HUMAN TERM PLACENTA IN RELATION TO THE AGE OF PREGNANT WOMAN

Cilj rada. Istražiti nastaju li u posteljici trudnica starije životne dobi morfološke promjene koje mogu uzrokovati poremećaje tijeka trudnoće te fetalnog rasta i razvoja. Materijal i metode. Histomorfološki i kvantitativno smo stereološkim metodama analizirali 30 zrelih posteljica. Posteljice su podijeljene u dvije skupine, ovisno o životnoj dobi trudnice: a) posteljice trudnica od 35. do 45. godine (n=15) i b) posteljice trudnica od 20. do 35. godine (kontrolna skupina, n=15). Izmjereni su volumen posteljice (Vp) i porodna težina novorođenčeta (Tn). Izračunali smo volumensku gustoću (Vv) i totalni volumen (V) placentarnih resica, periviloznog fibrinoida i interviloznog prostora te usporedili ih u obje istraživane¬ skupine. Rezultati. U posteljica starijih trudnica značajno je manji volumenski udio placentarnih resica (p0,05). Zaključak. Rezultati pokazuju da u jednom cm3 posteljice trudnica starije životne dobi nastaju promjene prostornog rasporeda placentarnog parenhima, što se odnosi na statistički značajno manji udio placentarnih resica i značajno veći udio periviloznog fibrinoida. U mlađih i starijih trudnica slične vrijednosti totalnog volumena posteljice, njenih resica, periviloznog fibrinoida i interviloznog prostora te podjednake porodne težine novorođenčadi potvrđuju da se u posteljica starijih i mlađih trudnica jednako aktiviraju strukturni kompenzacijski mehanizmi. Oni osiguravaju dostatnu maternofetalnu izmjenu tvari; posteljice starijih trudnica funkcijski udovoljavaju potrebama normalnog rasta i razvoja fetusa kojem pripadaju.Objective. To investigate the presence of morphologic changes that may cause disorders in pregnancy course and fetal growth and development in older pregnant women’s placentas. The aim of the study was histomorphologi¬cally and quantitatively analyze term placentas of older pregnant women and investigate possible differences in their structure as compared to younger women’s placentas. Material and methods. A total of 30 term placentas were histomorphologically¬ and quantitatively analyzed by stereologic methods. The placentas were divided in two groups depending on the pregnant women’s age: a) placentas of pregnant women aged 35–45 years (N=15), and b) placentas of pregnant women aged 20–35 years (control group, N=15). Placenta volume (Vp) and newborns’ birthweight (Tn) were determined. Volume density (Vv) and total volume (V) of placental villi, perivillous fibrinoid and intervillous space were calculated and compared in both examined groups. Results. Placentas of the older pregnant women had significantly lower volume proportion of placental villi (p0.05). Conclusion. Results of quantitative analysis demonstrated that changes in the spatial arrangement of placental parenchyma¬ occurred¬ in one cm3 of older pregnant women and were related to a statistically significantly lower proportion of placental villi and significantly higher proportion of perivillous fibrinoid. Similar values established for younger and older pregnant women with regard to their total placenta volume, placental villi, perivillous fibrinoid, intervillous space and equal newborns’ birthweigh, supported the fact that structural compensatory mechanisms were equally activated in both younger and older women’s placentas. These mechanisms ensure sufficient maternofetal exchange; the older pregnant women’s placentas may equally meet the needs for normal growth and development of fetuses

Stereological Analysis of Mature Human Placenta of Pregnant Women of Different Age

The normal placentas, regular pregnancies and deliveries were structurally examined. The aim of this research was to compare the results and to confirm if there were some difference in the structure of placenta related to the age of pregnant women. We examined 30 human placentas. The examined group of women were divided into two groups: 1) pregnant women 20-35 years old; 2) pregnant women over 35 years old. The stereological method was used. The volume density, absolute volume, the surface density and absolute surface of terminal villi of placentas in younger and older pregnant women were not significantly different. The volume density, absolute volume, the surface density and absolute surface of the other placentas villi in younger pregnant women compared to older ones, were significantly increased (p<0.001). The volume density of fibrinoid of placentas in older pregnant women compared to younger ones was significantly increased (p<0.02). The surface density, absolute volume and absolute surface of fibrinoid in these two examined groups of pregnant women were not significantly different. The volume density of intervillous space of placentas in older pregnant women compared to younger ones was significantly increased (p<0.05). Absolute volumes of intervillous space of placentas in these two examined groups of pregnant women are not significantly different

Quantitative Research of Capillaries in Terminal Villi of Mature Placentae

Advanced maternal age is known to be a risk factor for placental dysfunctions. The most common obstetric complications among older women would be considered as follows: gestational diabetes; preeclampsia; placenta praevia; preterm premature rupture of membranes and the risk of preterm delivery. The aims of research were to determine the impact of maternal age on the structure of terminal villi. The study was conducted on 60 human placentae of term pregnancy divided into two groups: the control group (30 placentae in pregnant women of age between 20 and 34) and the experimental group (30 placentae in pregnant women of 35 years of age and older). Stereological methods were applied to determine the volume density, surface density, total volume and total capillary surface area in terminal villi of placenta. The mean value of volume density of capillaries in terminal villi of placentae in older pregnant women is: Vvkks = (0,376 ± 0,033) mm°, and the mean value of total volume is: Vkks = (157,047 ± 25,022) cm3. The mean value of surface density is: Svkks = (64,783 ± 2,543) mm-1, and the mean value of total surface area is: Skks = (29,959 ± 7,873) m2. Volume density of capillaries in terminal villi of placentae is significantly lower in older pregnant women (p<0,001) in comparison to the younger pregnant women. The total volume, surface density and total capillary surface area in terminal villi of placentae are also significantly lower in older pregnant women (p<0,005) in comparison to the younger pregnant women. Statistically significant lower values of volume density, total volume, surface density and total capillary surface area indicate that there is a decreased metabolic transfer between mother and foetus