Will Kim Kardashian Need Emergency Surgery?

Kim Kardashian is facing frightening issues surrounding her long-awaited second pregnancy, as sources claim the mother-to-be may have to have her uterus removed after giving birth.  

During her first pregnancy, she suffered from placenta accreta, a condition in which the placenta grows too deeply attached to the uterine wall. In the video clip above, The Doctors explain that she may have this problem again during her second pregnancy, and it could lead to an emergency hysterectomy.  

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"Basically, this is an abnormal implantation of the placenta," explains Dr. Jennifer Ashton, an OB-GYN, who is not Kardashian's treating physician. "Normally, the placenta sits inside the uterine cavity and after the baby is born, it detaches or it's removed without difficulty." With placenta accreta, however, it can be very difficult to detach. Dr. Ashton adds, "It can cause catastrophic hemorrhage or bleeding ... This is a major obstetrical issue." 

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The condition affects about 1 in 530 pregnancies, and typically a C-section delivery is planned before the woman's due date, with a multidisciplinary surgical team in the room in case the mother's life needs to be saved via surgery. 

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