Context: Preeclampsia is regarded as a risk factor in pregnancy and it leads to placental insufficiency. Placenta is a functional unit between mother and fetus. Thus preeclampsia causes both maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The present study intends to compare morphological and histological changes of placentae from uncomplicated pregnancies (the Control Group) and placentae from Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (the PIH group) .

Study Design: A prospective type of study.

Place and period of study: Department of Pathology, Anaesthesiology and Gynecology, S.S. Medical College, Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Rewa(M.P.)  from   1^stDec 2015 to 30^th June  2017.

Materials: 200 cases were taken, 100 placentae from uncomplicated pregnancies (the Control Group) and 100 placentae from Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (the PIH group.

Method: Samples were grouped in two groups on the basis of presence or absence of Preeclampsia. All samples were studied morphologically and histologically.

Result: To summarise the results of this study there was statistically significant (p<0.001) decrease in weight, thickness and mean diameter of the placentae in the PIH group along with decreased mean birth weight of the baby in the PIH group as compared to the control group. There was increase in calcification and infarction in placentae of the PIH group. Histopathological examination of placentae in the PIH group showed increased syncytial knots, basement membrane thickening, fibrinoid necrosis and villus stromal fibrosis along with decrease in the vasculosyncytial membrane, as compared to the control group. The above mentioned microscopic findings were statistically significant (p<0.001).

Conclusion: In the present study all the morphological and histopathological variants of placenta are affected significantly in preeclampsia. From the findings in the present study, it is concluded that Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) had definite adverse influence on the histomorphology of placentae as compared to placentae of uncomplicated pregnancies. Usually antihypertensives are started when B.P. >160/110 mmhg, means from severe preeclampsia but early initiation of antihypertensive treatment will be helpful in improving the perinatal outcome.

Keywords: Placenta, Preeclampsia, Morphology, Histopathology.

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Dr. Subhash Kumar Agrawal

Department of Anaesthsiology, S.S. Medical College, Rewa, MP 486001

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