the baby’s safety1.
When Is the Risk Higher?
The risk is constant in the first trimester of pregnancy, increasing when there are hormonal drops or any trauma to the pregnant woman’s abdomen, causing a hematoma and risk of miscarriage due to detachment. It’s important to highlight that there is often confusion between the terms placental abruption and ovular detachment2. These are different problems but require virtually the same care for treatment. At 6 weeks pregnant there is still no placenta, since it forms from the 10th week of pregnancy.
What is Gestational Sac Detachment?
Gestational sac detachment might not actually be a true detachment—did you know? In fact, gestational sac detachment has a rather complex medical name: subchorionic hematoma3. Gestational sac detachment occurs, basically, due to a build-up of blood between the sac and the wall of the uterus where it should be attached. The severity of this episode can lead to a spontaneous miscarriage.
What Are the Symptoms of Gestational Sac Detachment?
Gestational sac detachment can have varying degrees and symptoms that are more or less intense, but they are basically similar from woman to woman.
- Intense or mild abdominal pain and cramps
- Bright red or brown bleeding
How Is It Diagnosed?
Generally, the symptoms make the woman seek emergency care—after all, when bleeding occurs during pregnancy, a yellow warning light goes on: something is wrong. But an accurate diagnosis of gestational sac detachment is only possible with an ultrasound to detect the cause of the bleeding.
How to Treat Gestational Sac Detachment?
Once the hematoma and its size are diagnosed, treatment for detachment is done with progesterone hormone and relative rest. Avoiding excess, but maintaining your routine.
It is also advised that a woman with gestational sac detachment drink plenty of fluids and abstain from sexual intercourse and physical exertion during recovery. Normally, the detachment resolves with medication. Most women who have a detachment hematoma are able to carry the pregnancy to term, without major problems.
After 15 days of relative rest, the pregnant woman should repeat the ultrasound to check if the gestational sac detachment is improving and to rule out a possible threat to the pregnancy. Remember: if you notice any bright red or brown bleeding, seek your doctor or emergency care as soon as possible. Gestational sac detachment is something completely manageable and may just be a scare early in pregnancy.
Readers’ Questions:
Can Ovular Detachment Cause Placental Abruption?
No. Ovular detachment is something that happens at the beginning of pregnancy. Placental abruption, on the other hand, usually occurs later on. Not everyone who has ovular detachment will necessarily have placental abruption.
