Comparative Ultrasonographic and Morphological Study of the Placenta in Normal Pregnancies and Pregnancies with Vascular Pathology

Abstract

The aim of the study is to establish some concordances between morphometric measurements performed in tertiary stem villi and placental resistance index (RI) values at the level of the umbilical artery. The researches included 72 pregnant women, of which 35 with a normal evolution of pregnancy and 37 with various diseases. During pregnancy, the two-dimensional and Doppler ultrasonographic aspect was monitored in dynamics, and after delivery the placentas were analyzed macro- and microscopically, and morphometric measurements were performed at the level of tertiary stem arteries. In all pathological groups, an increase in the thickness of arterial walls was noted compared to the control group, which was more marked in the case of preeclampsia and disseminated lupus erythematosus. The largest vascular diameter was found in pregnancies complicated by diabetes mellitus. The pathological umbilical RI can be correlated with changes in villous arteries, which are represented in particular by the increase in the vascular wall thickness. The changes in Doppler parameters at the level of the umbilical artery may represent a sign of placental involvement.