Placental morphology & histochemistry in iron deficiency anemia
Rusia, U.; Bhatia, A.; Kapoor, S.; Madan, N.; Nair, V.; Sood, S.K.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 87: 468-474
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 3169903 Document Number: 308531
Term placentae were studied from 52 pregnant women who were divided in three groups viz., I(16 women), II (20 women) and III (16 women) depending on the haemogobin (Hb) concentration of .gtoreq. 11 g/dl, between 7.1-10.9 g/dl and .ltoreq. 7 g/dl respectively. A significant positive correlation (P < 0.01) between haemoglobin and serum ferritin values of anaemic women indicated that anaemia was predominantly due to iron deficiency. Birth and placental weights from the severely anaemic (group III) women were significantly lower than those from the other two groups. Both birth and placental weight showed a significant correlation with maternal haemoglobin concentration (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01 respectively). Morphologic abnormalities comprising fibrinoid necrosis, basement membrane thickening, villous fibrosis and calcification, as also enzyme changes with lowered alkaline phosphatase and increased acid phosphatase activities suggesting placental hypoxia and immaturity, were more often observed in group III placentae than in the other groups. These findings suggest that birth weight, placental morphology and placental enzymes are significantly affected in women who have severe anaemia (Hb .gtoreq. 7g/dl).