Study of Arterial Pattern & Its Correlation with the Shape of Human Placenta by Corrosion Cast Method

Introduction: Placenta is an organ that connects the developing fetus to uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake, waste elimination and gaseous exchange via the mother’s blood supply. Placenta is the most accurate record of prenatal experience. Our aim of study was to see different vascular patterns in normal full term human placenta by corrosion cast method. Material and Methods: 100 normal placentae were collected within one hour of delivery. Normal full term placentas were taken for study and any abnormal placenta was excluded - eg: Bidiscoidal placenta, multidiscoidal placenta, lobed placenta, placenta succenturita, fenesterated placenta, circumvallate placenta, batterdore placenta, furcated placenta, velametous placenta. Results: The findings of the present study bring forth some important facts as follows: there were three type of placental shape -round, oval & irregular. Round type had more incidence than oval & irregular. Dispersed pattern & magisterial pattern was seen more in round placenta. Conclusion: These observations on normal placenta call for further studies on the variations of its vascular pattern & shape in placenta of diseased mother eg. Hypertension, diabetes, anemia etc. Key words: Placenta, Vascular pattern, corrosion cast