title: The effect of pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders on placental growth along short and long axes and neonatal outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders on the growth of the placenta on the short and long axes and neonatal outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study of gross and histological characteristics of placentas and the fetal outcomes of normotensive and hypertensive pregnancies over a three-year period from January 2009 to December 2011 at a tertiary teaching hospital in ACT, Australia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Placentas and neonatal outcomes from 100 pregnancies complicated with pregnancy-induced hypertension/pre-eclampsia were studied and compared with 51 gestational age-matched placentas and neonatal outcomes from normotensive pregnancies. The median maternal age and smoking history were similar in the two groups (P = 0.894; P = 1.00, respectively). The median pre-pregnancy weight was significantly higher (P < 0.001) and primiparity more common (P = 0.001) in the study group. The median weight of the placenta was significantly lower (P < 0.001) and below the 10th centile (P < 0.001) in the study group. Both the long and short axes of the placental disc were significantly smaller in the study group (P = 0.002; P ≤ 0.001 respectively). Accelerated villous maturation, placental infarcts and decidual vessel vasculopathy were more common in the study group (P < 0.001). The median birthweight and the number of infants with birthweight and length below the 10th centile were significantly higher in the study group (P = 0.008; P < 0.001; P = 0.004, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that pregnancy-induced hypertension significantly influences the growth and development of both the placenta and fetus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Canberra Hospital, Woden, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Neelkanth
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Phad
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Pathology, Canberra Hospital, Woden, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.|Australian National University Medical School, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Jane E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dahlstrom
authors.affiliation: Department of Fetal Medicine, Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, Queensland, Australia.|Griffith University, Southport, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ellwood
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Canberra Hospital, Woden, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.|Australian National University Medical School, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Alison L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Kent
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D017359:HELLP Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010298:Parity; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D010929:Placentation / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: axis; growth; neonate; placenta; pregnancy-induced hypertension