Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 2, 2026
Three-dimensional Rendering and Analysis of Immunolabeled, Clarified Human Placental Villous Vascular Networks
Published on: March 29, 2018
Placental abruption and long-term cardiovascular morbidity of the offspring
Liron Berkman1, Tamar Wainstock2, Eyal Sheiner3
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 151, 84101, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Insights
Placental abruption does not increase offspring's long-term cardiovascular morbidity risk. This study found no significant association between placental abruption and later cardiovascular issues in children.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Placental abruption is linked to adverse short-term pregnancy outcomes.
- The long-term cardiovascular health implications for offspring following placental abruption are not well-established.
- Understanding these long-term risks is crucial for comprehensive perinatal care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between placental abruption and long-term cardiovascular morbidity in offspring.
- To determine if placental abruption is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular hospitalizations up to age 18.
- To provide evidence-based insights into the lifelong health trajectory of children exposed to placental abruption.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of deliveries between 1991 and 2014.
- Exclusion criteria included fertility treatments, multifetal pregnancies, congenital anomalies, and perinatal mortality.
- Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze cardiovascular hospitalizations up to age 18.
Main Results:
- A total of 217,910 deliveries were analyzed, with 0.46% experiencing placental abruption.
- Children born to mothers with placental abruption showed no significantly higher cumulative incidence of long-term cardiovascular morbidity (1.0% vs. 0.6%).
- Placental abruption was not identified as an independent risk factor for offspring cardiovascular morbidity after adjusting for confounders.
Conclusions:
- This study does not support an association between placental abruption and an increased risk of long-term cardiovascular morbidity in offspring.
- The findings suggest that placental abruption may not pose a significant cardiovascular risk to children later in life.
- Further research could explore other potential long-term health outcomes associated with placental abruption.
Objective:
While placental abruption is often associated with short-term adverse pregnancy outcomes, we sought to assess whether placental abruption increases the risk for long-term cardiovascular morbidity of the offspring.
Methods:
To study the long-term cardiovascular hospitalizations of offspring of patients with and without placental abruption, cardiovascular morbidity was assessed up to the age of 18 years according to a predefined set of ICD-9 codes associated with hospitalization of the offspring. Our data consist of deliveries which occurred between the years 1991 and 2014 in a tertiary medical center. Pregnancies following fertility treatments, multifetal pregnancies, and pregnancies with offspring with congenital anomalies, lack of prenatal care, and perinatal mortality were excluded from the study. We used Kaplan-Meier curve to compare cumulative morbidity incidence and Cox proportional hazards model to control for confounder.
Results:
During the study period, we examined 217,910 deliveries, out of which 0.46% (n = 1003) were effected by placental abruption. Compared to normal birth children, children born to mothers with placental abruption did not show a significantly higher cumulative incidence of long-term cardiovascular morbidity (1.0% vs. 0.6%; p = 0.127). Placental abruption was not noted as an independent risk factor for long-term cardiovascular morbidity of offspring in the Cox regression analysis, which adjusted for confounders.
Conclusion:
Our study does not support the association between placental abruption and risk for long-term cardiovascular morbidity of the offspring.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Gonadal and Placental Hormones
In males, testosterone is the primary gonadal androgen. It plays a central role in the maturation of male reproductive organs — the penis and testes. Additionally, testosterone is instrumental in the development of secondary sexual characteristics — a deep voice as well as facial and pubic hair...
01:05Long-term Depression
01:14Overview of the Cardiovascular System
Heart
The heart is the central pump of the cardiovascular system that circulates blood throughout the body. It comprises two atria receiving the blood and two ventricles pumping blood out of the heart. Their rhythmic contractions, called heartbeats, ensure that blood flow remains continuous.
Blood Vessels
Blood...
01:27Regulation of the Cardiovascular System
The regulation of the cardiovascular system involves the autonomic nervous system (ANS), baroreceptors, and chemoreceptors, ensuring that heart rate and blood pressure are appropriately modulated in response to varying physiological demands.
The ANS comprises two main divisions: the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system enhances...
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
01:29Assessment of the Cardiovascular System II: Inspection
Head and Neck