Utrastructural changes of foetal surface of the placenta in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Abstract

OBJECTIVES : The pathogenesis of pregnancy induced hypertension and its relationship to pathological and ullrastructural changes of the placenta has not been adequately understood We studied placenta! (issue from foetal side to show whether there are any significant ullrastructural changes. This area of the placenta has not been studied previously. METHODS: Placenial tissue from 15 pregnant mothers with a persistent blixxi pressure of 140/90 or more, and 10 normal mothers who had normal full term deliveries were studied. Fresh placentae were examined macroscopically. 2mm sized section were taken from (lie central, foetal surface and fixed in 2% gluteraldehyde lor electron microscopic studies. RESULTS: 9 months had pregnancy induced hypertension without proteinuria, 3 had hypertension and proteinuria and oilier 3 had essential hypertension. All hypertensive placenta showed increased number of cytotrophoblast cells. Syncytiotrophoblast cells of the hypertensive placenta showed Jess number of lipoid droplets, compared to the controls. Syncliotrophoblast cells of the test group also showed short, blunt and swollen microvilli. All hypertensive placentae except one, showed thickened, laminated and irregular subirophoblasu'c basement membranes and increased amount of interestitial collagen in the villous stroma CONCLUSIONS: In electron microscopic study of normal and hypertensive placentae revealed that the placentas of hypertensive disoalers pregnancy is associated with increased number of cytotrophoblast cells, thickening of subtrophoblastic basement membrane, abnormal microvilli, and increased amunt on interestitial collagen