BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy and postoperative recovery between uterine artery embolization (UAE) and infrarenal aortic balloon occlusion (IABO) in planned cesarean sections for placenta accreta spectrum disorders. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective analysis using the clinical data of 62 patients with placenta previa combined with placenta accreta for planned cesarean between January 2014 and December 2019 was performed at the First People's Hospital in Lianyungang. Thirty-five cases undergoing UAE during cesarean section were defined as group A, while the other 27 cases undergoing IABO were defined as group B. Intraoperative and postoperative parameters including intraoperative blood loss, blood transfusion volume, radiation duration, radiation dose, hysterectomy rate, operation duration, Intensive Care Unit hospitalization, complications, and neonatal outcomes as well as the maternal recovery during follow-up were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS Intraoperative blood loss, transfusion volume, radiation time, radiation dose, hysterectomy rate, duration of surgery, Intensive Care Unit admission, and complications were higher in group A than group B, with differences being statistically significant (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in birth weight, 1-min Apgar score, neonatal asphyxia rate, admission to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, breastfeeding time, duration of postpartum lochia, and data related to menstruation between the 2 groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS IABO, which was more effective than UAE in cesarean section of patients with placenta accreta spectrum, could be further applied in treatment.