CIRCUMVALLATE PLACENTA - SONOGRAPHIC DIAGNOSIS

We prospectively identified 12 patients who had a shelf at the margin of the placenta consistent with the diagnosis of circumvallate placent a. Ten patients were followed to delivery and three placentas were sen t for pathologic analysis. Circumvallate placenta was diagnosed by gro ss inspection in all three but was confirmed by microscopic analysis i n only two. One of these patients had placental abruption and cesarean delivery for fetal distress at 27 weeks. Circumvallate placenta is an other cause of uterine band, sheet, or shelf. The finding can be assoc iated with a normal obstetric outcome but may predispose to placental complications.