Hyperplasia of the placenta in pregnancy

The placenta is a temporary organ that forms in the body of a woman during pregnancy. Its purpose is simple - to ensure successful fetation and development of the fetus.

Functions of the placenta

The placenta in the female body is formed until the 16th week of pregnancy, provided that everything goes fine. The fertilized egg is fixed in the uterus, which gives a signal to the development of the placenta. It performs very important functions: it provides the future baby with the right amount of useful and nutritious substances, and also transports oxygen to it.

At the ultrasound examination, the thickness of this important organ can be determined, and then it is easy to analyze whether its destination is being fully implemented.

What is hyperplasia?

Hyperplasia of the placenta is called its excessive thickening, when it does not correspond to the norms of development. This means that there are some pathologies in the woman's body. Analysis of the thickness of the placenta is advisable to carry out, starting from the 20th week of pregnancy.

What is the normal thickness? Depending on the period of pregnancy, the thickness of the placenta is determined in millimeters. That is, as many millimeters approximately should be, how much corresponds to the term of pregnancy.

The degree of maturity of the placenta

The peak of growth of the embryonic organ is at 37 weeks. Its thickness in the norm during this period should be 33.7 mm. After that, the placenta no longer grows, but even decreases somewhat. By birth, its thickness can normally be 33.2 mm.

In this connection, five degrees of maturity of the embryonic organ are distinguished. Zero is considered the thickness of the placenta before 30 weeks of gestation, the first degree of maturity is 34-36 weeks, with the existing pathology - 27-28 weeks, the second degree - 34-38 weeks, the third degree - from 38 weeks. The fourth degree of maturity is the condition of this important organ before the very birth. During this period, his aging begins.

In some cases, the placenta may be unnecessarily thin. This condition is also a pathology, but not as dangerous as hyperplasia. It is often found in thin and miniature women.

When is placental hyperplasia most common during pregnancy? 20 weeks is a critical period.

The maximum growth of the placenta occurs precisely in the last 20 weeks. Its thickness is most often measured in the place where it is attached to the umbilical cord. Of course, when measuring its size, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of women. If there are deviations in the thickness of the placenta, this can be fraught with unpleasant consequences for the fetus. With hyperplasia, the embryonic organ thickens in some cases to 60 mm.

What are the main causes of placental hyperplasia?

There are certain factors that can provoke hyperplasia. Let's consider them in more detail:

• Clinical incompatibility of the mother and fetus by blood (rhesus-conflict or incompatibility by blood group). In this case, intrauterine blood transfusion is most often required.
• Genetic mutations.
• Development of acute viral infections. Perhaps, antiviral therapy will be necessary.
• Hemoglobin in the blood is significantly reduced, iron deficiency anemia develops. It will require raising its level. This can be done with special iron preparations.
• Increases in blood sugar, which leads to the development of diabetes. We need careful monitoring of sugar, and when it is increased, it must be reduced.
• As a result of chronic sexual infections (ureaplasmas, toxoplasma, syphilis, mycoplasma, chlamydia, gonorrhea).

In connection with these pathological conditions, placental hyperplasia manifests itself. Why is it dangerous? This will be discussed below.

In the early stages (in 1 and 2 trimesters) thickening is more frequent due to infectious diseases. So the body itself tries to protect the fetus.

Hemolytic disease of the fetus is often detected by the thickness of the placenta. Sometimes there is an abnormal proliferation of blood vessels when the blood circulation of the placenta and fetus is formed.

In rare cases, doctors are unable to understand why this important organ is thickened.

Signs of thickening of the placenta

What is placental hyperplasia, we figured out. But what are the symptoms of this pathology?

At a small pregnancy, the placenta may also increase. This can only be determined by ultrasound. There are no other signs that speak of the development of pathology.

When the term is already quite large, there are certain symptoms of hyperplasia:

• Change in the character of the fetal movements. He can begin to move too actively, or, conversely, become too calm.
• Heartbeat in the fetus may also slow down or, on the contrary, accelerate (as tachycardia or bradycardia manifests itself), but cardiocography is required to determine this symptom. The fetal heart rate is normal - 140-160 beats per minute. If there are constant jumps in the frequency of impacts from acceleration to deceleration, this indicates that the fetus experiences oxygen starvation (hypoxia).

If a woman has diabetes mellitus, then with hyperplasia develops polyhydramnios or excessive amounts of amniotic fluid. A pregnant woman finds hyperglycemia, insulin synthesis increases, metabolic acidosis manifests itself.

If placental hyperplasia is not detected in a timely manner, a fetal condition develops in which it can die as a result of spontaneous abortion.

Methods of diagnosis

As already mentioned above, it is possible to determine the thickening of the embryonic organ only by ultrasound examination.

But in order to identify the causes of hyperplasia, additional tests and examinations of the future mother will be required:

• Blood test for biochemistry;
• Carrying out cardiotocography of the fetus;
• general urine analysis;
• general blood analysis;
• Analyzes for the presence of sexual infections, including TORCH infections;
• The determination in the blood of antibodies to various bacteria and viruses;
• Doppler study;
• Taking a gynecological smear to determine the pathogenic microflora.

Treatment of hyperplasia

So, all the necessary tests have been submitted, the studies have been carried out. After that, placental hyperplasia and its cause were identified. A future mother must be hospitalized if this pathology affects the fetal development of the fetus. The woman will receive the necessary treatment in a hospital.

The thickness of the placenta can be regulated with the help of special preparations. They also provide good microcirculation in the embryonic organ. It is advisable to prescribe drugs that help the blood thin.

The oxygenation of the fetus and the placenta is also ensured by special medications. Essential phospholipids will help the cells not to collapse, because they have good building functions.

After all, extremely dangerous placenta hyperplasia. Treatment does not end there.

What methods of therapy are still used?

Also individually:

• Vitaminotherapy. The future mother should fully eat, but sometimes this is not enough. After all, the kid needs a lot of useful substances and vitamins. For this purpose their reception from outside is appointed.
• Treatment of viruses and infections. This is necessary in the event that they led to hyperplasia.
• Therapy of gestosis in the late stages. Gestosis in general is very dangerous in itself, especially when combined with the thickening of such an important embryonic organ as the placenta.
• Intrauterine blood transfusion with incompatibility of fetal blood and its mother.
• Normalization of blood sugar levels. This is necessary when the cause of hyperplasia of the placenta has become such a serious disease as diabetes.

When may not need treatment for hyperplasia? If the placenta is slightly thickened, the fetus develops, and all indices are within normal limits, then there is no need for treatment.

If there is incompatibility with the blood of the mother and the child, then such a pregnancy is likely to be necessary to be interrupted. In this case, intrauterine blood transfusion can help. To date, this is the only way to treat such a pathology.

With severe iron-deficiency anemia, a diet enriched with foods high in iron is prescribed. But one diet will not be enough. Then apply drugs that contain divalent iron and vitamin C.

Hyperplasia of the placenta: consequences

What is the main danger of such a pathology? About this further.

There are quite serious consequences of thickening of the placenta. Here are some of them:

• This pathology can cause fetoplacental insufficiency. As a result, the baby may not have enough nutrients in the future, and in connection with insufficient intake of oxygen, fetal hypoxia may occur.
• These factors will slow down intrauterine development, and also will have a negative impact on the process of childbirth.
• Hyperplasia of the placenta during pregnancy will lead to chronic fetal hypoxia, which also will have a bad effect on its development.
• The fetus can die in the womb.
• Amblerous waters can vary in volume (this will lead to polyhydramnios or low water levels).
• Pregnancy can end prematurely.

Recommendations

Future mothers must necessarily be registered in the women's consultation in order to timely diagnosed various abnormalities. Because the future mother herself is not able to determine any pathology dangerous for health.

If diagnosed by a doctor, then you should always follow all of his recommendations. After all, it is very dangerous to have placental hyperplasia in pregnancy. Treatment should be comprehensive and timely. If a woman is shown to be in a hospital, she must listen to what the doctor tells her.

Therapy, first of all, is aimed at ensuring that the future baby develops fully. In order for pregnancy to end safely and the child was born healthy, it is necessary to find out the reason why the pathology of the placenta has arisen.

Conclusion

The best prevention of severe pathologies is careful planning of pregnancy. Before conception, the body must be prepared for the bearing of the baby. To do this, they take tests for various sexual infections, undergo a comprehensive examination to identify abnormalities in health. If any chronic diseases are found, they must be treated before pregnancy. After all, the mother is contraindicated in taking medicines. Examination, and if necessary, treatment, must necessarily pass and the man who will participate in the process of conception.

We examined placental hyperplasia in pregnancy.