[The importance of pathomorphological research on the afterbirth in perinatology]

The author dwells on placental characteristics typical for some perinatal disturbances. Ultrasonic investigation in antigen incompatibility of maternal and fetal blood yields the snowdrift picture, in maternal hypertension ultrasonic placental appearance is cellular, microscopically plasma-saturated, affected by fibrinoid necrosis, hyalinosis, and hypertrophic in arterial muscular coat. Electron microscopically, there are significant changes in a villous chorion. Late gestosis involved marked destructive changes in subsyncytial and subendothelial basilar membranes. The above placental characteristics can provide explanation for functional perinatal cardiac insufficiency. Placental evaluation is presented for maternal diabetes mellitus and macrosomia. There is also evidence for a relationship between disintegration of the maternal regulatory system and predisposition to neonatal atherosclerosis.