Roberto Orefice
Centenary Womens and Childrens Hospital, Australia
Title: Of pregnancies complicated by small for gestational age babies at term, what proportions have placental findings with implications for future pregnancies or neonatal outcomes?
Biography
Biography: Roberto Orefice
Abstract
Background: Small for Gestational Age (SGA) is a term to define any baby born with a birthweight < 10th centile. SGA can be associated with a number of placental pathology findings, which may influence maternal outcomes, neonatal neurodevelopment and future pregnancies.
Aim: To identify the proportion of term pregnancies complicated by SGA with placental findings that may have implications for future pregnancies or neonatal outcomes.
Method: A retrospective review between 2011-2015 of babies and placentas born at term with SGA. Histopathological findings were categorized as to whether they had a high recurrence rate and where long term neurodevelopmental outcome may affect the neonate.
Result: 698 babies were identified as SGA. Only 335 (47.8%) placentas were sent for histopathological assessment. Of these, 60 (17.9%) had histopathological findings associated with high recurrence rates and 68 (20.2%) had findings associated with potential adverse neonatal outcomes.
Conclusion: Of those placentas sent for examination between 17.9-20.2% had findings associated with either high recurrence rates or findings that may benefit from neonatal follow up. Under 50% of pregnancies complicated by SGA at term had a placental examination, resulting in a significant number of potential important clinical consequences being missed.