Placental location and the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Abstract

Background Human placenta represents a ‘transient organ’ that plays a key role during gestation, as the major determinant of pregnancy maintenance, fetal growth, and labor onset. Objective To assess the relationship between placental location and the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Patients and methods A prospective observational cohort study was carried out at Al-Zahraa Hospital and Shibin Elqnatar Public Hospital that included 154 pregnant females at 18–24 weeks of pregnancy. Abdominal ultrasound was performed with classification of pregnant females into two groups based on the placental location. Cases were followed up throughout pregnancy until delivery for the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Results The main findings of this study were that placenta was centrally located in 64.9% of the included cases and was laterally located in 35.1% of them. No statistically significant differences were found between cases with central placenta and those with lateral placenta as regards age, parity, BMI, gestational age, systolic, diastolic, or mean arterial blood pressure at booking. The incidence of preterm labor and premature rupture of membranes was higher and the incidence of intrauterine growth restriction was lower in case of lateral placenta compared with central placenta. Conclusion We did not find any significant difference between the placental location and the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and other adverse outcomes.