Placental Morphometric and Histopathological alterations across the Spectrum of Preeclampsia and eclampsia

DOI 10.66715/ijcar/2026.v1.i1.152161 | Original Research | 2026, Volume-2, Issue-1, Page 152-161

1. Koladiya Rakesh Kumar Dhirubhai,  PhD Research Scholar; Department of Anatomy, Index Medical College and Hospitals, Indore, M.P., India

2. Peter Jasper Youtham, Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy, Index Medical College and Hospitals, Indore, M.P., India

Corresponding Author:- 

Koladiya Rakesh Kumar Dhirubhai

PhD Research Scholar

Department of Anatomy, 

Index Medical College and Hospitals, 

Indore, M.P., India

Placental Morphometric and Histopathological alterations across the Spectrum of Preeclamps.

Download • 302KB

Abstract

Background: Placental examination can characterize structural changes associated with hypertensive pregnancy, but gross size and microscopic lesions require interpretation in their clinical and gestational context. Objective: To compare placental morphometry, selected gross abnormalities and histopathological scores among normotensive pregnancies and pregnancies classified as mild preeclampsia, severe preeclampsia or eclampsia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study at the Department of Anatomy, Index Medical College and Hospitals, Indore, included 240 placentas: 120 controls and 40 in each affected group. Placentas underwent gross examination and haematoxylin–eosin histology; the protocol specified examination of 100 villi per placenta. Available group means, standard deviations and counts were used to reconstruct analysis of variance and categorical comparisons.

Results: Mean placental weight declined from 446.82±98.64 g in controls to 389.45±96.32, 298.76±67.84 and 234.62±46.15 g in the three affected groups (P<0.001). Mean thickness declined from 2.56±0.18 to 2.38±0.15 cm. Syncytial knot scores increased from 15.24±8.18 to 67.42±21.96, whereas villous vascularity scores decreased from 78.94±14.18 to 32.64±8.64. Gross infarction was recorded in 32.5%, 45.0%, 55.0% and 75.0% of placentas, respectively. The retained microscopic measures differed across groups (all P<0.001).

Conclusion: The recorded clinical groups showed progressively smaller placentas and greater scores for several villous and vascular abnormalities. These unadjusted findings describe a severity-associated placental phenotype; they do not establish gestational-age-independent effects or validate a diagnostic or prognostic test.

Keywords: placenta; preeclampsia; eclampsia; morphometry; histopathology; syncytial knots; vascularity