Rare fetal complications associated with placental mesenchymal dysplasia: A report of two cases

Placental mesenchymal dysplasia (PMD) is a rare disease that may be difficult to distinguish from molar pregnancy. The disease is associated with major fetal complications, including Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome, fetal growth restriction and intrauterine fetal death. Rarely, fetal hematological disorders and liver tumors also may occur. Two patients were referred to our hospital during their second trimesters because of suspected molar pregnancies. Fetal karyotyping and maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin level determinations led to the PMD diagnoses. In one case, the maternal clinical course was normal, but the neonate suffered from disseminated intravascular coagulation and needed a platelet transfusion. In the second case, the PMD decreased during pregnancy, but a gradually increasing fetal liver tumor appeared. The tumor was diagnosed as mesenchymal hamartoma, based on ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging studies. The neonate was delivered without cardiovascular compromise. Due to the difficulty of immediate surgical treatment, expectant management, with close follow-up, was chosen.