1The sudden breaking away of a portion from a mass.

1. 1.1Medicine Separation of the placenta from the wall of the uterus during pregnancy, especially when it occurs prematurely.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • The most common symptom of abruption is vaginal bleeding after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
   • Studies suggest that women with this thrombophilia may not be at increased risk of blood clots during pregnancy, but they may be at increased risk of pregnancy loss and placental abruption.
   • All pregnant women should avoid cigarettes and cocaine, which contribute to abruption and certain other pregnancy complications.
   • In an analysis of case fatality rates among pregnant women who had placental abruption subsequent to trauma, 69 percent of fetal deaths were prevented by cesarean delivery.
   • Other clinical problems associated with the placenta are placenta praevia, in which the placenta is located below the fetus, and placental abruption, in which the placenta separates prematurely from the wall of the uterus.