Fatima Sherin, Ejaz Afzal, Omair Khan, Asad Ullah, Nazish Waheed, Hamza Sattar Khan.
A study of Central Thickness of Placentae in Term, Premature and Post Term Pregnancies.
J Saidu Med Col Jan ;9(2):156-8.

Background: Preterm birth is a major cause of peri-natal morbidity and mortality. Post term pregnancy increases the risk of intra uterine death of fetus, birth asphyxia in labor and shoulders dystorcia. Most obsteticians and pediatritions would agree that the examination of placenta often helps in explaining an abnormal neo natal outcome. Objectives: To correlate the thickness of preterm and post term placentae with the normal placental thickness. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in two steps, using the following groups at Departments of Obs & Gynae Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar and department of Anatomy Khyber Medical College, Peshawar. Group A-50 normal full term placentae (delivered between 37-42 weeks of gestation). Group B-50 premature placentae (delivered between 35- 37 weeks of gestation) from mothers having hypertensive disorder. Group C-50 post mature placentae (gestational age more than 42 weeks). Results: The average central thickness of placentae in premature placenta was 1.60+-0.31 cms, in term placentae it was 2.14+-0.07 cms and in postmature placentae it was 3.14+-0.37. there was a significant (P<0.001) difference in the placental central thickness between the maturity groups. Conclusion: The study concludes that the hypertensive disorders of the pregnancy adversely influence the morphology of the placenta which leads to premature delivery. Certain changes may decrease the functional role of the placenta and contribute to the adverse reproductive outcomes.

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