During the month of October, ICAN will be focused on bringing awareness to the condition of placenta accreta, when the placenta attaches too deeply into the uterine wall. This condition carries a 7% mortality risk to the mom due to massive blood loss. Moms are normally made very aware of the risk of uterine rupture when attempting a VBAC, but very few moms are counseled on accreta when considering a repeat cesarean. Many women hear the word accreta for the first time when they are diagnosed with it. With the cases of accreta on the rise due to high cesarean rates, chances are that you will know someone in your lifetime that will face this scary diagnosis.
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ACOG states that “The incidence of placenta accreta has increased and seems to parallel the increasing cesarean delivery rate. Women at greatest risk of placenta accreta are those who have myometrial damage caused by a previous cesarean delivery with either anterior or posterior placenta previa overlying the uterine scar. The authors of one study found that in the presence of a placenta previa, the risk of placenta accreta was 3%, 11%, 40%, 61%, and 67% for the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth or greater repeat cesarean deliveries.”.
During the month of October:
- We will be sharing graphics about accreta everyday. Follow us on facebook, pinterest, and instagram and share in your circles.
- We are having a limited edition accreta awareness t-shirt sale. Proceeds from the sale of the shirt will go to future accreta awareness efforts.
- We will be sharing articles, including a very informative four-part series.
- We will be sharing birth stories and pictures of accreta moms.
- We have chapters in different areas that will be holding blood drives to help bring awareness to accreta and other birth-related blood loss. For those that want to donate but do not have a local chapter holding a blood drive, there will be a virtual blood drive so you can make a pledge to donate at any blood drive in your area.
- On October 15th we are going to take a day to remember and honor the moms and babies that we lost to accreta, a very real risk with this condition.
This month is about empowering moms and their families so that they can truly make an informed decision. We want to say thank you to the Hope for Accreta foundation for all their support and their permission to use some of their materials. Our thanks also to Kmom for her support and for sharing her writings on accreta. And most of all thank you to all the moms that opened their hearts and shared their stories and pictures of a very hard and unsure time in their life.
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#ICANsavelives
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Day 2 – Katie’s Birth Story
Day 3 – Sleeves Up!
Day 4 – ACOG Quotes
Day 5 – The Aftermath of Accreta
Day 8 – Accreta Awareness Shirt
Day 9 – Alexis’ Birth Story
Day 10 – What is Accreta?
Day 11 – Stephanie’s Birth Story
Day 12 – A Look at the Accreta Operating Room
Day 13 – Too Deeply Attached
Day 14 – Accreta Mom Quotes
Day 16 – Merk’s Birth Story
Day 18 – Virtual Blood Drive
Day 19 – Connecting on Social Media
Day 22 – Accreta Education Quotes
Day 23 – I Suffered the Same Pregnancy Complication as Kim Kardashian but with Much More Dire Results
Day 24 – Risks to Mother and Baby
Day 25 – Connecting on Social Media (Part 2)
Day 26 – Accreta Pics
Day 29 – Virtual Blood Drive (con’t)
Closing – Accreta Awareness Month 2016
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