Placental pathology in pregnancy complications

Among pregnancy pathologies preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction are among the leading causes of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. For both syndromes, the etiologies are still unclear in many facets. For the development of preeclampsia the presence of the placenta is a prerequisite, while for FGR a variety of other factors may be decisive. Cases with a combination of FGR and preeclampsia are the most severe cases and need clinical intervention. Studies on such cases have misled scientists and clinicians to hypothesize that a failure of trophoblast invasion is a specific feature of the early onset type of preeclampsia. Recent development in preeclampsia specific biomarkers and the intense use of Doppler ultrasound measurements already in the first trimester of pregnancy has resulted in a new understanding of the pathways leading to preeclampsia or FGR. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.