Placenta
Nonneoplastic placental conditions and abnormalities
Noninfectious
Thrombosis of fetal arteries
Author: Mandolin S. Ziadie, M.D.
Last author update: 1 November 2011
Last staff update: 31 August 2020
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PubMed Search: Thrombosis of fetal arteries placenta
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Gross description | Microscopic (histologic) description | Differential diagnosisCite this page: Ziadie MS. Thrombosis of fetal arteries. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/placentathombosisfetalart.html. Accessed April 16th, 2024.
Definition / general
- Thrombosis of fetal vessels results in fibrosis of downstream villi
- Thrombi may also embolize to fetal organs, resulting in perinatal asphyxia and an increased risk of neurologic injury
- More common in diabetic pregnancies, often associated with increased syncytial knots, fibrotic villi, Langhans cells and villous fibrinoid necrosis
Gross description
- Triangular or hemispheric pale areas, seen better after formalin fixation or otherwise similar to remaining placenta
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Occlusive thrombi in large stem vessels accompanied by downstream changes, including loss of vascularity and fibrosis
Differential diagnosis
