Clinical significance of pregnancies with succenturiate lobes of placenta.

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the clinical significance of patients complicated by succenturiate lobes of placenta in comparison with patients with normal placenta.

METHODS

Data were collected from 47 patients complicated by succenturiate lobes of placenta and from 7,666 unaffected controls.

RESULTS

The frequency of maternal age > or =35 years and history of using in vitro fertilization in patients complicated by succenturiate lobes of placenta were significantly higher than those in control patients (P < 0.01). In addition, the incidence of non-reassuring fetal status, vasa previa, postpartum hemorrhage and retained placenta in the study group were significantly higher than those in control (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

These results support the adverse obstetric outcomes in pregnancies with succenturiate lobes of placenta and may suggest the pathogenesis of these placental shape aberrations associated with assisted reproductive technology.