National Accreta Foundation

07/21/2025

Part 3: Postpartum Care: The Missing Piece

🎓 From the study “Patient-centered care for placenta accreta spectrum…”
💖 A final and heartfelt thank you to all who shared your PAS experience in our study. Your insights are powerful.

But here’s the truth: only 40% received postpartum follow-up with their PAS team.
Yet 96% of those who didn’t get it... said they wanted it.

Patients described feeling:
🔹 Isolated after discharge
🔹 Like their care ended too soon
🔹 Left without a point of contact
🔹 Misunderstood by general providers

🔁 Providers want to offer better postpartum care—but cite limited time, insurance coverage, and distance as barriers.

💡 What helps?
— Telehealth
— Referrals to advocacy groups
— Clear post-discharge contact info
— Extending care beyond 6 weeks

🧠 PAS recovery doesn’t end at delivery. Let’s make sure support doesn’t either.
Find the full article at International Journal of Gynolocology and Obstetrics.

07/17/2025

Part 2: Support Matters: Mental & Physical Health After PAS
From our study: “Patient-centered care for placenta accreta spectrum…”
💬 Again, Thank you to our incredible community members who participated—you’re helping redefine what care should look like.

Here’s what you told us:

🔸 Only 44% were offered mental health support
🔸 60% were not referred to physical therapy
🔸 When support was offered, it made a difference—but often came too late
🔸 Partners were rarely included, and many felt overwhelmed and unsupported

Barriers like cost, availability, and awareness were cited. But providers are listening—and want to improve.

💡 Solutions can be simple:
✔️ Offer resources early
✔️ Include partners
✔️ Create trauma-informed care plans

🙏 Thank you for helping shed light on what recovery really requires.

07/12/2025

Highlight 1: Study Spotlight: Patient-Centered Care for PAS

📄 “Patient-centered care for placenta accreta spectrum: Exploring implementation of recommendations based on reported patient and healthcare provider experiences” (Bartels et al., 2025)

Again, a huge thank you to our community members who took part in this global study. Your stories helped shape critical insights into how care for Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS) is being delivered—and where it’s falling short.

🔹 63% felt prepared for birth, but...
🔹 Many weren’t offered options beyond hysterectomy
🔹 Nearly 80% were given no educational resources

Patients reported being told not to research PAS. Others were left to search alone, scared and confused.

We can—and must—do better.

📣 Stay tuned for more findings from your responses in Part 2.
Find the full article at International Journal of Gynolocology and Obstetrics.

07/10/2025

Its here!!! 🎉
Last fall YOU, our community, helped us in participating in a survey for Patient Centered Care for PAS.

The results are here and the article has been published with the International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

First and foremost, THANK YOU to everyone in our community who participated! Your voices are driving real change.
Over the next week, we will share some high points and statistics of the study.

This study explored patients' experience of their care and how often these recommendations are utilized. Furthermore, we explored whether these recommendations are valued by healthcare providers and identify barriers to implementation. There were 244 participants of which 63.5% were patients and 36.5% were healthcare providers.

Keep checking back for the highlights throughout this next week followed by the full article.

07/04/2025

This First Friday Fact is about timing 🕚 of planned delivery in an accreta patient.

According to ACOG and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, in patients with placenta accreta spectrum who have no prior bleeding or contractions, planned delivery is recommended between 34 weeks and 35 weeks 6 days of gestation.

"Waiting beyond 36 0/7 weeks of gestation is not advised because approximately one half of women with placenta accreta spectrum beyond 36 weeks require emergent delivery for hemorrhage."

06/21/2025

Why is a second opinion helpful? A second opinion can provide more expertise from specialists that handle a higher volume of PAS cases, and ensures that you receive the best possible care. Considering the complexity of PAS, an accreta diagnosis should not be taken lightly. Most OBGYNs will refer you to a Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) Specialist.

Read more on "Seeking a Second Opinion in PAS Care" from our website.

The diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is difficult and sometimes uncertain. Seeking a second opinion can help improve the quality of care patients receive.

06/15/2025

Happy Father’s Day to our Accreta Dads!💚

Today we honor the men in our lives who took on so much. Accreta is hard on the entire family and we often don’t give enough credit to the dads that stand behind us through the thick of it. Some dads carry the weight alone and without their spouse due to accreta… Thank you Dads for your strength then, and now.

We would love to add to our “Accreta Experiences” from a dad’s point of view. If you have a dad who is willing, please share this link. https://www.preventaccreta.org/story

A story from an accreta dad we wanted to highlight today.👇🏼
https://www.preventaccreta.org/jeremytillman

Thank you to all who submitted your dads! Here are as many and FB would allow us to post. 🙂

06/11/2025

Calling all accreta dads! We want to feature them for Father's day. DM us your photo of your accreta strong dad!

06/07/2025

We’re making room in the gear store for new items! Two other add on items have also been marked down: “Accreta Strong” shirts and “Belly Logo” Necklaces!

Check out the store: https://www.preventaccreta.org/gear

06/06/2025

First Friday Facts!

Placenta Previa and PAS Risk:
In women with placenta previa and no prior cesarean, the risk of PAS is 3%. However, with placenta previa and 1️⃣ prior cesarean, the risk rises to 11%, and with 3️⃣ prior cesareans, it soars to 40% 😮—reaching up to 67% with 5️⃣ or more prior cesareans.

Source: https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/obstetric-care-consensus/articles/2018/12/placenta-accreta-spectrum

06/01/2025

Gear Highlight:💚💪
Accreta Strong-our most popular T-shirt! Add a matching onesie for your accreta babe. We also have toddler sizes that are great for siblings, and for when those accreta babes grow like weeds!

Gear: https://www.preventaccreta.org/gear/unisex-accreta-strong-shirt