title: Abnormal spiral arteries modification in stillbirths: the role of maternal prepregnancy body mass index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of abnormal spiral arteries modification (ASAM) in stillbirths and its anatomo-clinical correlations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two-hundred and three placentas of stillbirth ≥20 weeks of gestation were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ASAM was present in 69/203 cases (33.9%). The only maternal characteristic that significantly differed in ASAM versus normal spiral arteries modification (NSAM) cases was the prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) (25.9 ± 6.1 and 23.1 ± 4.2 kg/m(2), respectively) with 15.9% of obesity in ASAM mothers versus 5.2% in NSAM (p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the association between obesity and adverse pregnancy outcome, our data suggest that counselling obese women to lose weight before pregnancy becomes increasingly imperative.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, DMSD San Paolo, University of Milano, Via A. di Rudini 8, 20142Milano, Italy. laura.avagliano@unimi.it
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Avagliano
authors: Anna Maria
authors: AM
authors: Marconi
authors: Solange
authors: S
authors: Romagnoli
authors: Gaetano Pietro
authors: GP
authors: Bulfamante
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D010920:Placenta / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055988:Uterine Artery / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology