Placental morphology in Covid-19: A study in tertiary hospital in Telangana

Abstract

Due to emerging new variants of Corona virus, study of placental histopathological changes helps in understanding its tissue tropism and effects of the virus of maternal and foetal morbidities. Prospective Observational Study.To evaluate and describe histopathologic findings in the placentas of women affected with COVID19. A total of 16 placentas from pregnant women who were infected with COVID-19 in any gestational age and delivering between March 2020 and February 2022 were examined and compared with normal third trimester placentas received in the same time period. Among the 16 placentas examined, most significant change as a sign of maternal malperfusion is increased intervillous fibrin deposition, which is seen in 81.25% cases, followed by infarction, calcification, increased syncytial knots, haemorrhage, calcification, vascular congestion and fibrin thrombi. Most significant foetal malperfusion sign is Chorangiosis which is seen in 37.5% cases, followed by thrombi in umbilical vessels. Also, 25% of the placentas examined showed Villitis, 18.75% showed Deciduitis, 6.25% showed Chorioamnionitis and 6.25% showed vasculitis. COVID-19 placentas show increased prevalence of decidual arteriopathy and features of foeto-maternal vascular malperfusion which can be related to the consequences in foetus like Preterm delivery, IUGR and respiratory distress.