Study of Histomorphological Features of Placenta After Delivery in Low Birth Weight as Well as Normal Infants

Abstract

Background: Placenta is the most potent endocrine organ in the body. The human placenta is of a hemochorial -villous type. The ratio of placental weight to birth weight has been described as a marker of fetal growth and was found to be associated with altered fibrinogen and raised blood pressure in adult life. Observations: This study was done to identify histomorphological features of placenta and correlation with the perinatal outcome after delivery in low birth weight (LBW) as well as normal birth weight (NBW) infants. Methods: Placenta of delivered patients in labor room of a tertiary care centre was studied. An estimated 46 placentae of LBW newborn as cases and normal weight newborn as Controls were taken for study. Factors like fetal surface or color, amnion and chorionic vessels; Maternal surface for cotyledons, presence of tears, hematoma and calcifications were examined. We have also evaluated for measurements like diameter and weight of placenta. Insertion of membranes, site of rupture, decidual necrosis, and edema was noted. Histo-morphological results were tabulated and analyzed. Results: study results shows that in comparative statistics of numerical variables between LBW and NBW group all the above tabulated numerical variables i.e. gestational age, USG GA, Apgar, birth weight , placental weight, FP ratio, placental diameter and cotyledons are statistically highly significant different(p 0.000).Conclusion: Placental pathological examination will more accurately reveal the causes of low birth weight infants and also, apart from retrospective diagnosis, may help predict problems which may be repeatedly encountered in future pregnancies.