title: Placental pathology in women with gestational diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate pathologic differences of the placenta in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes compared to non-diabetic pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty singleton pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes were recruited and compared to 40 consecutive normal pregnancies. A pathologist, blinded to all clinical data, reviewed all histological samples of the placentas. The histological assessment was carried out with regard to the following aspects: fetal vessel thrombosis, villous immaturity, chorangiosis, presence of nucleated fetal red blood cells (NFRBCs), ischemia, infarction, presence of hydropic or avascular villi, lymphohistiocytic villitis and villous fibrinoid necrosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of degenerative lesions such as fibrinoid necrosis and vascular lesions like chorangiosis was apparent, mainly in the diabetes group. Villous immaturity and the presence of NFRBC as an indication of chronic fetal hypoxia were significantly increased in the placentas of women with diabetes compared with the control group. Fetal/placental weight ratio was significantly lower in the diabetic group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Histological abnormalities were observed more frequently in the diabetic placentas compared to the controls. These findings support the hypothesis that impaired placental function is one of the main reasons for the increased frequency of fetal complications in diabetic pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Athens University, Athens, Greece. gdaskalakis@yahoo.com
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Daskalakis
authors.forename: Spyros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marinopoulos
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Krielesi
authors.forename: Angeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papapanagiotou
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papantoniou
authors.forename: Spyros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mesogitis
authors.forename: Aris
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antsaklis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D020567:Fetal Weight / Q000502:physiology; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000473:pathology*; D021041:Placental Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin