Importance of examination of the placenta

It is necessary to examine the placenta in two conditions at least: when the fetus is still born or dies in the neonatal period, and when there is a gestational or a neonatal pathology. Placental examination is essentially macroscopic. It is recommended to practice it on fresh placenta, so that cytobacteriological investigation can be done at the same time. Histological samples are taken in one third of the cases. The principal abnormalities or lesions are described, with their clinical significance: shape abnormalities, pathology of the cord and membranes, vascular lesions (decidual haematoma, infarcts, perivillous fibrin deposition), chorioangioma, abscess. Some more "genetical" aspects of the placentology are also approached, for instance chromosomal aberrations, or multiple pregnancies.