L6: Placenta and twins Flashcards
What is the definition of the placenta?
the primary site of nutrient and gas exchange between mother and fetus.
What is the structure of the placenta?
β Fetal part: develops from chorion frandosum.
β Maternal part: derived from the endometrium (decidua basalis and maternal blood in intervillous space).
What are the surfaces of the placenta like?
β Fetal surface of the placenta:
β’ Smooth-shiny and covered by amnion.
β’ Umbilical cord attached near its center.
β The maternal surface of the placenta:
β’ Shows cotyledons with Cobblestone appearance
produced by bulging villi.
What is the gross appearance of the placenta?
β Shape: discoid.
β Diameter: 15-20cm.
β Thickness: 2-3cm.
β Wight: 500-600gm (about 1\6 weight of fetus).
What structures could be seen by the microscope in the placenta?
1) Intervillous space
2) Placenta barrier or membrane
What are intervillous spaces?
β Large blood-filled space results from coalescence and enlargement of lacunar networks.
β Contain maternal blood derived from lacuna developed in syncytiotrophoblast during 2nd week of development.
What is the definition of the Placenta barrier or membrane?
the membrane separating maternal from fetal blood.
What is the structure of the placenta barrier or membrane?
Until 20 weeks
β 4 layers:
1) Syncytiotrophoblast.
2) Cytotrophoblast.
3) Extra embryonic mesoderm.
4) Endothelium of fetal capillaries.
After 20 weeks
β cytotrophoblast is lost so the barrier becomes 3 layers: 1) Syncytiotrophoblast.
2) Extra embryonic mesoderm
3) Endothelium of fetal capillaries.
Late in pregnancy:
β extraembryonic mesoderm is lost, the barrier becomes formed of 2 layers:
1) Syncytiotrophoblast.
2) Enodothelium of fetal capillaries
What is the function of the placenta?
βREEM PNβ
1) Respiratory function: by simple diffusion
2) Nutritive function: by simple and selective diffusion
3) Excretory function: by simple and selective diffusion
4) Protective function
5) Metabolism
6) Endocrine function
What is the protective function of the placenta?
ο² Transfer maternal antibodies as for diphtheria, smallpox, and measles.
ο² Barrier against transmission of some infection from mother to fetus but some viruses as German measles and syphilis pass through placental membrane and
cause fetal infection.
What is the endocrine function of the placenta?
ο² Chorionic gonadotrophin hormones (early in pregnancy)
β’ Trophoblast produces chorionic gonadotropin hormone which maintains corpus luteum and stimulates corpus luteum to secret progesterone.
ο² Progesterone (later in pregnancy > 4th month)
β’ Trophoblast produces progesterone from the 4th month which is essential for the maintenance of pregnancy.
ο² Estrogen (near labor)
β’ Produced by syncytiotrophoblast which increases the sensitivity of the myometrium to oxytocin which has a role in delivery.
What are the anomalies of the placenta?
- Position:
β Placenta previa.
β Placenta increta & percreta: chorionic villi penetrate myometrium. - attachment of umbilical cord to the placenta.
- shape:
β Zonary placenta: empty in middle.
β Bipartite placenta (bilobed): with one umbilical cord.
β Tripartite placenta: with one umbilical cord attached to it.
β Irregular placenta.
β Membranous placenta: thin and membranous. - number:
β Placenta succentoriata: There is one or more small accessory placenta in addition to the main placenta which are retained in the uterus after delivery and cause postpartum hemorrhage
What is the maternal circulation in the placenta?
Maternal blood enters the intervillous spaces from the spiral arteries of the decidua and after gas exchange leaves the spaces via numerous, decidual Veins to the uterine vein.
What is the fetal circulation in the placenta?
β The deoxygenated blood reaches the chorionic villi by two umbilical arteries.
β Exchange of gasses, nutrients, and waste products occurs through the placental
membrane and the oxygenated blood returns to the fetus by the umbilical vein.
What is the definition of multiple pregnancies?
Delivery of more than one fetus:
β’ Two fetuses (twins).
β’ Three fetuses (triplets).
β’ Four fetuses (quadruplets).
β’ Five fetuses (quintuplets).
What is the incidence of multiple pregnancies?
β Twins: once every 90 pregnancies.
β Triplets: once every 8100 pregnancies.
β Quadruplets and others are rare
What are the causes of multiple pregnancies?
β Hereditary.
β Medical causes: due to administration of exogenous gonadotrophin to stimulate ovulation in women with ovulatory failure and also In vitro fertilization.
Where are multiple pregnancies more common?
β’ Race: most common in Negroes
β’ Age: Increased maternal age
β’ Parity: more common in multipara
β’ Heredity: family history of multifetal gestation
β’ Nutritional status: well-nourished women
β’ The placenta begins to develop upon implantation of the blastocyst into the maternal endometrium.
β’ Placenta grows throughout pregnancy.
β’ Development of the maternal blood supply to the placenta is complete by the end of the first trimester of pregnancy (approximately 12β 13 weeks).
β¦
What are the types of multiple pregnancies?
β Monozygotic twins. β Dizygotic twins.
What is the definition of monozygotic (identical - true - uniovular) twins?
fertilization of one oocyte (develops from one zygote).
What is the cause of monozygotic twins?
results from splitting of the zygote at various stages of development
what are the incidences of monozygotic twins?
30% of twins
What are the characters of monozygotic twins?
β Of the same sex, genetically identical, similar in physical character and the difference occur only by the environment.
β Of the same fingerprint.
