Ultrasonographically observed early placental maturation and perinatal outcome

Perinatal outcome in 398 patients who had Grade II or Grade III placentas was analyzed in a cross-sectional study. Early placental maturation was identified in 51 patients. A trend toward lower mean birth weights was identified in the group with early placental maturation as compared to controls; however, statistical significance was achieved only in the Grade II population. In the Grade III population, early placental maturation identified a group of patients with a 16.7% incidence of growth retardation as compared to 4.1% in control patients (p less than 0.01). Early placental maturation was an insensitive predictor of poor perinatal outcome with respect to maternal hypertension, antepartum or intrapartum fetal distress, and perinatal asphyxia.