Histopathological Study of Placenta in High-Risk Pregnancies in a Tertiary Care Center

Background: High-risk pregnancies are associated with an increased incidence ofplacental abnormalities. Histopathological examination of the placenta providesvaluable insights into the underlying pathophysiology of adverse pregnancy outcomes.Objectives: To investigate the histopathological changes in the placentas of high-riskpregnancies and to analyze the associations between specific high-risk conditions andhistopathological findings. Methods: A total of 100 placentas from high-riskpregnancies were examined in this observational study. The prevalence ofhistopathological findings and their associations with specific high-risk conditions wereanalyzed using appropriate statistical tests. Results: The mean maternal age was 28.7 ±5.6 years, and the mean gestational age at delivery was 36.8 ± 3.4 weeks. Syncytialknots were the most common histopathological finding (55%), followed bycalcification (40%), fibrinoid necrosis (35%), villous hypermaturity (28%), infarction(25%), chorioamnionitis (18%), and villous hypomaturity (12%). Significantassociations were observed between gestational diabetes mellitus and syncytial knots(68.2%; p=0.045), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and fibrinoid necrosis (60.0%;p=0.002), IUGR and villous hypomaturity (44.4%; p=0.001), and preterm delivery andchorioamnionitis (40.0%; p=0.028). Conclusion: This study demonstrates significantassociations between specific high-risk pregnancy conditions and certainhistopathological findings in the placenta. These findings underscore the importance ofplacental examination in the evaluation of high-risk pregnancies and provide afoundation for future research to improve maternal and fetal outcomes.