2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code O44.40Low lying placenta NOS or without hemorrhage, unspecified trimester

ICD-10-CM Codes›O00-O9A›O30-O48›O44

ICD-10-CM O44.40
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

O44.40 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for low lying placenta NOS or without hemorrhage, unspecified trimester. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 817 through 819, 831 through 833. The code is restricted by the Medicare Code Editor to maternity cases (age 9 through 64). Coders also document this condition as low-lying placenta. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Maternal care related to disorders of the placenta and placental implantation.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
O44.40
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Low lying placenta NOS or without hemorrhage, unspecified trimester
Short Description
Low lying placenta NOS or without hemorrhage, unsp trimester
Parent Code
O44.4
Low lying placenta NOS or without hemorrhage

Code Classification

ChapterO00-O9APregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
SectionO30-O48Maternal care related to the fetus and amniotic cavity and possible delivery problems
CategoryO44Placenta previa
This CodeO44.40Low lying placenta NOS or without hemorrhage, unspecified trimester

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for O44.40.

Maternity diagnoses
The Medicare Code Editor detects inconsistencies in maternity cases by checking a patient's age and any diagnosis on the patient's record. The maternity code edits apply to patients age ange is 9–64 years inclusive (e.g., diabetes in pregnancy, antepartum pulmonary complication).

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Low-lying placenta
  • Placenta previa lateralis
  • Position of placenta low in anterior wall of uterus
  • Position of placenta low in posterior wall of uterus

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR PRG018
Maternal care related to disorders of the placenta and placental implantation
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Health Problems in Pregnancy

A health problem in pregnancy is any disease or condition that could affect your health or the health of your fetus. Some health problems may make it more likely that you will have a high-risk pregnancy. A high-risk pregnancy is one in which you, your fetus, or both are at higher risk for health problems than in a typical pregnancy.

The full article covers:

  • What are health problems in pregnancy?
  • What raises my risk for health problems during pregnancy?
  • Can chronic health conditions cause problems in pregnancy?
  • Can health problems in pregnancy be prevented?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert O44.40 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
641.00 Placenta previa-unspec
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code History & ChangesHistory

Replacement O44.40 replaces the following previously assigned code(s):

  • O44.00 - Complete placenta previa NOS or without hemor, unsp tri
  • O44.00 - Placenta previa specified as w/o hemorrhage, unsp trimester
FY 2018AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2017.
FY 2019–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About O44.40Overview

Is O44.40 (Low lying placenta NOS or without hemorrhage) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report low lying placenta NOS or without hemorrhage, unspecified trimester on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does O44.40 group to?

When low lying placenta NOS or without hemorrhage, unspecified trimester is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 817, 818, 819, 831, 832, 833, with relative weights from 0.5229 to 1.6880 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Who can O44.40 be reported for?

The Medicare Code Editor checks low lying placenta NOS or without hemorrhage, unspecified trimester against patient demographics: this code is intended for maternity cases (age 9 through 64). Claims outside these limits are flagged as inconsistent.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of O44.40?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, low lying placenta NOS or without hemorrhage, unspecified trimester converts to ICD-9-CM 641.00 (placenta previa-unspec). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.