Apoptosis in the placenta of pregnancies complicated with IUGR

Objective: In this study we have investigated the presence of apoptosis in the placental tissue of pregnancies complicated with intra-uterine growth r estriction (IUGR). Method: Placental samples were obtained from 22 normal t hird trimester pregnancies and 20 pregnancies complicated with IUGR. The cr iteria for fetal growth impairment were clinical evidence of sub-optimal gr owth, ultrasonographic demonstration of deviation from normal percentiles o f growth and birth weight under 10th percentile. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labelling (TUNEL) s taining was used to demonstrate the apoptotic cells in all samples. Student -t, Mann-Withney U-test, Fisher exact test and Spearman correlation were us ed for statistical analysis. Result: We detected apoptosis in 10 placentas in the study group vs. none in the control group. Placentas from pregnancie s complicated with IUGR demonstrated 0.12% (0.1%-0.4%) apoptotic cells. The rate of apoptotic cells in the placenta was significantly higher in pregna ncies complicated with IUGR than normal uncomplicated pregnancy (P = 0.0019 ). Apoptosis were more abundant in the trophoblasts, especially cytotrophob lasts, in the placenta. We could not find a correlation between the apoptos is in the placenta of pregnancies complicated with IUGR and birth weight, m ulti-parity, gestational age, birth weight percentile and mode of delivery (C/S vs. vaginal delivery). Conclusion: We believe that the increased numbe r of apoptosis in the placenta of pregnancies complicated with IUGR may hav e an important compensatory role to transmit nutrition and gas exchange eas ily to the fetus. (C) 2001 International Federation of Gynecology and Obste trics. All rights reserved.