Sexual origins of placental dysfunction.
Severe placental dysfunction is much more common in pregnancies with a male than with a female fetus. Furthermore, the birthweight/placental weight ratio is increased in these pregnancies, consistent with fetal growth restriction, and is higher with a male fetus than with a female fetus. These observations of placental insufficiency may underlie the increased in-utero loss rate of male fetuses.
Edwards
A
A
Megens
A
A
Peek
M
M
Wallace
E M
EM
D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010920:Placenta; D010927:Placental Insufficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012744:Sex Ratio