In PE, placenta grows slowly along its minor axis

[caryn]

Compared to normotensive pregnancies, the placentas from pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia had a reduced surface area and the surface was more oval. The thickness, however, was increased. When the two diameters were analyzed together, preeclampsia was not associated with the length of the maximal diameter, but was strongly associated with a short lesser diameter (p<0.0001). This was a graded relation: the shorter the lesser diameter, the greater the risk for, and severity of, preeclampsia. Placentas from pregnancies complicated by hypertension without proteinuria had a reduced surface area, with short lesser and maximal diameters...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19876819

Oooooh. Preeclamptic placentas are growing funny in one direction but not the other. That could narrow down some interesting pathways.

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[mellybute]

All of this is so very interesting!

[missgamecock]

Hmm wonder if that is why mine are always sent to path (not normal unless the ob orders it at my hospital).