Abstract

PIP: Undernutrition and toxemia of pregnancy are considered to be important maternal causes for the fact that 15-30% of infants born at term in India are "small for date." The various changes of senescence in placenta were quantitatively studied in cases of toxemia, anemia, and unexplained growth retardation and compared with healthy controls. Placenta was studied in 100 term parturients admitted to the labor ward of the Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital in New Delhi, India. The parturients included the following: 1) group 1 -- 25 normal term parturients; 2) group 2 -- 25 intrauterine growth retardation, birth weight less than 2500 grams; 3) group 3 -- toxemia of pregnancy with blood pressure of 130 + 90 mm of Hg. and above with or without edema and/or proetinurea (25); and 4) group 4 -- anemia of pregnancy, Hb. less than 8.0 gm% (25). Despite extensive work no specific lesion in placental histology is found in toxemia of pregnancy and the same is true in cases of unexplained intrauterine growth retardation. The reason for this may be probable underlying multiple etiology in both conditions. The only significant finding which has been observed by many workers is decrease in size and weight of placentae in the IUGR group. Mean diameter was 15.3 cm compared to 17.54 in control cases, and mean weight was 288.0 gms compared to 466.8 in control cases.