[Morphometric analysis of the blood-placental barrier in pregnant women with hypertension]

Abstract

Objectives: About 10% women have hypertension in pregnancy. It is a serious threat to their health. It is considered one of the most important reasons for perinatal mortality foetuses and newborns.

Design: The study deals with morphometric analysis of the blood-placental barrier in pregnant women with hypertension.

Material and method: The study group consisted of 105 pregnant women who gave birth in the Institute of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Medical University of Gdańsk in 1995-1999. Patients were divided into two groups: first group (control) of 52 patients with uncomplicated pregnancies, the second -53 patients with pregnancies complicated with hypertension. The number of epithelial plates in 1 mm2 and the number of vessels in terminal villi were counted. The area, perimeter and diameters of terminal villi, length, thickness and area of thin epithelial plate, area of the blood vessel were estimated.

Results: There was observed difference in the essential parameters for low-molecular metabolic exchange in placenta. The epithelial plate in pregnancy complicated with hypertension was thicker and shorter in relation to villi's circumference and its number in 1 villi and in 1 mm2 smaller. It decreases the exchange surface in plate in 40% in relation to the control group.

Conclusions: It is important that terminal villi reveal morphometric features of placenta on earlier stages (of pregnancy), i.e. a lower number of epithelial plates in terminal villi, a lower number of plates in 1 mm2 and the presence of short and thicker plates on the outer edges of villi.