The prevalence of sonographically thick placenta and its effect on the fetal and maternal outcome

Background: The placenta, is responsible for the nutritive, respiratory and excretory functions of the fetus. It is often overlooked in the routine evaluation of the normal gestation, receiving attention only when an abnormality is detected. Aim of work: to determine the prevalence of sonographically thick placenta and the relation of thick placenta to fetal & maternal outcome. Patients and methods: prospective study included 25 pregnant women with thick placenta, attending to El-Hussein Obstetric outpatient clinics, as group A. 25 pregnant women with normal placental thickness were included as group B. US examination was recorded at 2nd and 3rd trimesters. After delivery, the placenta was weighted in grams. Results: There was statistically significant higher incidence of HTN, IUGR and NICU admission in group A rather than group B. There was statistically significant lower GA, birth weight and Apgar score in group A compared to group B. There was statistically significant higher placental weight in group A compared to group B. There was statistically significant increase in placental thickness in patients with maternal HTN, DM and thyroid disease. Conclusion: Increased placental thickness is not diagnostic of any specific disorder but may contribute to the management of a fetus at risk. Measurement of Placental Thickness is a good predictor tool for estimating the fetal weight. Thick placenta is associated with higher incidence of low GA and low birth weight. A thick placenta should be regarded as a risk factor and needs good follow up.