Main description:

This book is a comprehensive work that spans the gap between basic knowledge and clinical significance of the placenta. Starting from normal development, it deals with the histopathology of the placenta, leads the reader on to functional disorders and insufficiencies and explains their effects on mother and child.

Based on this, the authors convey in a practical and user-friendly manner everything worth knowing about diagnostics and therapy and provide valuable information for the optimal care of the pregnant patient.

Contents:

Placental development with histological aspects.- Immunology of the fetomaternal border.- Placental morphology.- Placental morphology.- Histopathology of the placenta for gynaecologists.- Biobanking.- Placental function - Nutrient transport - Gas exchange.- Placental endocrinology.- Teratology.- The effects of licit and illicit drugs on placental function.- Placental hemorrhage: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management.- The abnormally invasive placenta (AIP).- Placenta praevia.- Umbilical cord insertion, variations and vasa praevia.- Premature placental abruption.- Primary and secondary tumors of the umbilical cord and placenta.- Placental Imaging.- Sonographic assessment of the placenta in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters and US/MRI morphology of the placenta.- Doppler sonography/diagnosis of function.- Disruption of early pregnancy and abortions.- Early pregnancy and its disruption.- Habitual abortions.- Placental insufficiency/placenta associated diseases.- Placental disorders: Pathophysiology.- IUGR: diagnosis and management.- Pre-eclampsia: diagnosis and management.- The placenta in twins.- Fetal programming.- Fetal cells and cell-free nucleic acids in maternal blood: genetic and immunological aspects.- Research aspects and in vitro models.- Maternal disease affecting the placenta - Diabetes mellitus.