Localized area of ischemic villous necrosis.
Localized infarction occurs in 5-20% of all gestations.
- Usually occurs at the
placental margins and is of no clinical significance at this location.
- Infarction in the first or
second trimester, or centrally, or extensively it is strongly associated
with pregnancy induced hypertension, IUGR and fetal death (1).
- It results from interruption
of the maternal blood supply (usually thrombotic).
- Infarction is five-fold more
common in patients with placental abruption(2)
- Other maternal disease
associated with placental infarction include; chronic nephritis, SLE,
diabetic microangiopathy.
- True (non marginal) infarcts
are rare in the absence of maternal vascular disease.
- Secondary compression infarcts
(adjacent to decidual cysts, intervillous thrombosis, or retroplacental
hematoma).
Link to Ultrasound
- Benirschke K, Kaufmann P.
Pathology of the Human Placenta. New York, Springer-Verlag, 1990.
- Naeye RL. Placental
infarction leading to fetal or neonatal death. A prospective study. Obstet
Gynecol 1977;50:583-588.