Discordancy for a Villous Maturation Defect in a Dizygotic Twin Placenta.

Background

Dizygotic twin pregnancies with discordant manifestation of abnormalities with unclear etiology are of interest because they arise in the same environment. Case report: We present a dizygotic third trimester twin placenta with discordant villous maturation, one placenta lacking developed syncytiocapillary membranes. The twins were eutrophic with no perinatal or postnatal complications.

Conclusions

Discordant manifestation of villous maturation in dizygotic twin placentas could be a hint for a genetic rather than an environmental etiology. Villous maturation defect may be underrecognized and has been associated with perinatal morbidity and stillbirth in the late third trimester. Proper recognition is important because of the increased recurrence risk of villous dysmaturity.