Effects of High Altitude on the Vascularization of Terminal Villi in Human Placentae

Abstract

The oxygen diffusing capacity of the human hemomonochorial placenta is influenced by the physical dimensions of the tissue components of the materno-fetal interhemal barrier (Laga et al., 1973; Mayhew et al., 1984). Of these tissue components, the villous membrane — comprising trophoblast, villous stroma, and fetal capillary endothelium — makes a major contribution to total placental diffusing capacity (Mayhew et al., 1986a).