Morphometric study of human placenta and an insight into its vascular pattern by corrosion cast technique

Abstract

: The placenta is a chorioallantoic, deciduate, haemochorial and villous organ. It is a vital organ which transfers vital nutrients from the mother to the foetus and removes waste products from the foetus to the mother. There has been paucity of literature regarding the morphometric study of human placenta and its vascular pattern (magisterial or dispersed) by corrosion cast technique. Therefore, the present study was conducted on morphometry and vascular pattern of the human placentae.: To do the morphological and morphometric study of placenta and to study the vascular pattern of placenta by corrosion cast technique. Study was done on 43 placentae and its morphometric study and vascular pattern were studied by corrosion cast technique.: Oval was the most common shape of placenta observed in the present study. Out of 43 placentae, 22(51.16%) had oval, 16(37.20%) placentae had round shape followed by triangular in 3(6.97%) placentae. Only 1 (2.32%) placenta each found to be irregular and multilobed. Most common shape recorded in complicated pregnancy was oval followed by round. Magisterial pattern was found in 13.95% of placenta and was associated with oval shape constituting 25.58% of placentae. Mixed pattern was seen in 18.60% placentae and was associated with oval placentae(23.25%). The disperse pattern was seen in 4.65% and was associated with oval and irregular placentae each constituting(2.32%).: The vascular cast preparation of placentae in our study will further help in contribution towards the understanding of the placental vasculature. An effort should be made for performing more studies on placentae of complicated pregnancies eg: hypertension and diabetes etc.