Comparative Study of Nepalese and Japanese Placentas

A comparative study of one hundred and five mature placentas from Kathmandu Maternity Hospital in Nepal and 4764 mature placentas as well as 325 premature placentas in Tokyo was undertaken. In general, the infants and the placentas in the Nepalese group weighed significantly less in their mean values than those in the Japanese group. Their weights corresponded to those at 35 – 37 weeks of gestation in the Japanese group. The gross characteristics of the Nepalese placentas were represented by extensive lesions such as extrachorial placenta, marked subchrionic fibrin, chorionic cysts and abnormal insertion of the umbilical cord. On histologic examination, the Nepalese placentas showed a high incidence of inflammation as well as intensive crowding of villi associated with narrowness of the intervillous space. It is suggested that such low weights of the fetus and the placenta in the Nepalese group may result from a reduced functional capacity of the feto-placental unit affected by specific environmental factors in Nepalese women.