RESUMO
Introduction: Pre-eclampsia is one of the major obstetric problem affects 5-8% of all pregnancies leading tomaternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Fetal outcome is badly affected by pathological changesdeveloping in placenta.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in the department of Anatomy with Pathology,Yenepoya Medical College, Mangalore, Karnataka. A total of 32 freshly delivered placentae (24 from pre-eclampticpregnancy and 8 from normal pregnancy) were collected from the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department ofYenepoya Medical College Hospital, Mangalore. Morphologic and morphometric parameters of placentae werenoted and their means were calculated.Results: The morphologic parameters of the placenta were showed significant difference in two groups (p=0.018).Fetal birth weight was lower in pre-eclamptic group and 33% of babies of pre-eclamptic mothers developed IUGR.The incidence of pre-eclamptic patients underwent caesarean section was 71% and 16% of pre-eclamptic mothersdeveloped eclampsia and HELLP syndrome.Discussion: Pre-eclampsia is associated with significant changes in placental morphology due to decreaseduteroplacental blood flow. Prematurity, growth restriction and low birth weight are fetal complications expectedto be linked with pre-eclampsia. Placental weight had relevant connection with the fetal birth weight. Hence, theknowledge of this will be extremely useful in the early diagnosis of placental insufficiency and to plan a safepregnancy with healthy fetal outcome