Placental Vessel Morphometry in Growth Retardation and Increased Resistance of the Umbilical Artery Doppler Flow

Objectives: To study the tertiary-stem villi vessel lumen and wall thickness of placenta in pregnancy complicated with placental insufficiency and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), its correlation with the umbilical artery Doppler flow study, and compare with normal and non-IUGR pregnancies. Methods: Placentas from 45 deliveries (between 28 and 38 weeks) were collected for morphometric study of the tertiary-stem villi vessels. Each pregnancy had clinical suspicion of IUGR and was confirmed by serial ultrasound biometry, HC/AC ratio, and had abnormal umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry (RI). Each placenta was weighed after trimming of the membrane and the cord. Sections of the placenta (4μ.) were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and periodic acid-Schiff reagents. Tertiary-stem villi vessels were identified under a microscope (±40) and morphometric study was performed. Inner and outer circumferences (2.π.r) were measured, radii (r) were calculated, and vessel wall thickness was determined (outer r—...