Placental Morphology of Pregnant Iraqi Women with Rheumatic Heart Disease
Abstract: Placental morphology
and cellular arrangement can be altered in maternal diseases. Rheumatic heart
disease (RHD) is a chronic heart condition that can lead to death in pregnant
women. The aim of this study is to determine the histological changes of the
placenta in pregnant women suffering from RHD. Methods: Placentae were
collected from 10 healthy pregnant women, and 31 pregnant women with heart
conditions (26 with RHD and 5 with NRHD) who had been admitted to the Baghdad
Teaching Hospital. Placental tissues were fixed in 10% formal-saline and were
processed for light microscopy. Measurements including the placental weight and
diameter of the chorionic villi capillaries were recorded. Results: The results
indicate that there are many histological changes in pregnant women with RHD
such as hyalinisation, fibrosis of the chorionic villi, proliferation of
trophoblastic cells, and thickening of its membrane. Additionally, expectant
mothers with RHD experience a reduction in capillary diameter and thickening of
the capillary walls, and decreased size and weight of their placenta when
compared with the control. Conclusions: Heart diseases, especially RHD, are
associated with developmental damage of the placenta in pregnant women by
injuring the endothelial cells of the placentas capillaries.
Keywords: chorionic villi;
placenta; pregnancy; rheumatic heart diseases
Author: Anwar IS Al-Assa,
Ragwa HI Al-Rubai, Imad M Al-Ani, Salim R Al-Ubeidie, Kawkab SN Al-Kaisy,
Ghasak G Faisal
Journal Code: jpkedokterangg160331
