title: The clinical implications of placental diagnoses.
abstract: The clinical utility of placental pathology is both overestimated and underestimated, and the overall quality of placental pathology reporting, even at major medical centers, is highly variable. Clear benefits of examining placentas include the immediate diagnosis of treatable conditions in both the mother and the infant, clarification of the underlying etiology of adverse pregnancy outcomes, estimation of recurrence risk, and guidance for the management of future pregnancies. In order to realize these benefits and get the most out of their pathology departments, it is critical for clinicians to understand the range and implications of placental lesions. This article will review the nomenclature, diagnostic criteria and pitfalls, and clinical significance of seven common placental disease processes and a handful of other lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 11100 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106. Electronic address: raymondw.redline@UHhospitals.org.
authors.forename: Raymond W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Redline
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018743:Perinatal Care; D010920:Placenta / Q000473:pathology*; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome
keywords: Adverse outcome; Pathology; Placenta; Recurrence risk