Placental Bed Disorders: Basic Science and its Translation to Obstetrics

Book Preface

The role of the placental bed in normal pregnancy and its complications has been intensively investigated for 50 years, following the introduction of a technique for placental bed biopsy. It is now recognized that disorders of the maternal–fetal interface in humans have been implicated in a broad range of pathological conditions, including spontaneous abortion, preterm labor, preterm premature rupture of membranes, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, abruptio
placentae, and fetal death.

These clinical disorders (referred to as ‘obstetrical syndromes’) are the major complications of pregnancy and leading causes of perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. Moreover, recent evidence indicates that these disorders have the potential to reprogram the endocrine, metabolic, vascular, and immune responses of the human fetus, and predispose to adult diseases. Thus, premature death from cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction or stroke), diabetes mellitus, obesity, and hypertension may have their origins in abnormal placental development.

This is the first book devoted exclusively to the anatomy, physiology, immunology, and pathology of the placental bed. Experts in clinical and basic sciences have made important contributions to bring, in a single volume, a large body of literature on the normal and abnormal placental bed. Thus, readers will find informative, well-illustrated, and scholarly contributions in the cell biology of the placental bed, immunology, endocrinology, pathology, genetics, and imaging. The aim of the book is to inform the reader about the exciting developments in the study of the placental bed as well as the novel approaches to the assessment of this unique tissue interface and its implications for the diagnosis and treatment of complications of pregnancy. It is believed that this book will be essential reading for those interested in clinical obstetrics, maternal–fetal medicine, perinatal pathology, neonatology, and reproductive medicine. Those interested in imaging of the maternal–fetal circulation or its interrogation with Doppler would also benefit from reading this book.