Placenta in Preterm Birth

To the perinatal pathologists, preterm births are those occurring at less than 37 weeks of gestation. In almost all countries with reliable data, preterm birth rates have increased worldwide. The complications of preterm birth due to prematurity are often serious com‐ munity health problems and account for 75% of perinatal mortalities and more than 50% of long-term infant morbidities [1]. Globally, prematurity is the leading cause of newborn deaths and now the second leading cause of death after pneumonia in children under the age of five [2]. The complications of prematurity include adverse cognitive, organ functional and motor outcomes. Moreover, preterm infants have increased rates chronic lung disease, necrotizing enterocolitis and neurological sequels including periventricular leukomalacia. Later in childhood, they have reduced motor, intellectual and behavioral skills compared to children born at term.