The Correlation between Small Placental Volume Measured by Three-dimensional Ultrasonography and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: An Observational Study

Objective: The placenta is a vital organ in the growth and development of fetuses within the uterus. The size of the placenta is positively associated with fetal well-being. The aim of this study was to investigate any potential correlation between placental volume and negative pregnancy outcomes. Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted at the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital, Thailand between October 2023 and February 2024. Subjects were singleton pregnant women ever the age of 18 without underlying diseases, namely: diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and autoimmune diseases. Ultrasonography was performed between the gestational ages of 28 and 36 weeks. Placental volume was measured via 3-dimensional ultrasonography and analyzed with maternal and neonatal outcomes. Results: A total of 132 participants were recruited. The mean age of participants was 28.6 years old. The abnormal (AV) and normal (NV) placental volume groups consisted of 14 and 118 cases, respectively. The AV group was older, with higher parity, cesarean delivery rate, and estimated blood loss. This group’s newborns had lower Apgar scores rated at 1 and 5 minutes and more neonatal complications than the NV group (with statistical significance). Maternal age exceeding 34 years could also be used to predict abnormal placental volume with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) at percentages of 57.1, 81.4, 26.7 and 94.1, respectively. Conclusion: There is a correlation between placental volume abnormality and certainly adverse outcomes for newborns. Maternal age greater than 34 is associated with higher occurrence of placental volume abnormality.