Very low birthweight placenta: clustering of morphologic characteristics.

Our objective was to use factor analysis as a data reduction tool to organize a large number of placental pathologic features into useful aggregates. We examined 1146 placentas of live-born infants with a birth weight of 500-1500 g. We then conducted analyses of pairs of characteristics and multiple characteristics to identify "associated groups" and "factors," respectively.

Very low birthweight Infant's placenta and its relation to pregnancy and fetal characteristics.

Our objective was to relate pathology of the very low birthweight (VLBW) infant's placenta to pregnancy and fetal characteristics. We correlated the pathologic features of 1146 placentas from infants with birth weights of 500-1500 g who were born between 1/1/91 and 12/31/93 to the number of gestations per pregnancy, initiator of preterm delivery, gestational age, birth weight Z score, and duration of rupture of membrane (ROM). Placental correlates of acute inflammation and villous edema were associated with preterm labor (PTL), prelabor premature rupture of membranes (PROM), lower gestational age, and higher birth weight Z score.