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Original ArticleOpen Access
Placental Ratio and Fetal Growth Pattern
Ruangvutilert P 
,
Titapant V ,
Kerdphoo Vs
,
Titapant V ,
Kerdphoo Vs Introduction
: Placental hypertrophy and reduced fetal growth have been postulated to
be an adaptation to maintain placental function in pregnant women with complications such as
malnutrition.
If
this is true, a pregnancy with impaired fetal growth, resulting in a small for gesta-
tional age (SGA) infant, should have an increased placental weight to birthweight ratio (placental
ratio) compared to those with appropriate for gestational age (AGA) or large for gestational age
(LGA) infants.
Objectives
: To determine the relationship between placental ratio and fetal growth pattern.
Material and Method
: Labour and delivery data of 1000 deliveries in the Department
of Obstetrics
&
Gynecology, Siriraj Hospital from January 2001 to June 2001 were retrospectively
studied to compare the placental ratios among pregnancies with SGA, appropriate for gestational age
(AGA) and large for gestational age (LGA) infants.
Results
: From 96 SGA, 804 AGA and 100 LGA cases, a higher placental ratio was found
in the SGA group compared to AGA (0.2074 and 0.1985 respectively, p
=
0.013). However, actual
placental hypertrophy was not found as demonstrated by a lower placental weight in SGA com-
pared with AGA pregnancies of the same birthweight range. There was no significant difference in
placental ratio between the LGA and AGA group, the ratios being 0.2020 and 0.1985 respectively
(p
=
0.260). Although a positive correlation between placental weight and birthweight was observed
in the AGA and LGA groups, it was not demonstrated in the SGA infants. This might influence the
placental ratio in the SGA group.
Conclusion
: SGA pregnancies are associated with an increased placental ratio which
appears not to
be
due to placental hypertrophy. As reduced birth weight has been shown to be
Voi.SS No.4
PLACENTAL RATIO AND FETAL GROWTH PATTERN
489
correlated to diseases in adult life, whether this association between SGA and an increased placental
ratio will have an implication in future obstetric care and prediction of diseases in adult life remains
to be elucidated.
Key word : Placental Ratio, Small for Gestational Age, Appropriate for Gestational Age, Large for
Gestational Age
: Placental hypertrophy and reduced fetal growth have been postulated to
be an adaptation to maintain placental function in pregnant women with complications such as
malnutrition.
If
this is true, a pregnancy with impaired fetal growth, resulting in a small for gesta-
tional age (SGA) infant, should have an increased placental weight to birthweight ratio (placental
ratio) compared to those with appropriate for gestational age (AGA) or large for gestational age
(LGA) infants.
Objectives
: To determine the relationship between placental ratio and fetal growth pattern.
Material and Method
: Labour and delivery data of 1000 deliveries in the Department
of Obstetrics
&
Gynecology, Siriraj Hospital from January 2001 to June 2001 were retrospectively
studied to compare the placental ratios among pregnancies with SGA, appropriate for gestational age
(AGA) and large for gestational age (LGA) infants.
Results
: From 96 SGA, 804 AGA and 100 LGA cases, a higher placental ratio was found
in the SGA group compared to AGA (0.2074 and 0.1985 respectively, p
=
0.013). However, actual
placental hypertrophy was not found as demonstrated by a lower placental weight in SGA com-
pared with AGA pregnancies of the same birthweight range. There was no significant difference in
placental ratio between the LGA and AGA group, the ratios being 0.2020 and 0.1985 respectively
(p
=
0.260). Although a positive correlation between placental weight and birthweight was observed
in the AGA and LGA groups, it was not demonstrated in the SGA infants. This might influence the
placental ratio in the SGA group.
Conclusion
: SGA pregnancies are associated with an increased placental ratio which
appears not to
be
due to placental hypertrophy. As reduced birth weight has been shown to be
Voi.SS No.4
PLACENTAL RATIO AND FETAL GROWTH PATTERN
489
correlated to diseases in adult life, whether this association between SGA and an increased placental
ratio will have an implication in future obstetric care and prediction of diseases in adult life remains
to be elucidated.
Key word : Placental Ratio, Small for Gestational Age, Appropriate for Gestational Age, Large for
Gestational Age
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