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Updated: Apr 23, 2026
High Frequency Ultrasound for the Analysis of Fetal and Placental Development In Vivo
Published on: November 8, 2018
Early ultrasonographic diagnosis of placental mesenchymal dysplasia
S Gerli1, C Giordano, R Del Sordo
1Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy. sandro.gerli@unipg.it.
Placental mesenchymal dysplasia (PMD) is a rare pathology characterized by vascular anomalies, placentomegaly and grapelike vesicles resembling partial molar pregnancy. PMD is often associated with fetal growth restriction or intrauterine fetal demise. We report a case of an early diagnosis of PMD at 10 weeks' gestation, with a regular intrauterine growth and a fetal demise occurring at 31 week's gestation. The placenta showed aneurysmally dilated and tortuous vessels with luminal thrombosis. Even in presence of a regular fetal growth, a fetal demise may always occur, suggesting the option of an early heparin administration to reduce the risk of thrombosis of chorionic vessels.
Placental mesenchymal dysplasia (PMD) is a rare pathology characterized by vascular anomalies, placentomegaly and grapelike vesicles resembling partial molar pregnancy. PMD is often associated with fetal growth restriction or intrauterine fetal demise. We report a case of an early diagnosis of PMD at 10 weeks' gestation, with a regular intrauterine growth and a fetal demise occurring at 31 week's gestation. The placenta showed aneurysmally dilated and tortuous vessels with luminal thrombosis. Even in presence of a regular fetal growth, a fetal demise may always occur, suggesting the option of an early heparin administration to reduce the risk of thrombosis of chorionic vessels.
