Placenta accreta, increta, and percreta are best described as which of the following?

Placenta accreta, increta, and percreta are best described as which of the following?

• A. Normal placental variants with no need for surgical planning
• B. Accreta grows into the myometrium; increta grows through the uterine wall; percreta grows through the uterine wall and may attach to other organs
• C. They describe placental abruption
• D. Involve placental invasion only into the decidua basalis

Answer: (B)

These terms describe how deeply placental tissue invades the uterine wall in the placenta accreta spectrum. Placenta accreta means the placental villi abnormally adhere to the myometrium, often due to a deficient decidua basalis, so separation at birth is impaired. Increta indicates that the invasion extends into the myometrium itself, deeper penetration than accreta. Percreta is the most extensive form, with invasion through the entire thickness of the uterine wall and potentially attachment to adjacent organs such as the bladder. This progression—from adhesion to invasion into the myometrium to penetration through the uterus and beyond—best matches the description that accreta involves growth into the myometrium, increta grows through the uterine wall, and percreta grows through the uterine wall and may involve other organs. These conditions are distinct from placental abruption (premature separation of a normally implanted placenta) and from invasion limited to the decidua basalis.

These terms describe how deeply placental tissue invades the uterine wall in the placenta accreta spectrum. Placenta accreta means the placental villi abnormally adhere to the myometrium, often due to a deficient decidua basalis, so separation at birth is impaired. Increta indicates that the invasion extends into the myometrium itself, deeper penetration than accreta. Percreta is the most extensive form, with invasion through the entire thickness of the uterine wall and potentially attachment to adjacent organs such as the bladder. This progression—from adhesion to invasion into the myometrium to penetration through the uterus and beyond—best matches the description that accreta involves growth into the myometrium, increta grows through the uterine wall, and percreta grows through the uterine wall and may involve other organs. These conditions are distinct from placental abruption (premature separation of a normally implanted placenta) and from invasion limited to the decidua basalis.