PLACENTAL PATHOLOGY IN PREGNANCY INDUCED HYPERTENSION

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:
Dr. Sreechithra Kartha,
Gourinandanam,
Kunnikode,
Kollam-691508.
Email: chithrarpr@gmail.com

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy are common and form one of the deadly triad along with hemorrhage and infection, that results in a large number of maternal deaths and there of fetal deaths. Since all anabolites needed for foetal metabolism come from the mothers blood and foetal catabolites are passed back into the mothers circulation through the placenta, the examination of placenta gives a clear idea of what had happened with it, when it was in the mother^, s womb and what is going to happen with the foetus in future. With this objective the present study was carried out. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study was done for a period of 21 months from April1^st 2008 to December 31^st 2009..Fifty mothers with uncomplicated pregnancy (control group) and 100 mothers (test group) diagnosed as having pregnancy induced hypertension were selected from patients of our institution of the age range from 20-40 years, and parity –primi, para2 and 3.Placental morphometric parameters, gross and histopathological features were examined in both test and control groups. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Fishers exact test RESULTS: Placental morphometric parameters were significantly reduced in the control group. Acute atherosis, endothelial proliferation and fibrinoid necrosis were the significant histological findings noted in our study. CONCLUSION: Placental findings can be confirmatory of PIH, but its absence does not exclude the diseases. These findings will become more evident only when there is significant reduction in the uteroplacental bloodflow.

KEYWORDS: Placenta, Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, Infarction, Syncytial knots, Acute Atherosis, Chorangioma.