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MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES OF THE SPIRAL ARTERIES IN THE PLACENTAE BED IN RELATION TO PRE‐ECLAMPSIA AND FETAL GROWTH RETARDATION
Author(s) -
Gerretsen G.,
Huisjes H. J.,
Elema J. D.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1981.tb02222.x
Subject(s) - spiral artery , eclampsia , placenta , pregnancy , spiral (railway) , fetus , growth retardation , medicine , obstetrics , fetal growth , preeclampsia , blood supply , biology , surgery , mathematical analysis , genetics , mathematics
Summary The spiral arteries at the level of the decidual‐myometrial junction in the placental bed were examined histologically in 93 biopsies. Of these, 23 originated from normal uncomplicated pregnancies, 30 from pre‐eclamptic and 40 from otherwise complicated pregnancies. The association of the‘physiological changes’ of the spiral artery with uncomplicated pregnancy and their absence in pre‐eclampsia, as noted by Brosens and others, has been confirmed. In addition, in pregnancies without pre‐eclampsia, these changes were significantly more often absent with fetal growth retardation. The hypothesis is put forward that hypertension of pregnancy is a compensatory mechanism to ensure an adequate blood supply to the placenta when the‘physiological changes’ fail to occur.