Morphological study of placentae of expectant mothers exposed to gas leak at Bhopal
Kanhere, S.; Darbari, B.S.; Shrivastava, A.K.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 86(Suppl): 77-82
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 3440590 Document Number: 288711
Since there were a number of expectant mothers in the population affected by the Bhopal gas disaster in December, 1984, a study was undertaken on the morphology of human placenta in the women exposed at full term premature birth and after medical termination of pregnancy; 134 placentae were studied for evidence of any untoward effect of the gas (?MIC) in the placenta. The mean weight of the placenta and foetal weight at full term were found to be lower in gas-exposed groups as compared to the controls, at full term. In premature births, the number of cases in the gas-exposed and control groups was too small to permit any statistical evaluation. In gross changes link infarction and calcification, there was no significant difference between the groups. The incidence of fibrinoid necrosis, syncytial knots, vasculosyncytial membrane was similar to data reported earlier in literature. Hydropic degeneration in the placentae of women who underwent medical termination of pregnancy was higher in the group exposed to gas, as compared to the controls. In full term deliveries, however, hydropic degeneration did not show any significant difference between the gas-exposed and the control groups.