Scanning Electron Microscopy of Placental Villi Associated to Four Complications of Pregnancy

Placental villi in a case of fetal death associate to complications of pregnancy as preeclampsia severe, megaloblastic macrocitic anemia, infection by Zika virus and marginal insertion of umbilical cord were showed in woman pregnancy of 26 years old at 22 weeks of pregnancy causing severe degenerative changes. Is our objective to explore the cell surface of the trophoblast identifying the changes observed with scanning electron microscopy. Samples of normal trophoblast were compared with samples of the case with the four complications. This case was correlated besides with the features found with light microscopy according with a preliminary study previously published. Groups of villi were seen not following their normal morphological pattern. Immature globular terminal villi rush out of mesenchymal villi in irregular aspect. These presented depressions or prolongations of syncytial plasma membrane. Mesenchymal villi are originating mature intermediate villi without to present terminal villi in their trajectory. Immature villi are covered by fibrinoid deposition as others placental villi. Many villi exhibit deep cracks. With frequency curvilinear mature intermediate villi were observed with proliferation of terminal villi in their extremity. These results indicate morphological bad development of the villous tree to the 22 weeks of pregnancy with deficiency of terminal villi and high risk of normal interchange of gases or nutrients contributing with the fetal death.