Debi Prasad Mishra, Sumita Tripathy, Minati Dehuri
BACKGROUND Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension (PIH) also known as toxaemia of pregnancy is the most common complication during pregnancy. It is the leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The incidence is higher in developing countries with malnutrition, hypoproteinemia and poor obstetric facilities. The aim of the study was hence undertaken to analyse the effects of PIH on placenta as these changes serve as a guide to the duration and severity of disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was conducted from September 2015 to August 2017 in Department of Pathology, MKCG Medical College, Berhampur (Odisha). The study was done in 104 placentae, 52 placentae from uncomplicated full-term deliveries formed the “control group” and 52 placentae from hypertensive pregnancies formed the “study group.” All the placentae were studied morphologically and sections were taken from placenta and processed for histopathological examination. RESULTS The striking villous abnormalities studied were increased syncytial knots (82.7%), fibrinoid necrosis (67.3%), decreased villous vascularity (55.8%) and villous stromal fibrosis (59.6%). The gross abnormalities observed were decreased placental weight (94.2%), calcification (9.6%) and retroplacental haematoma (13.5%). Out of 52 normotensive placentas studied, the abnormalities observed were syncytial knots (15.4%), fibrinoid necrosis (3.8%), decreased villous vascularity (0%), villous stromal fibrosis (1.9%), decreased placental weight (11.5%), calcification (7.69%) and retroplacental haematoma (0%). CONCLUSION The gross abnormalities and villous lesions in PIH (p <0.001) were statistically significant.
