Placental infarction: in its relation to the toxaemias of pregnancy

Abstract

In this series of placenta from one thousand consecutive deliveries: -

Fibrin deposition was found in 98.6%, of all placentae;

True Infarcts were found in 74.0% of all placentae.

There were 2761 White Infarcts.

There were 427 Red Infarcts.

∴ 3188 true infarcts in 740 of the placentae.

There were 250 haematomata in 239 of the placentae.

There were 136 cases of varying degrees of pre-eclamptic toxaemia in this series. A study of which reveals the following facts: -

1. A mild toxaemia of about one month's duration will result in very little or no infarction of the placenta.

2. A mild toxaemia of long duration will result in massive infarction of the Placenta.

3. A severe toxaemia of about one month's duration will result in massive infarction of the placenta.

4. Severe toxaemia does not appear to have a long duration.

There were nine mothers in this series who had Eclampsia. For this small number at least, the eclampsia was not the result of massive infarction of the placenta.

There were 328 cases of varying degrees of hypertension in this series. 72 of these cases had no infarction of the placenta visible to the naked eye.

The majority of these 72 had hypertension of less than one month's duration. The study shows a definite increase in the percentage of placental tissue infarcte the longer the duration of the hypertension.

There were 15 cases of accidental haemorrhage in this series. The study of this small group reveals the following facts; -

I. Of twelve cases of accidental haemorrhage uncomplicated by toxaemia only two showed any consider- :able amount of infarction of the placenta while two showed no placental infarction visible to the naked eye.

II. The three cases of accidental haemorrhage which were complicated by severe pre -eclamptic toxaemia all had massive infarction of the placenta.