Do macromorphological features of the human placenta influence somatic and psychomotor development of the newborn and early infant? A historic question revisited.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the meaning of placental weight, form (massive and thick or extended and flat) and circumference for early somatic and psychomotor childhood development.


METHODS
In this prospective study, fresh placentas (n = 265) were measured for weight and circumference and correlated with neonatal data. A subset of placentas statistically defined as 'massive' (circumference <10th percentile) and 'extended' (circumference >90th percentile) was correlated with somatic and basic psychomotor variables during the first 4 years of life. A 'medium' category (circumference 45-55th percentile) served as control.


RESULTS
Placental weight correlated with birth weight (r = 0.53, p < 0.0005) and mean infantile weight until month 48 (r = 0.29, p = 0.016). Placental circumference weakly correlated with birth weight (r = 0.17, p = 0.011) but not with mean infantile weight. Placental extremes (massive, medium, extended) demonstrated significant influences only on very early somatic growth (day 1 to month 4): Massive placentas were associated with heavier and taller children (p = 0.02-0.033). Markers of early psychomotor development (first sitting, crawling, running, one- and two-word sentences) were not related with placental weight or circumference nor with extremes of placental morphology.


CONCLUSIONS
Placental weight and circumference seem to influence very early somatic but not psychomotor development.
Westhof
Gregor
G
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Witten/Herdecke School of Medicine, Marien-Hospital Witten, Witten, Germany.
Deerberg
Jost C
JC
Schad
Wolfgang
W
Zimmermann
Ralf C
RC
Hatzmann
Hendrike
H
D001724:Birth Weight; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010920:Placenta / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors