Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 25, 2026

A Rat Model of Mild Intrauterine Hypoperfusion with Microcoil Stenosis
06:19

A Rat Model of Mild Intrauterine Hypoperfusion with Microcoil Stenosis

Published on: January 7, 2018

Placental maternal vascular malperfusion pathology is associated with decreased school performance at age 12

Carmen J M Oudejans1, Mauritia C Marijnen2, Wessel Ganzevoort3

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9713 GZ, the Netherlands.

Placenta
|May 23, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Placental lesions, particularly maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM), are linked to lower school performance in children at age 12. This highlights the placenta

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal Medicine
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Pathology

Background:

  • The placenta is crucial for fetal development, and its pathologies are linked to pregnancy complications.
  • The long-term neurocognitive effects of placental lesions are not well understood.
  • This study investigates the association between placental lesions and neurocognitive outcomes using school performance at age 12.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between placental lesions and neurocognitive development.
  • To determine if specific placental pathologies predict long-term neurocognitive outcomes.
  • To use school performance at 12 years as a proxy for neurocognitive development.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional data linkage study using Dutch national registries (Palga, Perined, Statistics Netherlands).
  • Analysis of 36,197 children, with inverse probability weighting to address selection bias.
  • Regression models assessed the association between placental lesion types and school performance, adjusted for confounders.

Main Results:

  • Placental lesions were present in 57% of the studied placentas.
  • Placental lesions were associated with significantly lower school performance scores.
  • Maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM) was the only lesion type independently linked to decreased school performance.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM) is associated with reduced school performance at age 12.
  • Placental pathology is a significant contributor to and predictor of neurocognitive outcomes.
  • These findings emphasize the importance of placental examination for understanding both neonatal and long-term child development.
Abstract

Keywords:
NeurocognitiveNeurodevelopmentPlacental lesionsPlacental pathologySchool performance

More Related Videos

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats07:36

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats

Published on: November 20, 2015

Disruption of the Mouse Blood-Brain Barrier by Small Extracellular Vesicles from Hypoxic Human Placentas05:31

Disruption of the Mouse Blood-Brain Barrier by Small Extracellular Vesicles from Hypoxic Human Placentas

Published on: January 26, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Fetal Circulation01:14

Fetal Circulation

Fetal circulation is a unique system that facilitates the exchange of gases, nutrients, and waste products between the developing fetus and the mother. This intricate process takes place through a special organ called the placenta.
Two umbilical arteries transport blood from the fetus to the placenta. At the placenta, the blood absorbs oxygen and nutrients while simultaneously eliminating waste products. This oxygen-enriched and nutrient-rich blood then returns to the fetus through one...
Pathophysiology of Diabetes01:20

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The four categories of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other specific types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility, suggesting a...
Development of Blood Vessels01:07

Development of Blood Vessels

The development of the vascular system in a fetus is a complex and intricate process that begins as early as 15 to 16 days post-conception. This process starts outside the embryo, specifically in the mesoderm of the yolk sac, chorion, and connecting stalk. Approximately two days later, the formation of blood vessels occurs within the embryo itself.
The initial formation of this system is facilitated by the small amount of yolk present in the ovum and yolk sac. Blood vessels originate from...
Diabetic Retinopathy01:27

Diabetic Retinopathy

DefinitionDiabetic retinopathy is a microvascular complication of diabetes affecting the retinal blood vessels.Risk FactorsDiabetic retinopathy is present in almost all individuals with type 1 diabetes and more than 60% of those with type 2 diabetes after two decades of disease.The risk increases with poor glycemic control, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, pregnancy, and puberty.Although cataracts and glaucoma are also more frequent in people with diabetes, retinopathy remains the leading...
Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation01:21

Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation

Clinical manifestationsPeripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) manifests through a range of symptoms, from the characteristic intermittent claudication to atypical presentations and severe complications in advanced stages. Intermittent claudication, a hallmark symptom of PAD, presents as exercise-induced muscle pain that typically resolves within minutes of rest. This pain is reproducible and stems from inadequate blood flow, leading to the accumulation of lactic acid produced during anaerobic...
Ischemic Stroke ll: Pathophysiology01:15

Ischemic Stroke ll: Pathophysiology

An ischemic stroke occurs when a cerebral blood vessel becomes obstructed, most often by a thrombus or embolus, interrupting the delivery of oxygen and glucose to brain tissue. Because neurons rely on continuous aerobic metabolism, energy failure begins within minutes of reduced perfusion. The region receiving the least blood flow becomes the infarct core, an area of irreversible cellular death. Surrounding this core lies the penumbra, a zone of hypoperfused but still viable tissue that is...