During the month of October, ICAN focuses on bringing awareness to the condition of placenta accreta, when the placenta attaches too deeply into the uterine wall. Today, we are sharing a new organization assisting in the effort to reduce preventable accreta cases, the National Accreta Foundation.
Founded in April 2017, the Foundation is a non-profit corporation focused on eliminating preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity due to placenta accreta. To achieve this goal, their work is using a two-prong approach: to reduce the rate of NTSV (Nulliparous Term Singleton Vertex) cesarean births and repeat cesarean births, as well as increasing the number of hospitals staffed and equipped to provide the appropriate care required for patients with previous cesareans and diagnosed cases of placenta accreta.
The foundation partners with federal, state, and local public health agencies and organizations, hospitals and health systems, medical and hospital associations, and insurance payers and purchasers to create multi-stakeholder agendas and strategies for the prevention, measurement, and safe management of placenta accreta. More detailed information can be found on their website here.
Kristen Terlizzi is a placenta percreta survivor and an advocate for maternal health and patient safety. She has discussed the risks of an accreta delivery as well as the significant medical expertise, coordination, and cost needed at various events for medical students, hospital leadership, perinatal quality collaboratives, medical conferences, and blood banks. She is a recurring guest lecturer at Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics.
Jill Arnold is a consultant specializing in cesarean data reporting and consumer engagement with maternity data. In addition to working as a consultant to Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center, Jill is an Editorial Board Member of the Institute for Perinatal Quality Improvement, a member of the Lamaze International Board of Directors and an Expert Consultant to the Delivery Decisions Initiative at Harvard’s Ariadne Labs.
Kristen shares her story:
These women are dedicating their time to preventing other women from unnecessarily experiencing placenta accreta and developing strategies for perinatal regionalization of care for women with a previous cesarean birth. Learn more about the foundation at:
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