Placental apoptosis in pregnancies with intrauterine meconium passage

In this study we investigated the presence of placental apoptosis in pregnancies with intrauterine meconium passage. Placental tissue samples at term were obtained from 15 normal and 15 pregnancies with intrauterine meconium passage. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling method was applied to confirm apoptosis in all placental samples. The mean apoptotic ratio was significantly higher in placentas of pregnancies with intrauterine meconium passage when compared with normal ones (0.37 = 0.06% and 0.29 +/- 0.07%, respectively; p < 0.01). The mean apoptotic ratios in trophoblastic and stromal cells were significantly higher in placentas of pregnancies with intrauterine meconium passage than normal placentas (0.47 +/- 0.10% and 0.36 +/- 0.11% [p < 0.05] and 0.29 +/- 0.07% and 0.22 +/- 0.07% [p < 0.05], respectively). Increased placental apoptosis in pregnancies with intrauterine meconium passage could be a causative factor in the pathophysiology of the disorder or a direct effect of meconium on placental cells.