Placenta & Fetal Heart Flashcards
What is the only organ that is temporary?
placenta
What is crucial to the well being and survival of the fetus?
placenta
What are the functions of the placenta?
respiration, nutrition, excretion, protection (prevents harmful substances from going to fetus), storage (nutrients), and hormonal function
What hormones are produced by the placenta?
neuropeptides, hCG, human placental lactogen, estrogen, and progesterone
Describe the normal appearance of the placenta when it’s delivered?
discoid in shape, 15-20cm in diameter, less than 4cm thick (average is 2-2.5cm with center being thickest), around 600g in weight, dark red with blue/purple hint
What is the sonographic appearance of a normal placenta?
smooth borders with position either fundal, anterior, or posterior, 2-3cm in thickness of fetus older than 23 weeks
What is a normal sonographic appearance of the fetal placental surface?
echogenic chorionic plate along the placental surface adjacent to the amniotic cavity
What is the normal sonographic appearance of the maternal/basal placental surface?
location is at the junction of myometrium and the substance of placenta; appears as a hypoechoic band due to endometrial veins running behind the basal plate
How does the appearance of the placenta change sonographically throughout pregnancy?
appears as homogeneous medium gray between 8 and 20 weeks gestation; after 20 weeks, intraplacental sonolucencies and placental calcification may begin to appear and placental lakes change in size and shape with maternal position
What is placenta infarction?
focal discrete lesion caused by ischemic necrosis
What is found in nearly 25% of pregnancies that is usually small with no clinical significance?
placenta infarction
What may large infarctions reflect?
underlying maternal vascular disease
What is the sonographic appearance of a grade 0 placental infarct?
normal appearing placenta, no calcifications, smooth chorionic plate
What is the sonographic appearance of a grade 1 placental infarct?
the basal layer becomes hypoechoic (or anechoic) with few scattered calcifications and subtle indentations of the chorionic plate
this is a normal finding after 34 weeks gestation
What is the sonographic appearance of a grade 2 placental infarct?
has larger indentations of the chorionic plate with few linear densities at the basal plate and “comma like” echodensities in the parenchyma
this is a normal finding after 36 weeks gestation
What is the sonographic appearance of a grade 3 placental infarct?
there are complete indentations of the chorionic plate with large bright calcifications and placental parenchyma highly echogenic with anechoic areas
this is a normal finding after 38 weeks gestation
Where is the umbilical cord usually attached in the placenta?
near the center
What arteries increase in size during pregnancy?
uterine arteries
In the first trimester, what does the uterine artery show sonographically?
high resistance flow patterns
In the second trimester, what does the uterine artery show sonographically?
low resistance flow pattern (more so in late second and third trimesters; decreasing resistance in early second)
Normal trophoblastic invasion of spiral arteries show what type of Doppler pattern?
low resistance
What is a battledore placenta?
insertion of umbilical cord into the margin of placenta (not central portion), within 10mm of the edge
What is a velamentous placenta?
cord inserted into the membrane and not in the thickness of the placenta
What are the risks associated with a velamentous placenta?
blood vessels are not protected and can easily be damaged, the cord lies across the cervix (vasa previa) and can be damaged during child birth
What are the risks associated with a bilobed placenta?
can increase risk of retained portions of placenta (which can lead to a life threatening infection), increased risk of placenta previa (placenta over internal os), and/or no significance
What is a succenturiate placenta?
an addition lobe of the placenta, but of a different size
What are the risks associated with a succenturiate placenta?
retension of small lobe (results in infection), previa or vasa previa (blood vessels across the internal os), and/or blood vessel rupture and catastrophic hemorrhage
What is a circumvallate/circummarginate placenta?
the attachment of the placental membranes to the fetal surface of the placenta rather than to the underlying villous placental margin
the basal plate is larger than the fetal placenta;
What is the difference between circumvallate and circummarginate placental shapes?
the thickness of the ring;
circumvallate has a thicker ring causing the borders to be rolled while circummarginate has a thinner ring
What is the risk of a circumvallate/circummarginate placenta?
placental abruption resulting in catastrophic hemorrhage
What is placenta previa?
the abnormal implantation of the placenta in the lower uterine segment overlying or near the internal cervical os
What are the different types of placenta previa and how is it determined?
low-lying placenta, marginal previa, complete previa, and central previa
determined by how far it is from the internal os (edge of placenta to the internal os)
Describe each type of placenta previa.
complete: covers cervical os
partial:
marginal: comes right to the border
low lying: not in direct contact (less than 5cm or less than 2cm)
How does placenta previa occur?
One theory is the lower uterine segment stretches out while the placenta stays in place. Another theory is the placenta area doesn’t have enough blood flow and atrophies. Uterine scarring may also be associated.
What are the risk factors for placenta previa?
prior c-section and uterine surgeries, advanced maternal age, smoking, prior placenta previa, multiparity, multifetal pregnancies
What are placenta previa complications?
maternal catastrophic hemorrhage (during labor), preterm delivery, preterm premature rupture of membranes, intrauterine growth restriction, malpresentation, vasa previa, perinatal death
What are the clinical implications of placenta previa?
sudden PAINLESS vaginal bleeding
If placenta previa is suspected, should a vaginal examination be done?
No, it can cause catastrophic hemorrhage
If placenta previa is suspected, should a transvaginal exam be done?
If needed; the probe is introduced into the anterior fornix, not the cervix and for best information the probe should be 2-3cm away (meaning it is safe)
If placenta previa is suspected, should a transabdominal ultrasound be done or a transvaginal one?
transvaginal is favored over transabdominal; it is much more accurate, the cervix is easier to see (vs TA where fetal head may obscure cervix)
but if the bladder is full, it can give a false impression of previa