Prevalence of placental pathology in low birthweight infants.

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of placental pathology among low birthweight infants delivered at Srinagarind Hospital. MATERIAL AND METHOD Descriptive study of 114 placentas from infants weighing between 500 and 2,499 grams delivered between June 2002 and June 2004 in the labour room, Srinagarind Hospital. Placentas from low birthweight infants were examined by a perinatal pathologist in the surgical pathology room, department of pathology, faculty of medicine, Khon Kaen University. The demographic data of the mothers, the gestational age of the infants by obstetric information and according to the Ballard score and placental examinations were collected and analyzed. The placental examinations included both macroscopic and microscopic studies. RESULTS The prevalence of placental pathology in low birthweight infants was 80.7%. The four types of placental pathology were an increased placental to fetal weight ratio, infarction, vascular abnormalities of the decidua, and inflammation in 64.1, 30.4, 20.6 and 18.5 percent, respectively. CONCLUSION All placentas of low birthweight infants should be studied for potential pathologies.