The duration of the third stage of labor is subject to the location of placental implantation

We evaluated the association between placental location and length of the third stage of labor in normal term singleton pregnancies. Two hundred consecutive singleton term live vaginal deliveries following uncomplicated pregnancies were included in a retrospective study. The mean maternal age was 27.5 +/- 5.2 years, and the mean parity was 2.2 +/- 1.4. Patients' charts were reviewed in order to determine the placental implantation site. Anterior location of the placenta was noted in 96 women (48%), posterior in 66 (33%), fundal in 26 (13%), and lateral in 12 (6%). The duration of the third stage was 9.5 +/- 5.5, 9.4 +/- 5.3, 12.8 +/- 9.5, and 7.6 +/- 3.5 min in anterior, posterior, fundal, and lateral groups, respectively (p < 0.05). The duration of the third stage of labor is statistically significantly longer, if the placenta is located in the fundal area of the uterus. Therefore, we believe that the placental location may be important in managing the third stage of labor.