Early sonographic detection of a succenturiate placenta after IVF in a 42-year-old woman with multiple comorbidities

We present a case of a 42-year-old woman with a pregnancy resulting from in vitro fertilisation and a medical history including two spontaneous abortions, hypercoagulable state and other comorbidities. At 13 4/7 weeks' gestation, during research ultrasonography, the patient was noted to have an anterior succenturiate placental lobe. Following an episode of vaginal bleeding at 21 6/7 weeks, she was diagnosed with a low-lying posterior placental lobe. Velamentous cord insertion, placenta previa and vasa previa were excluded at that time. After elective induction for advanced maternal age at 39 0/7 weeks, arrest of labour and chorioamnionitis resulted in a primary low transverse caesarean section and delivery of a healthy girl at 39 3/7 weeks. Gross examination of the placenta showed an irregular, singleton placenta with an attached succenturiate lobe and a marginally inserting umbilical cord. Both lobes were connected by two vessels.