Which of the following statements concerning placenta previa is true?
High-Yield Explanation
The initial hemorrhage in placenta previa is usually painless and rarely fatal. If the fetus is premature and if hemorrhaging is not severe, vaginal examination of a woman suspected of having placenta previa frequently can be delayed until 37 weeks gestation; this delay in the potentially hazardous examination reduces the risk of prematurity, which is often associated with placenta previa. Vaginal examination, when needed to determine whether a low- lying placenta is covering the internal os of the cervix, should be performed in an operating room fully prepared for an emergency cesarean section (i.e., a double setup). Increasing maternal age and multiparity are associated with a higher incidence of placenta previa.