Placental findings in malnourished term neonates.

BACKGROUND

The aim of the present study was to investigate placental pathologies in malnourished term neonates.

METHODS

A group of term newborns was evaluated at birth for fetal malnutrition (FM) using the Clinical Assessment of Nutritional Status (CANS) score. The study group consisted of 37 malnourished neonates and 13 well-nourished newborns, including their placentas. Infants with FM were subdivided into two groups: appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and small for gestational age (SGA).

RESULTS

The proportion of subjects having antepartum complications was 18.9% in the FM group, whereas none was found in the control group. Similarly, a significant portion, 83.8% of the study group, had gross placental abnormalities, while the control group had none. The placental microscopic findings in the study group included perivillous fibrin deposition, calcification, necrosis, retroplacental hematoma, and infarction. In contrast, the control group had only perivillous fibrin deposition and calcification. Placental histopathological findings between FM term AGA and SGA neonates were also compared, and no statistically significant differences were found (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Placental findings in malnourished term AGA neonates are not different from findings documented in malnourished SGA cases, but they are different from those in well-nourished term AGA newborns.